John Vargas

John Vargas, the head coach of Stanford University Men's Water Polo, has enjoyed a distinguished career as a player and coach for over 35 years. A two-time All-American and 1982 national champion as a player at UC Irvine, Vargas went on to a 10-year playing career with the USA Water Polo Senior National Team which included a fourth-place finish at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona. He joined the national team coaching staff in 1993, serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. at the 1996 Atlanta Games; he served as head coach from 1997-2000, guiding the team at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney. He coached for 19 years at Corona del Mar High School in Newport Beach (CA) before moving on to head coach of Stanford men’s water polo, where he has won an NCAA title (2002). In 2014, Vargas begins his 13th season with the Cardinal.