After stepping away from day-to-day operations as head coach of the women’s water polo team in December due to rehabilitation from back and nerve pain, Adam Wright has officially resigned from the position, UCLA Athletics announced Friday.
Wright will continue to coach the men’s squad – a position he has held since 2009.
[Related: Women’s water polo coach Adam Wright to step away from day-to-day duties]
UCLA will begin a national search for its next head coach. The Bruins were captained last season by interim co-head coaches Jason Falitz and Matt Kubeck. Falitz and Kubeck captained the women’s team in its most recent season, finishing 21-5 and falling by one point to USC in the NCAA semifinals. Wright remained with the program in an advisory role that allowed him to focus on his health, UCLA Athletics said in December.
“This is an incredibly difficult moment because this program has meant so much to my life,” Wright said in a written statement. “I am so proud of what we’ve built together, and I am grateful for every student-athlete, coach and staff member who has been a part of this journey. This program is bigger than any one person, and its success and championship culture have been built on the people who wear the UCLA cap every day.”
A member of the 2020 UCLA Athletic Hall of Fame class, Wright has led both the men’s and women’s teams simultaneously since 2017. Across both programs, the five-time National Coach of the Year has been part of 11 NCAA titles, winning six as the men’s coach, one as a women’s assistant coach, three as a student from 1997 to 2000 and one as the women’s head coach in 2024 during an undefeated campaign.
Over his eight years at the helm of the women’s team, Wright posted an .804 overall winning percentage and a .735 conference mark. The 2024 national championship was the program’s first since 2009.
With the men’s team, Wright most recently won back-to-back national championships – both over the Trojans – and will have the opportunity to pursue a third consecutive title in 2026.
“Adam Wright’s impact on UCLA Athletics is extraordinary, and we are grateful for everything he has done for our university and student-athletes, both in and out of the pool,” UCLA Director of Athletics Martin Jarmond said in a written statement. “His leadership of our women’s team, highlighted by the 2024 NCAA championship, helped elevate the program to an elite level.”
