Coralie Simmons

Biography

Coralie Simmons enters her 10th season as the head coach of the Golden Bears in 2026 and leads the program among the elite in collegiate water polo. Simmons has guided Cal to five straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including a trip to the NCAA final in 2024, while amassing a record of 150-72 with the Bears. Simmons has led Cal to seven NCAA tournaments in the past eight seasons in which the event was held, with five semifinal runs in that span. From 2017 to 2025, Simmons has produced 36 ACWPC All-America selections and almost 100 ACWPC All-Academic picks. Simmons is one of the most respected figures in the water polo community, reaching lofty heights as both an athlete and coach. She is regarded as one of the greatest female American players ever, having led the United States to the silver medal at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia and twice being named the NCAA Player of the Year while a student-athlete at UCLA. She helped the Bruins win the first-ever NCAA Championship in 2001. Her coaching career began in 2005 as an assistant at Hawaii, where she helped the Rainbows record their first-ever top-four finish at the NCAA Championships. She moved on to become an assistant at her alma mater, helping UCLA capture the 2007 NCAA title. After one year each as an assistant at Hawaii and UCLA, she was named the head coach at Sonoma State University, where she led the program for nine years, twice being named the Division II National Coach of the Year. Simmons is also he