Adam Wright (water polo)
Encyclopedia
Adam Wright is an American water polo
player and a college water polo head coach. He was a member of the United States men's national water polo team
at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
. In the championship game, the USA team won the silver medal, defeated by Hungary.
On June 3, 2009, Wright was named the head coach of the UCLA Bruins
men's water polo team, having served as its men's and women's water polo team assistant coach.
team. During his years at UCLA, his team won back-to-back NCAA championships in 1999 and 2000. During his senior year, he was named as honorable mention on the All-America
team and was on the All-MPSF second-team for his 39 goals on 76 attempts.
As a junior in 1999, he was named to the All-America third-team and All-MPSF second-team. He had 48 points (second on the team), 27 assists (first), and 39 steals. At UCLA, Wright was coached by Guy Baker
, the current USA women's water polo team coach.
men's water polo team, after serving as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's teams. He was a member of the 2004 and 2008 USA water polo team.
Wright, a driver, played tough defense and was a good scorer. At the 2007 Pan American Games
, he had four goals to help the American team gain a berth in the Beijing Olympics. Additionally, he scored five goals at the 2007 FINA
World Championships.
After graduation from UCLA with degrees in history and sociology, Wright played water polo for Bissolati Cremona (2007), Civitavecchia in Italy (2006), Nuoto Catania in Sicily (2005–06), and Dynamo in Moscow (2004–05).
As an assistant coach at UCLA
, his women's water polo team won the 2009 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
, 5-4 over USC Trojans
.
and played on the school's water polo team. The team won the 1994 Division I CIF championship when he was there and Wright was named 1995 CIF Division I Player-of-the-Year?During his high school playing years, Wright scored 309 goals and was given the All-American honors for three seasons. He was coached by Ricardo Azevedo
, his Olympics teammate Tony Azevedo
's father, at Wilson.
, and has listed Seal Beach, California
, as his hometown. He is 6'3" tall and weighs 195 lbs. He was married in 2006. His father Steve was a pitcher in a minor league baseball team, and his brother Randy was on UCLA's championship teams of 1995 and 1996.
Water polo
Water polo is a team water sport. The playing team consists of six field players and one goalkeeper. The winner of the game is the team that scores more goals. Game play involves swimming, treading water , players passing the ball while being defended by opponents, and scoring by throwing into a...
player and a college water polo head coach. He was a member of the United States men's national water polo team
United States men's national water polo team
The United States men's national water polo team is the representative for the United States of America in international men's water polo.The team competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, where they won silver medal in the final, losing to Hungary 14-10....
at the 2008 Beijing Olympics
Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics
Water polo at the 2008 Summer Olympics was held from 10 August to 24 August 2008 at the Ying Tung Natatorium in Beijing, People's Republic of China.-Men's medalists:-Women's medalists:-Men:-Women:-External links:**...
. In the championship game, the USA team won the silver medal, defeated by Hungary.
On June 3, 2009, Wright was named the head coach of the UCLA Bruins
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
men's water polo team, having served as its men's and women's water polo team assistant coach.
College
Wright attended UCLA and played water polo for the NCAA championshipNCAA Men's Water Polo Championship
The NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship has existed since the 1969 season.No school from outside the state of California has ever surpassed third place...
team. During his years at UCLA, his team won back-to-back NCAA championships in 1999 and 2000. During his senior year, he was named as honorable mention on the All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
team and was on the All-MPSF second-team for his 39 goals on 76 attempts.
As a junior in 1999, he was named to the All-America third-team and All-MPSF second-team. He had 48 points (second on the team), 27 assists (first), and 39 steals. At UCLA, Wright was coached by Guy Baker
Guy Baker
Guy Baker was the head coach for the United States women's national water polo team competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympic games. He is now the Director Of Olympic Development of USA Water Polo...
, the current USA women's water polo team coach.
Career
Wright is now the head coach of the UCLA BruinsUCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
men's water polo team, after serving as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's teams. He was a member of the 2004 and 2008 USA water polo team.
Wright, a driver, played tough defense and was a good scorer. At the 2007 Pan American Games
2007 Pan American Games
The 2007 Pan American Games, officially known as the XV Pan American Games, were a major continental multi-sport event that took place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, from July 13 to July 29, 2007. A total of 5,633 athletes from 42 National Olympic Committees competed in 332 events in 34 sports and in...
, he had four goals to help the American team gain a berth in the Beijing Olympics. Additionally, he scored five goals at the 2007 FINA
Fina
Fina may refer to:*Fina, a character in the Skies of Arcadia video game*FINA, the International Swimming Federation*FINA, the North American Forum on Integration...
World Championships.
After graduation from UCLA with degrees in history and sociology, Wright played water polo for Bissolati Cremona (2007), Civitavecchia in Italy (2006), Nuoto Catania in Sicily (2005–06), and Dynamo in Moscow (2004–05).
As an assistant coach at UCLA
UCLA Bruins
The UCLA Bruins are the sports teams for University of California, Los Angeles . The Bruin men's and women's teams participate in NCAA Division I as part of the Pacific-12 Conference and the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation . For football, they are in the Football Bowl Subdivision of Division I...
, his women's water polo team won the 2009 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship
The NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship has existed since the 2001 season. Three conferences have teams competing in women's water polo, the Collegiate Water Polo Association, the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation and the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference...
, 5-4 over USC Trojans
USC Trojans
The USC Trojans are the athletic teams representing the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. While the men's teams are nicknamed the Trojans, the women's athletic teams are referred to as either the Trojans or Women of Troy...
.
Early years
He attended Long Beach's Wilson High SchoolWilson Classical High School
Woodrow Wilson Classical High School is a secondary school in Long Beach, California. It is part of the Long Beach Unified School District and opened in 1925.-Overview:Wilson High School opened in 1925 as the second school in the city....
and played on the school's water polo team. The team won the 1994 Division I CIF championship when he was there and Wright was named 1995 CIF Division I Player-of-the-Year?During his high school playing years, Wright scored 309 goals and was given the All-American honors for three seasons. He was coached by Ricardo Azevedo
Ricardo Azevedo
Ricardo Azevedo born August 24, 1956 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is a professional water polo coach in Italy. Born in Brazil, Azevedo is the son of a Brazilian World Cup soccer player. Azevedo played on the Brazilian National Water Polo Team from 1974 to 1980. He was twice voted Brazil's "Player...
, his Olympics teammate Tony Azevedo
Tony Azevedo
Anthony Lawrence Azevedo is an American water polo player and a graduate of Stanford University. Nicknamed "The Savior" at one point, he is considered to be one of the best American water polo players in recent memory...
's father, at Wilson.
Personal
Wright was born in Huntington Beach, CaliforniaHuntington Beach, California
Huntington Beach is a seaside city in Orange County in Southern California. According to the 2010 census, the city population was 189,992; making it the largest beach city in Orange County in terms of population...
, and has listed Seal Beach, California
Seal Beach, California
-Neighborhoods:Seal Beach encompasses the Leisure World retirement gated community with roughly 9,000 residents. This was the first major planned retirement community of its type in the U.S...
, as his hometown. He is 6'3" tall and weighs 195 lbs. He was married in 2006. His father Steve was a pitcher in a minor league baseball team, and his brother Randy was on UCLA's championship teams of 1995 and 1996.