Long Beach State University Athletics
Azevedo to Coach Team USA, Leave LBSU
11/16/2005 12:00:00 AM | Women's Water Polo
Azevedo Named National Team Coach LONG BEACH, CA-- United States Water Polo announced that they will hire Long Beach State Head Men's and Women's Water Polo Coach Ricardo Azevedo as its next men's national team coach and director. Azevedo, who is finishing up his seventh season with the men's program and spent six years with the women, moved both programs firmly into the national rankings, winning over 100 games on both sides, while competing in the nation's toughest conference. Azevedo will serve as the head coach for the 49ers until the end of the NCAA men's season, as an interim coach will be hired for the women's season in 2006. "U.S Water Polo made it very difficult to say no. In my sport, it's what you look for. I'm a professional and to be with great athletes, in the international community and at the highest level of competition, it's like going to the NBA for basketball coaches," said Azevedo. "There's only been 16 coaches in 100 years of history, and as much thought that I gave to it, over and over again, I just couldn't turn it down." While at Long Beach State, the men's team, currently 16-14, has gone 106-92 in six-plus years, ranking has high as fifth nationally and finishing at a program-high fourth in the MPSF in 2004. The women's program has gone 119-75 over six seasons, three times producing school-records for wins, ranking as high as No. 3 nationally and producing its best seasons of all-time. The men's team has been .500 or better in each of the past six seasons, the best its been since the late 70's when Azevedo was a collegian for the program, while the women's team has produce three-straight 20-win seasons, a program first. "I made it clear that I will always be a Long Beach person and I told President Maxson that for the first game in the Olympics in 2008, I'll be wearing a Long Beach State hat to the pool," said Azevedo. "I love this place. I have lifelong friends here, and that's the toughest thing to leave." Azevedo will be reunited with his son, Tony, the world's top player and a current professional player in Italy, and leave his daughter, Cassie, a senior All-American for the 49ers. Both, like their father, were Wilson High graduates. The team trains at the Los Alamitos Joint Forces Base, and will have to re-qualify for the World Championships in 2007, after not qualifying in 2006. The elder Azevedo has spent many years at the international level, working on the national team staff's from 2000 to 2004 and 1992 to 1996. For nine years (1984-92), he was a member of the U.S. Men's Junior Natioanl Team, serving as the head coach form 1988 to 1992. In 1998, he was named the USOC's Olympic Development Coach of the Year. Azevedo spent nine seasons coaching Wilson High School to four CIF boy's championships (1994, 1996, 1997, 1998) and two CIF finals appearances on the girl's side. He was a three-time CIF Coach of the Year. He was also a head coach at Gahr (1989-90), Millikan (1988) and St. John Bosco (1982-86). Azevedo competed at Long Beach City College in 1975 and 1977 and was a member of the 49ers in 1978 and 1979. He played on the Brazilian National Team from 1974 to 1980. He is also a member of Wilson High's and the City of Long Beach's Hall of Fames.
|
|
|
Copyrighted by Long Beach State and www.longbeachstate.com. All rights reserved worldwide.
No portion of this site may be reproduced or duplicated without the express written Please contact the webmaster should you find an error or out of date link.
