April 18, 2005

SANTA BARBARA, Calif. - Wolf Wigo, a member of the United States National Water Polo team since 1993, and a former assistant coach at Stanford University, has been chosen as the men's water polo coach at UC Santa Barbara, Athletics Director Gary Cunningham announced today.

As a member of the U.S. National Team, Wigo competed in the Olympic Games in 1996, 2000 and 2004. In 2000, at Syndey, Australia, he was the team's leading scorer with 16 goals, and in 2004 in Athens, he was the Olympic Team's Captain. In fact, he has been the U.S. Team Captain since 2001. In addition, Wigo is a three-time USA Water Polo Male Athlete of the Year, having been accorded the honor in 1999, 2000, and 2003. In 2000, he was selected First Team All-World by NBC Sports and USA Water Polo, and in 1994, after captaining Stanford to its second straight NCAA Championship, he was named NCAA Player of the Year. Finally, Wigo helped the U.S. National Team to the 1997 FINA World Championship.

As a coach, he assisted at Stanford in 1995, 1996 and 2001. In 2001, the Cardinal won the NCAA Championship. For the past two years, he has also been the head coach and primary administrator for the Saddleback El Toro Water Polo Club, where he was in charge of ten age groups ranging from five to 60.

"We are very excited about the addition of Wolf Wigo as our men's water polo coach," Cunningham said. "He has tremendous credentials as a player, and his knowledge of the game should allow him to become an outstanding coach."

Wigo a 1995 graduate of Stanford with a BA in political science, succeeds Joe O'Brien, who resigned the position in January.