USC Water Polo Coach Steps Down After 26 Years

After his program won two national championships in the last six months, USC water polo Coach John Williams has decided to go out on top, retiring after 26 years as coach.

Williams, who in 1981 had to raise $100,000 on his own to save water polo at USC, led the men to their first national championship in December after six second-place finishes. In May, the women’s program, which Williams began and Jovan Vavic coaches, won its first national championship.

Vavic, who has been co-head coach of the men’s team with Williams since 1995, will take over the program solo, and stay with the women.

Along with the national championship, Williams, 51, compiled a 449-253-7 career record, had 87 All-Americans and was named national coach of the year with Vavic in 1998.

Said Williams: “My biggest legacy is that there’s still water polo at USC.”