COACH GAVIN ARROYO

Now well established as one of the premier water polo coaches in the country—at Long Beach State and with the USA Water Polo Men's National Team—Gavin Arroyo first made his name in the water. One of the best aquatic athletes to come out of southern California in the 1990s, Arroyo was named swimmer of the year and water polo player of the year as a senior at Villa Park High School. From there it was off to the University of California, Berkeley, where Arroyo immediately helped the water polo team win three straight NCAA Championships including an undefeated campaign in 1992. 

At the same time, he began carving out an important role on a veteran USA Men's Senior National Team and made his Olympic debut at the 1996 Games in Atlanta. The next year Arroyo helped the United States to a Gold medal finish at the FINA World Cup—the second World Cup crown of the decade for Team USA. Arroyo capped an eight-year run with the U.S. with a second-straight Olympic Games appearance in 2000 in Sydney. While starring for Team USA, Arroyo was one of the first American athletes to become a mainstay abroad, enjoying a seven-year career in Greece and Spain competing for Vouliagmeni, Glyfada, CN Barcelona, Olympiakos, and CN Barceloneta. 

Arroyo remains entrenched in water polo as a high-level coach, now in his 14th season leading Long Beach State and having won MPSF Coach of the Year honors on three occasions. Currently the acting ODP technical director, having helped implement fundamental development frameworks for more than 20 years, Arroyo also has been in charge of the Men's Development and Junior National Teams the last five years.

Gavin Arroyo’s highlights 

As  a water polo player 

2 x Olympian

3 x NCAA Champion

8 Years of playing Professionally in Europe

As Coach

Long Beach State Men’s Team Head Coach since 2002

3 x MPSF Coach of the Year

2 x GCC Coach of the Year

Men’s Team USA Assistant Coach  2017- Present 

Cadet National coach

Junior National coach

Providing ODP content for 20 yrs

USAWP - Hall of Fame 

CAL Berkeley  Athletics - Hall of Fame