Joe Tristan Named Behrend Lions Water Polo Head Coach
Penn State Behrend's Director of Athletics, Brian Streeter, announced the hiring of Joe Tristan as the head men's and women's water polo coach.
"I am really excited to have Joe Tristan on our staff as our new head men's and women's water polo coach," said Brian Streeter. "Coach Tristan's experiences will add to a solid foundation already in place for our water polo athletes." In addition Tristan will also serve as our assistant swim coach. Streeter continued, "His experiences as a swimmer will be a great asset to our swim program. It will be exciting to have coach Tristan as a member of our aquatics program."
Tristan joins the Behrend Lions after leading the women's club water polo program at Eastern Michigan University. He also was an assistant coach for the Great Lakes Water Polo Club in Ann Arbor, MI, this past summer. Last season, Tristan led the EMU Lady Eagles to a 9-15 record in their first Collegiate Water Polo Association season and finished fifth at the Midwest Championships. Tristan tackled several obstacles during the year and developed his young team, and led them to a successful season. He coached a pair of all-conference players and guided EMU to earn all-academic honors. From 1997-2002, Tristan was the head boy's junior varsity coach for Huron High School. Previously he served as a graduate assistant for the EMU men's swimming team.
A native of Southern California, Tristan played water polo and swam for Earl Warren High School. He also played water polo in for Tulare Water Polo Club and for Eastern Michigan in 1995-96. In 2000, Tristan competed and finished 22nd in the United State Olympic swimming trials in the 200 meter freestyle. From 1998-2000 Tristan was ranked in the FINA Top 20 and the top 100 in the World in the 200 meter and 100 meter freestyle events. He currently is EMU's record holder in the 800 freestyle relay. Tristan was a vital part of a pair of EMU Mid-American Conference Swimming and Diving Champion teams.
"I am very excited about coaching the Behrend Lions water polo programs," said Tristan. "I look forward to developing athletes' and succeeding here at Penn state Behrend."
Tristan will serve Penn State Behrend as the coach of the water polo teams and also instruct in the health and physical education department.
In the fall of 2000, Penn State Behrend was awarded a $60,000 grant from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) through the Eastern Collegiate Athletic Conference (ECAC) to pursue the addition of men's and women's water polo. "It is always exciting and challenging when you add a new dimension to an athletics program," said Streeter. "We are very happy to have the support of both the USOC and the ECAC as we begin to develop the sport of water polo at Penn State Behrend."
The Behrend Lions offer 21 sports for men and women. Women's sports include basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, softball, swimming, tennis, track and field, indoor track and field, volleyball, and water polo. The men compete in baseball, basketball, cross country, golf, soccer, swimming, tennis, track and field, indoor track and field, and water polo.
For more information regarding the water polo programs or swimming programs, please contact Coach Tristan at Penn State Behrend at (814) 898-7147.