Adam Krikorian

{{short description|American water polo coach (born 1974)}} {{Infobox college coach | name = Adam Krikorian | image = Adam Krikorian in 2018 (cropped).jpg | caption = Krikorian in 2018 | image_size = 165px | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1974|7|22|df=y}} | birth_place = Santa Clara, California, U.S. | player_years1 = 1992-95 | player_team1 = UCLA Water Polo Coach Guy Baker<ref name=Baker>{{cite web|url=https://usawaterpolo.org/honors/hall-of-fame?hof=2|title=USA Water Polo Hall of Fame, Guy Baker|access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref><ref name=Baker2>{{cite web|title=Hall of Fame Inductees |url=https://usawaterpolo.org/sports/2018/11/28/trads-hof-inductees-html.aspx |website=usawaterpolo.org |publisher=USA Water Polo |access-date=18 September 2020 }}</ref> | coach_years1 = 1996-2009 | coach_team1 = UCLA Water Polo Coach Mentored by Guy Baker | coach_years2 = 2009– | coach_team2 = U.S. Women's National WP Team | championships = 3 NCAA titles (UCLA men) 11 NCAA titles (UCLA women) '''3 Women's Olympic W.P. Team Gold Medals''' '''(2012, 2016, 2020)''' | awards = UCLA Sports Hall of Fame (2016) Men's WP Coach of the Year (2004) Women's WP Coach of year (2001, 2005, 2006 and 2007) 2013 USOC Coach of the Year | show-medals = yes | medaltemplates = {{MedalSport|U.S. Women's National Water Polo Team}} {{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}} {{MedalCompetition|Olympic Games}} {{MedalGold|2012 London|Team}} {{MedalGold|2016 Rio de Janeiro|Team}} {{MedalGold|2020 Tokyo|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|World Championship}} {{MedalGold|2009 Rome|Team}} {{MedalGold|2015 Kazan|Team}} {{MedalGold|2017 Budapest|Team}} {{MedalGold|2019 Gwangju|Team}} {{MedalGold|2022 Budapest|Team}} {{MedalCompetition|FINA World Cup}} {{MedalGold|2010 Christchurch|}} {{MedalGold|2014 Khanty-Mansiysk|}} {{MedalGold|2018 Surgut|}} {{MedalGold|2023 Long Beach|}} {{MedalCompetition|FINA World League}} {{MedalGold|2009 Kirishi|}} {{MedalGold|2010 La Jolla|}} {{MedalGold|2011 Tianjin|}} {{MedalGold|2012 Changshu|}} {{MedalGold|2014 Kunshan|}} {{MedalGold|2015 Shanghai|}} {{MedalGold|2016 Shanghai|}} {{MedalGold|2017 Shanghai|}} {{MedalGold|2018 Kunshan|}} {{MedalGold|2019 Budapest|}} {{MedalGold|2020 Athens|}} {{MedalBronze|2013 Beijing|}} {{MedalBronze|2022 Santa Cruz de Tenerife|}} {{MedalCompetition|Pan American Games}} {{MedalGold|2011 Guadalajara|Team}} {{MedalGold|2015 Toronto|Team}} {{MedalGold|2019 Lima|Team}} {{MedalGold|2023 Santiago|Team}} }}

