Adam Krikorian facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Adam Krikorian
Personal information
Born	(1974-07-22) 22 July 1974 (age 50) Santa Clara, California
Nationality	United States
Teams coached
Years	Team
2009–	United States women's national water polo team
Medal record Women's water polo (as head coach) Representing  United States Olympic Games Gold 2012 London Team Gold 2016 Rio de Janeiro Team Gold 2020 Tokyo Team World Championship Gold 2009 Rome Team Gold 2015 Kazan Team Gold 2017 Budapest Team Gold 2019 Gwangju Team Gold 2022 Budapest Team FINA World Cup Gold 2010 Christchurch Gold 2014 Khanty-Mansiysk Gold 2018 Surgut Gold 2023 Long Beach FINA World League Gold 2009 Kirishi Gold 2010 La Jolla Gold 2011 Tianjin Gold 2012 Changshu Gold 2014 Kunshan Gold 2015 Shanghai Gold 2016 Shanghai Gold 2017 Shanghai Gold 2018 Kunshan Gold 2019 Budapest Gold 2020 Athens Bronze 2013 Beijing Bronze 2022 Santa Cruz de Tenerife Pan American Games Gold 2011 Guadalajara Team Gold 2015 Toronto Team Gold 2019 Lima Team Gold 2023 Santiago Team
Last updated: 26 October 2020

Adam Krikorian (born July 22, 1974) is a famous American water polo coach. He is best known as the head coach for the United States women's national water polo team. Under his guidance, the team has won three gold medals at the Olympic Games in 2012, 2016, and 2020. He was even named the U.S. Olympic Committee's Coach of the Games in 2016! Before becoming a national coach, he won many championships at UCLA as a player, assistant coach, and head coach.

About Adam Krikorian's Life

Adam Krikorian grew up in an Armenian-American family. He is the youngest of three brothers. His older brothers, Blake and Jason Krikorian, were the founders of a company called Sling Media. Adam and his brother Blake both played water polo at UCLA. Jason, their other brother, was a swimmer. Adam is married to Anicia and they have two children. They live in Manhattan Beach, California.

High School and College Water Polo

Adam was a star in both water polo and swimming during his high school years at Mountain View High School. In his final year of high school, he scored an amazing 113 goals! He also helped his team win a National Junior Olympic championship.

He then went on to play college water polo at UCLA. In 1995, he led the UCLA team to their first NCAA Championship in 23 years. During his time at UCLA, he scored 76 goals. He was a team captain in 1994 and 1995. In 2016, he was honored by being added to the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame.

Adam Krikorian's Coaching Career

Coaching at College

Adam Krikorian (far left) and his UCLA Women's Water Polo team honored for winning UCLA's 100th NCAA Championship, 2007.

Adam Krikorian with his UCLA women's water polo team at the White House, June 2008.

Adam Krikorian started his coaching journey at UCLA in 1996. He first coached the men's water polo team, and then the women's team starting in 1997. Throughout his coaching career, his teams have won a total of 15 national championships. He won 11 of these as a head coach, three as an assistant coach, and one as a player. He was named the national men's water polo coach of the year in 2004. He also won the national women's water polo coach of the year award multiple times (2001, 2005, 2006, and 2007).

In 2007, his women's team won UCLA's 100th NCAA championship. This was a huge milestone for the school! The 2008 women's team had a perfect season, winning all 33 of their games. They beat USC 6-3 to win the 2008 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship.

Adam Krikorian has coached many talented players. Five of his players won the Peter J. Cutino Award. This award goes to the best male and female college water polo players each year. He was named NCAA Division I Coach of the Year for the fifth year in a row in 2009.

Coaching for Team USA

As the head coach of the USA Women's Water Polo Team, Adam Krikorian has led his team to many victories. In 2009, they won the gold medal at the World Championships in Rome, Italy. They beat Canada 6-5.

In 2011, Adam led the team to a gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico. Then, at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, his team won the gold medal by defeating Spain 8–5. This was the first Olympic gold medal ever for the USA women's water polo program!

The team continued their winning streak. On August 19, 2016, Krikorian led the USA women's water polo team to their second straight Olympic gold medal in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. They beat Italy 12-5. Since their first Olympic gold in 2012, the American team has been very strong. They have won the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 World Championships, and several World League titles.

National Champions with Adam Krikorian

Adam Krikorian has been part of many national championship teams. Here's a look at some of them:

See Also

In Spanish: Adam Krikorian para niños

• United States women's Olympic water polo team records and statistics
• List of Olympic champions in women's water polo
• List of world champions in women's water polo