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John Abdou Named Head Men's & Women's Water Polo Coach at Bucknell
LEWISBURG, Pa. --
John Abdou, who served in the role of interim head
coach for the last five months, has been named the head men's and
women's water polo coach at Bucknell, director of athletics and
recreation John Hardt announced Tuesday. Abdou, a 2001 graduate of
the University of California at Irvine, is a three-year member of
the Bison men's and women's water polo coaching staff, serving as
an assistant coach, associate head coach and interim head coach
over that span.
Abdou, the 2008 Collegiate Water Polo Association Southern
Division Coach of the Year, performed admirably in his stint as
interim head coach of the women's program this past spring when he
led the squad to a program-record 26 victories and a sixth-place
showing at the Eastern Championship. Bucknell was nationally ranked
for six weeks during the season, climbing as high as No. 19 in the
polls, the best ranking in the decade-long existence of the
program.
Since arriving at Bucknell in the summer of 2005, Abdou has helped
the Bison women's team post a pair of 20-win campaigns and
accumulate an overall record of 64-36.
On the men's side, Abdou helped guide the Bison to a 20-13 record
in 2007, its first 20-win campaign since 2001. Bucknell finished
the season ranked 19th nationally, marking the second time in
Abdou's three years on the sidelines that it was ranked at the
conclusion of a season. Additionally, the men's program has
finished in the top five at the Eastern Championships all three
years Abdou has been associated with the program.
"After conducting an extensive nationwide search, it became clear
that the best candidate to lead the Bison men's and women's water
polo teams into the future was right here on our staff all along,"
said Hardt. "John Abdou has all of the qualities we were looking
for in a head coach. He did a commendable job as interim head
women's coach this spring, and he has recruited many outstanding
student-athletes to Bucknell during his three years on the staff.
With an excellent, well-connected coach on board coupled with a
superior aquatics facility in Kinney Natatorium, all backed by a
nationally renowned academic program, there is no better time to be
associated with Bucknell water polo."
"I am excited to have this opportunity to continue to serve as
head coach of the men's and women's polo programs at Bucknell,"
said Abdou. "It is an honor to follow in the footsteps of other
great Bison water polo coaches. Even further, I am grateful for the
enthusiasm and support shown to me by the Bucknell water polo
community and administration over the last three years and
throughout the hiring process. I hope the excitement surrounding
both programs continues to grow and flourish in the upcoming
years."
A native of California, Abdou is a highly regarded recruiter,
particularly in the hotbed of water polo on the West Coast. As an
assistant coach, he served as the primary West Coast recruiter for
both the men's and women's programs and has brought a wealth of
talent to Lewisburg. Over the last three years, Abdou has helped
the Bison men's team ink nine players from his home state,
including four in the latest recruiting class. Seven freshmen and
sophomores from California dotted the 2008 women's roster, while
four more Californians are part of the women's Class of 2012.
Prior to his stint at Bucknell, Abdou served as the director and
head coach of both the men's and women's water polo programs at
Burbank High School in Burbank, Calif., from 2001-2005. The area's
Girls Water Polo Coach of the Year winner in 2004 and 2005, Abdou
took a pair of teams with losing records and transformed them into
perennial winners, participating in the league playoffs each of the
last three years.
Along with handling the coaching duties at Burbank, Abdou was a
social science teacher. He was voted one of Los Angeles' Most
Inspirational Teachers in 2005 and was chosen to pioneer the
school's first advanced placement course in psychology. He also
handled duties as the advisor for the senior class in 2005.
Recently, Abdou organized and conducted district tryouts for
United States Water Polo as the Wilshire District boys cadet coach.
He also worked with United States Water Polo as the C.C. Zone
girls' youth assistant coach. Since 2002, Abdou has been part of
the coaching staff at the Naval Academy Water Polo Camp.
Abdou got his start in coaching when he was the head assistant
boys' water polo coach as his alma mater, Temple City High School
in Temple City, Calif., in 1998. As a player at Temple City, Abdou
earned all-league and team MVP honors while serving as team
captain.
Abdou, who serves the U.S. Water Polo Northeast zone as a coach in
several capacities, played for the U.S. Junior National Team during
his freshman year at UC Irvine.