'''Adam Krikorian''' (born July 22, 1974) is an American water polo coach and has served as the head coach of the United States women's national water polo team. Bringing the U.S. National Women's team to widespread global recognition, he coached the team to three consecutive gold medals, a gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London, a second gold at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, and a third consecutive gold at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/story/2021-12-07/usa-water-polo-coaches-adam-krikorian-dejan-udovicic-retained-paris-olympics | title=U.S. Retains water polo coaches Adam Krikorian, Dejan Udovicic through Paris Olympics | website=Los Angeles Times | date=7 December 2021 }}</ref> <ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. Olympic Committee Announces 2016 Winners For Team USA Awards Presented By Dow, Best Of The Games|url=http://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/September/28/US-Olympic-Committee-Announces-2016-Winners-For-Team-USA-Awards-Presented-By-Dow-Best-Of-The-Games|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002061713/http://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/September/28/US-Olympic-Committee-Announces-2016-Winners-For-Team-USA-Awards-Presented-By-Dow-Best-Of-The-Games|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 2, 2016|accessdate=29 September 2016|publisher=United States Olympic Committee|date=28 September 2016}}</ref> Highly accomplished as a collegiate coach, he won 15 NCAA national championships as player, assistant coach, and head coach at the University of California Los Angeles.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.usawaterpolo.org/SingleNews/09-03-27/Krikorian_Named_Women_s_Senior_National_Team_Head_Coach.aspx?ReturnURL=%2fHome.aspx |title=Krikorian Named Women's Senior National Team Head Coach |access-date=2009-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608232143/http://www.usawaterpolo.org/SingleNews/09-03-27/Krikorian_Named_Women_s_Senior_National_Team_Head_Coach.aspx?ReturnURL=%2fHome.aspx |archive-date=2011-06-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Early life== Krikorian was born July 22, 1974, in Santa Clara, California, to an Armenian-American family, the youngest son of Gary Krikorian and Joyce (''née'' Srabian). Krikorian is the younger brother of Blake Krikorian and Jason Krikorian, founders of Sling Media. Following his older siblings, Adam's oldest brother Blake played water polo and swam for Mountain View High School, later playing water polo for UCLA. His brother Jason, was also a High School swimmer who later swam for the University of California.<ref name=family>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/846521422/?match=1&terms=%22Adam%20Krikorian%22%20AND%20%22Gary%22|title=Kiefer, David, ''The Peninsula Times Tribune'', Palo Alto, California, July 5, 1987, pg. 28|access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Veronin|first1=Nick|title=Making a splash at the Olympics|url=http://www.mv-voice.com/news/2012/05/10/making-a-splash-at-the-olympics|accessdate=September 29, 2016|work=Mountain View Voice|date=May 10, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Shipnuck|first1=Alan|title=U.S. waterpolo coach makes emotional return to Rio|url=https://www.si.com/olympics/2016/08/11/us-womens-water-polo-coach-adam-krikorian-brothers-death-rio-2016|accessdate=29 September 2016|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=11 August 2016}}</ref> Beginning to compete in swimming by age six, Krikorian was a multi-sport athlete by 12, playing soccer, basketball, flag football and baseball. He attended Bubb Elementary and I. N. Graham Middle School in Mountainview, California, but began to play Water Polo at Mountain View High. In Junior High at age 12, Adam swam for the Los Altos Aquatics Club under Coach Ron Usher, averaging 5000 yards once per day, and setting age group records of 26.37 in the 50-yard freestyle, and 1:05.96 in the 100-yard Individual Medley. His coach noted he had good technique, and a particularly strong flutter kick.<ref name=MVV>{{cite web|url=https://www.mv-voice.com/news/2012/05/10/making-a-splash-at-the-olympics/|title=Mountain View Voice Online, May 10, 2012, "Making a Splash at the Olympics"|access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref>

==Mountain View High School== Krikorian, a water polo and swimming standout, attended Mountain View High School<ref name=Player>{{cite web|title=Player Bio: Adam Krikorian |url=http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/krikorian_adam00.html |publisher=CBS Interactive |accessdate=5 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223082943/http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/krikorian_adam00.html |archivedate=23 December 2012 }}</ref> By his Sophomore year at Mountain View High in 1989, Krikorian was a first-team All-League Water Polo player in the Santa Clara Valley Conference, and had made Honorable Mention in the All-Peninsula Water Polo team and First Team in the Santa Clara Valley Conference as a Freshman.<ref name=League>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/841872429/?match=1&terms=%22Adam%20Krikorian%22%20AND%20%22water%20polo%22|title="All League Water Polo Teams, Santa Clara Valley, Adam Krikorian", ''The Peninsula Times Tribune'', Palo Alto, California, pg. 33|access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref> A stand-out by his senior year, he scored 113 goals for his High School Water Polo team and was named honorable mention All-America. During his high school career, he helped his team to a National Junior Olympic championship.<ref name=Player/>

