University of Hawaii at Manoa Women's Water Polo

Cole was recognized as the Big West Coach of the Year in 2013.   The team has also excelled in the classroom under Cole. In three years, the Rainbow Wahine have received 12 academic citations from the MPSF and Big West and 12 from the American Water Polo Coaches Association. In 2013, Amarens Genee became the first player in program history to earn Academic All-America honors.   Cole has helped the program flourish while recruiting players from far and wide. The 2014 roster included players from six different nations (Canada, New Zealand, Brazil, Australia, Spain, and England).   Cole was named the programs fourth coach in July 2011. Cole previously served as a UH assistant the last five seasons, a period of incredible success for the program.   She first arrived on the UH campus in 2007, serving under former head coach Michel Roy. In her five seasons as an assistant, she helped elevate the team as perennial contender in the ultra-competitive Mountain Pacific Sports Federation. In the last five seasons, the Rainbow Wahine have notched 92 victories, including back-to-back third-place conference finishes in 2010 and '11.   In 2009 the team advanced to the NCAA Championships in College Park, Md., and finished fourth in the nation. UH has never finished lower than sixth nationally during her tenure, while the Rainbow Wahine have garnered 15 All-America citationsincluding multiple picks in each seasonduring that same stretch.   Prior to coaching, the former Maureen Flanagan, enjoyed a decorated playing career at the high school, collegiate and international levels. She is a 1999 graduate of Punahou School where she was a standout swimmer and water polo player. During her prep career, Cole led the Buffanblu to four straight league titles in water polo and was the team MVP all four years. She was the 1997 and '99 recipient of the Leslie Kerfoot Award presented to the Most Valuable Hawaiian Female in the Hawaiian Invitational Water Polo Tournament. Cole was also a champion swimmer at Punahou, winning the state titles in the 50 free and 100 free.   Cole went on to play collegiate water polo at UCLA where she served as a key member of three Bruin national title teams in 2000, '01, and '03 squad. In 2003 she earned All-America honors. The former defensive specialist and driver also excelled in the classroom and was a four-time Academic All-American.   Still as a collegiate athlete, she enjoyed two successful stints on the national team. She led the junior national team to the Pan-American and Junior World championships from 2000-02. Cole then spent the 2003-04 seasons as a part of the senior national team and made it to the final selections for the 2004 U.S. Olympic team that participated in Athens, Greece.   Cole began her coaching career at the Hawaiian Islands Water Polo Club where she has coached several of the state's top prep water polo players for a dozen years. She gained her first collegiate coaching experience at UCLA, where she remained with the Bruins as an undergraduate assistant for its 2005 undefeated (35-0) championship season. She graduated from UCLA in 2005, earning her bachelors degree in business/economics.   She currently resides in Honolulu, O`ahu with her husband, Doug, and her son, Van Zandt.   : Fifth season : UCLA (2005) 2011-, Hawaii, Head Coach 2007-, Hawaii, Assistant Head Coach    

Castle joined the University of Hawai`i women's water polo program as an associate coach in Septmember in 2014. The native of South Africa boasts extensive experience at the international level, while also serving as a collegiate coach in the U.S. for the last eight years. I'm excited to welcome Ryan Castle to the Rainbow Wahine water polo family, Cole said.  He brings with him a high level of experience and a great attitude.  Hes a perfect fit for our program and Im looking forward to working with him in what should be a very exciting season. Castle has been an assistant coach at three other schools, most recently at the University of Michigan during the 2014 campaign. Last season the Wolverines finished with a 21-12 mark.  Prior to arriving at Michigan, Castle served three seasons as an assistant coach at Hartwick College (2010-13), where he contributed to an 83-37 record during his tenure. In 2013 the Hawks posted a 29-13 mark, claimed the CWPA Western Division regular-season title and took fourth place at the Eastern Championship. Castle also previously served as an assistant coach at Arizona State (2007-10). In 2008, he helped guide the Sun Devils to its most wins (21) and highest national ranking (No. 4) in program history at the time. As the head coach for the ASU men's club team (2007-10), he also led the Sun Devils to a third-place finish at the National Collegiate Club Championships later that fall. Hailing from Cape Town, South Africa, Castle has been involved with international water polo at both the junior and senior levels. As the head coach of the Kazakhstan Women's Senior National Team, he led the squad to a 13th place at the 2011 FINA World Championships in Shanghai, China, matching the fourth greatest finish in the country's history. The team was also ranked as high as 10th in the world during his tenure. He has also served an assistant coach with the South African Womens Senior National Team (2003-05, '11) and the head coach of the 2004 National 'B' Team. In 2003, he served as head coach of the South African Women's Junior National Team, while also assisting with the men's junior team. In 2009 he was the video coordinator for New Zealand Womens Senior National Team. Castle graduated from the University of Cape Town in 2001 with a bachelor's degree in information systems and earned a post graduate credential in education in 2003.