Long Beach State University Athletics
Olympian Moody Named to Water Polo Staff
9/15/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
Sept. 15, 2008
LONG BEACH-- Long Beach State water polo announced that two-time Olympian Heather Moody will be the 49ers new assistant coach for both the men's and women's programs.
"Her experience as an athlete and a coach are what stand out," said Gavin Arroyo, who is in his third year with the men's program and will begin his first as the head coach on the women's side in the spring. "She has strong leadership, a great knowledge of the game and knows how to compete at a high level. She will be an asset to both the men's and women's programs. Her international and Olympic experience are true assets for the program and will give our athletes a truly unique experience."
Moody was named the interim Head Coach for the women's national team in 2005 and a month later led the Americans to a Silver Medal at the FINA World Championships in Montreal. Moody resumed her assistant coaching duties in 2005 after Guy Baker was hired as head coach. Moody has been an assistant with Team USA ever since. The 2008 team won Gold in Beijing in August. Moody also coached at Golden West Junior College for five years.
"I'm definitely looking forward to working at Long Beach State," said Moody. "Gavin and I have a good relationship from working together with Team USA in 2005 and I look forward to improving the program."
Arroyo was a member of the national program from 1993 to 2000 and competed in the Olympics in 1996 and 2000. He was an assistant coach with the national team in 2005.
A member of the U.S. first Olympic team in 2000, Moody led the Americans to gold medals at the 2003 FINA World Championships in Barcelona and at the 2003 Pan American Games in the Dominican Republic. The two-meter player also won a Silver Medal at the 2000 Sydney Games and a Bronze as the team captain at the 2004 Athens Olympics. In 2000 she became the first American to play professional water polo, signing with Club Voulagmeni, the top club team in Greeece. She was twice named USA Water Polo Player of the Year (1999, 2001). In February, 2007 she was inducted into the New York Athletic Club Hall of Fame with fellow Olympians, Natalie Golda and Nicolle Payne. The trio were the first women inducted into the NYAC Hall of Fame.
As a member of San Diego State's water polo team, Moody led the Aztecs to a third place finish at the 1996 Collegiate National Championship in her only season with the Aztecs. Moody was named a first team All-American that year and was the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's Co-Player of the Year. Moody currently resides in Long Beach.
