Gannon's Don Sherman Named to NCAA Women's Water Polo Committee

Don Sherman

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Gannon University Associate Director of Athletics and water polo coach Don Sherman has been named to the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Women's Water Polo Committee effective immediately.

Sherman's term will run until September 2013 as he joins the six-member committee responsible for the administration and oversight of women's water polo in the NCAA.

He joins fellow CWPA coach Matt Anderson of Michigan, Stanford University coach John Tanner, University of Redlands coach Tom Whittemore, Wagner College Senior Associate Athletic Director Andrew Schwartz and NCAA Secretary/Rules Editor Barbara Kalbus on the committee.  His selection to the committee gives the CWPA two representatives on the committee, the most of any collegiate conference.

The selection continues a string of administrative duties by Sherman who was hired as Gannon’s first full-time Associate Director of Athletics in 2004 following eight seasons of service as the head swimming coach. In addition, he raised the water polo programs to the varsity level in 2001.

He will being his ninth season as Gannon’s head women’s water polo coach in 2010 . He started both the women’s and men’s programs from scratch and moved them from club status to the varsity level in 2001. He coached the women’s team for five seasons on the varsity level and the men’s squad for four seasons until stepping down after the 2004-05 campaigns to concentrate on his Associate Director of Athletics position. Sherman returned to the deck in 2007 after a brief one-year hiatus while continuing to serve as the Associate A.D. in addition to his coaching duties.

Following an 11-11 record in 2006, Sherman immediately turned the Lady Knights back into post-season contenders during his first year back in 2007. The squad went 16-11 and finished third at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Western Division Championships. As a result, he was named CWPA Western Division Coach of the Year for the second time.

In 2008, the Lady Knights went 11-10 in the pool. In the classroom, the program ranked sixth nationally with a 3.24 team cumulative grade-point average.

Gannon finished 11-8 overall last season, defeating rival Mercyhurst in the CWPA Western Division Championship third-place match to barely miss out on a berth to the Eastern Championship. The Lady Knights were ranked 10th in the final CWPA Top 10 poll, being the only non-Division I school in the poll. The program has posted a winning record eight times during its nine-year history.

Sherman built the Gannon water polo programs into annual post-season contenders during his previous coaching stint. The women’s program had a 78-40 record and posted a winning record during all five seasons (2001-05) under Sherman’s tutelage. The Lady Knights qualified for back-to-back Eastern Championships in 2003 and 2004, being the only non-Division I school at both events.

Sherman received his first CWPA Coach of the Year in 2002 after leading the Lady Knights to a 12-7 record in their second year on the varsity level. The squad then went on to win a school-record 20 matches in 2004. The Lady Knights finished 11th at the 2003 Eastern Championships after posting an 8-3 victory over Villanova University.

The men’s water polo program has also flourished under Sherman, recording a 90-74 record in seven seasons. The Golden Knights posted a winning record (13-10) during their second year on the varsity level in 2002 and accumulated three consecutive winning seasons before he stepped down. The squad returned to its winning ways with a 13-9 record during Sherman’s first season in 2007 before posting 11-10 and 13-12 marks in 2008 and 2009, respectively.

The Erie, Pa., native began his career at Gannon as an assistant swimming and diving coach under former Gannon head coach Rick Goerlitz. He was appointed head women’s and men’s swimming coach in the summer of 1997. The men’s program had four consecutive winning seasons while the women’s program produced winning records in four of Sherman’s last five campaigns. Both squads went 10-1 during Sherman’s last season in 2004-05.

Sherman has 29 years of involvement with aquatics and pool management as a coach, instructor, swimmer, and lifeguard. He served as the Financial Director for the Downtown Erie YMCA prior to coming to Gannon.

Sherman graduated from Slippery Rock University with a bachelor’s degree in Physical Education and Sports Management. He was a member of the Rocket water polo team that finished eighth at the NCAA National Championships in 1984. He later served as an assistant student coach for the Slippery Rock men’s swimming team, and also has experience as the Cathedral Prep assistant swimming and water polo coach.