==Playing for UCLA== Attending UCLA from around 1991-1995 under Water Polo Hall of Fame Coach Guy Baker,<ref name=Baker/> as a Senior, Krikorian helped lead the Water Polo team to its first NCAA Championship in 23 years in 1995 scoring two goals during the game. While at UCLA, Krikorian scored a total of 76 goals and was a four-year letter winner (1992–1995). He was named a second team All-America and All-MPSF honoree in 1995.<ref name=Player/> A captain of the UCLA team in 1994 and 1995, he was inducted into the UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016.<ref name=UCLAHOF>{{cite web|url=https://uclabruins.com/honors/hall-of-fame/adam-krikorian/49|title=UCLA Sports Hall of Fame, Adam Krikorian|website=uclabruins.com|access-date=March 13, 2025}}</ref>

Krikorian married Annicia, a former accomplished tennis player on the UCLA team, with whom he had two children. They live in Manhattan Beach, California.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Vartabedian|first1=Tom|title=A Well-Deserved Olympic Tribute to Adam Krikorian|url=http://armenianweekly.com/2016/08/30/adam-krikorian/|accessdate=29 September 2016|work=Armenian Weekly|date=30 August 2016}}</ref><ref name=Annicia>{{cite web|url=https://www.newspapers.com/image/203874153/?match=1&terms=%22Brenda%20Villa%22%20AND%20%22Krikorian%22|website=newspapers.com|title=Elliott, Helene, "Krikorian Had to Fight Rough Waters", ''The Los Angeles Times'', July 28, 2012, pg. 49|access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref>

==Coaching career== ==UCLA== thumb|Adam Krikorian (far left) and his UCLA Women's Water Polo team honored for winning UCLA's 100th NCAA Championship, 2007. thumb|At the White House with his water polo team, June 2008 Mentored in his early coaching career at UCLA by Hall of Fame Coach Guy Baker who had coached him as a player at UCLA, Krikorian became an assistant coach for the UCLA men's water polo team in 1996 and then coached the women's water polo team in 1997. During his coaching career, his UCLA Water Polo teams won 15 national championships, 11 as a head coach, three as an assistant coach and one as a player. As Assistant coach of the UCLA Men's Water Polo, his teams won the NCAA Championship in 1996, and the women's team won titles in 1997 and 1990. While coaching at UCLA, he was recognized as the 2004 national men's water polo coach of the year and the 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2007 national women's water polo coach of the year.<ref name=UCLAHOF/> For the 2007–08 season, he captured the NCAA Division I Coach of the Year honor for the fifth time as UCLA's head women's water polo coach, given by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC). "Krikorian led the UCLA women's water polo program to its 11th national championship – the seventh national title in his 10-year tenure as head coach. UCLA registered its second undefeated season in the last four years, posting a 33-0 overall record and perfect 12-0 MPSF mark," according to the UCLA Athletic Department.<ref name=Cutino/>

The 2007 women's title was UCLA's 100th NCAA championship, the first school in history to achieve the milestone. The 2008 women's team had a perfect 33–0 season, including the three games at the MPSF Championship and the three at the NCAA Championship. Top ranked UCLA beat third-ranked USC 6-3 for the 2008 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship on May 11, 2008.<ref name=UCLAHOF/>

He is tied for first among active men's water polo coaches in NCAA championships won and led both teams to national titles in the same season 3 times (’99-’00, ’00-’01, ’04-’05). As men's head coach, he coached 25 All-America selections.<ref name=UCLAHOF/>

===Outstanding players=== Krikorian has coached five Peter J. Cutino Award winners: Sean Kern (2000 and 2001), Coralie Simmons (2001), Natalie Golda (2005), Kelly Rulon (2007), and Courtney Mathewson (2008). The award is given to the outstanding female and male collegiate water polo players each year.<ref name=Cutino>{{cite web|url=https://issuu.com/uclabruins/docs/2021_ucla_wwp_information_guide/s/11758949|title=UCLA Coaching History, Guy Baker, Adam Krikorina|access-date=March 14, 2025}}</ref>

In 2009, Krikorian Was named NCAA Division I Coach of the Year for the fifth consecutive season and sixth time overall by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC).

