SRJC Athletics and Bear Cub Aquatics are thrilled to announce Austin Stevenson as the newest leader of its Men’s and Women’s Water Polo programs, signaling an exciting new chapter for the organization.
Stevenson brings a dynamic blend of elite playing experience and developmental coaching to his role as head coach for the Bear Cubs. A four-year starter at Long Beach State University, Stevenson helped lead the Beach to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1991, serving as team captain his senior season (2018). His playing career also includes international competition—representing the United States at the 2017 World University Games in Taiwan with the Men’s Senior National Team—and a professional season with CW Navarra in Spain’s second division in 2022–2023.
When asked about taking over the teams Stevenson said: "I am excited to bring my many years of water polo experience to SRJC to build these programs back to being in state-contention while helping the athletes become better versions of themselves in the process, and I am honored to take over a program with a rich history of success."
Stevenson has spent the past six years coaching at the high school and club levels, developing both boys’ and girls’ high school programs around the Sacramento Area. He also coached at American River Water Polo Club and the ODP Central Zone before playing professionally, then returned and contributed to the resurgence of Sacramento Water Polo Club. In his first season with the club, he helped elevate the 18U boys team to a 5th-place finish at Junior Olympic Qualifiers in the Central Zone—up from 12th the previous year—marking a return to national competitiveness. He also served as the Assistant Swim Coach at Sacramento City College, where he contributed to the growth of the collegiate program by emphasizing technical refinement and stroke efficiency. This helped lay the foundation for improved performance and athlete development at the community college level.
As a coach, Stevenson centers his philosophy around three core pillars: instilling a deep passion for the sport, cultivating mental toughness, and emphasizing process over outcome. His focus on creating a growth-driven and resilient team culture aims to empower athletes not only in the pool, but in life. With a foundation built on high-performance experience and a coaching style grounded in values and athlete development, Stevenson looks to guide the SRJC water polo programs into a new era of competitive excellence.