Jeremiah O’Neil Hired As W&J Water Polo Coach
WASHINGTON, Pa. - Washington & Jefferson College Director of Athletics Bill Dukett announced Jeremiah O’Neil as the Presidents head men’s and women’s water polo coach on Thursday.
O’Neil, a 1997 graduate of Bucknell University, has previously coached at Bucknell and Salem International, while also spending time as a NCAA water polo official. He played varsity water polo at Bucknell from 1993-97.
“It means a lot to be selected as the head coach at a highly-regarded institution like Washington & Jefferson College,” said O’Neil. “The college and the water polo programs have very strong traditions. There are many talented players at W&J and I am looking forward to both teams contending with the top programs in the Collegiate Water Polo Association.”
O’Neil, the 2000 CWPA Southern/West Women’s Coach of the Year, coached the men’s and women’s teams at Salem International from 1999-2001. He also spent one year as the women’s assistant coach at Bucknell.
Most recently, O’Neil was the aquatic director and head varsity swimming coach at Somerset Area High School for 10 years. Overall, O’Neil brings 20 years of water polo playing, coaching and officiating experience to the Washington, Pa., campus.
“We are very pleased to add Coach O’Neil to our coaching staff,” said Dukett. “He has been directly involved in the sports of water polo and swimming for two decades. We believe his experience brings us the opportunity to continue the success of our water polo programs which were introduced as NCAA varsity sports in 1999.”
O’Neil will coach his first game with the Presidents on Feb. 25th as the women’s team opens its season by hosting O’Neil’s former team, Salem International, at noon at the Henry Memorial Natatorium. The W&J women are ranked fourth in the CWPA Division III preseason poll.