===UCLA Water Polo as National Champions=== {| class="wikitable" ! Year !! Champions !! Position !! Winner !! Loser !! Records (Overall/Conf.) |- align=center | 1995 || NCAA Champions || Student-athlete || UCLA Men's Water Polo || Cal || 20-6/8-0 |- align=center | 1996 || NCAA Champions || Asst. Coach || UCLA Men's Water Polo || USC || 24-6/6-2 |- align=center | 1997 || NCAA Champions || Asst. Coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Cal || 31-1/6-0 |- align=center | 1998 || NCAA Champions || Asst. Coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Cal || 35-1/9-0 |- align=center | 1999 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Men's Water Polo || Stanford || 22-3/8-0 |- align=center | 2000 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Men's Water Polo || UCSD || 19-7/6-2 |- align=center | 2000 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || USC || 30-5/8-1 |- align=center | 2001 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Stanford || 18-4/9-1 |- align=center | 2003 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Stanford || 24-4/8-2 |- align=center | 2004 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Men's Water Polo || Stanford || 25-3/8-0 |- align=center | 2005 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Stanford || 33-0/12-0 |- align=center | 2006 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || USC || 29-4/11-1 |- align=center | 2007 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Stanford || 28-2/11-1 |- align=center | 2008 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || USC || 33-0/12-0 |- align=center | 2009 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || USC || 25-6/9-3<ref>[http://www.dailynews.com/ucla/ci_12341078 UCLA defeats USC, claims NCAA women's water polo title] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603233318/http://www.dailynews.com/ucla/ci_12341078 |date=2011-06-03 }}, ''Los Angeles Daily News'', May 10, 2009</ref> |}

==U.S. National Team== Taking over for Guy Baker, in March 2009, Krikorian began coaching the Women's U.S. National Water Polo team, soon leading them to the gold medal at the World Championships in Rome, Italy on July 31, 2009, defeating Canada, 6-5.<ref name=SW/>

In October 2011, Adam led the Women's national team to the gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara, Mexico.

==Three consecutive gold Olympic team medals== As noted earlier, at the 2012 Summer Olympics in London, in an historic victory, his U.S. Women's Water Polo team won the gold medal at the 2012 U.S. Women's Water Polo Team Championship by defeating the team from Spain 8–5 on August 9, 2012, the first U.S. Water Polo Olympic gold medal in program history.<ref name=SW>{{cite web|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/usa-water-polo-womens-olympic-team-features-4-returners-from-2012-gold/|title=USA Water Polo Women's Olympic Team Features 4 Returners from 2012 Gold|date=6 July 2016|work=swimmingworldmagazine.com|accessdate=29 September 2016}}</ref>

On August 19, 2016, Krikorian led the USA women to their second consecutive gold medal in the 2016 U.S. Women's Water Polo Team Championship} as they defeated Italy by a score of 12–5 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Since breaking through for their first Olympic gold in 2012, the American women's national team have shown dominance in international competition, winning the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 World Championships and three consecutive World League titles in China. In his third consecutive Olympics as head coach, <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/08/19/usa-water-polo-gold-italy/89004590/|title=USA wins gold in women's water polo|work=usatoday.com|accessdate=29 September 2016}}</ref>

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the U.S. Women under Krikorian as Head Coach finished with their third consecutive gold medal at the 2020 U.S. Women's Water Polo Team Championship defeating Spain 15–14 in the final round.<ref name=Tokyo>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympics.com/en/news/us-women-s-water-polo-team-wins-historic-third-gold-in-third-consecutive-olympic|title=olympics.com, "U.S. Women's Water Polo Team Wins Third Gold in Third Consecutive Olympics"|access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref>

At the 2024 Paris Olympics, the U.S. Women's Water Polo team under Krikorian as Head Coach finished fourth and did not medal. Spain took the gold medal, Australia took the Silver, and the Netherlands took the Bronze.<ref name=Paris>{{cite web|url=https://www.olympics.com/en/olympic-games/paris-2024/results/water-polo|title=Olympics.com, "Paris 2024 Water Polo Results"|access-date=March 15, 2025}}</ref>

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Sports links}} *[https://web.archive.org/web/20080308091429/http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/krikorian_adam00.html Profile – Adam Krikorian]

{{Navboxes |title = United States squads |bg = #3C3B6E |fg = #FFFFFF |bordercolor = #B22234 |list1 = {{United States women's water polo squad 2009 World Aquatics Championships}} {{United States women's water polo squad 2012 Summer Olympics}} {{United States women's water polo squad 2015 World Aquatics Championships}} {{United States women's water polo squad 2016 Summer Olympics}} {{United States women's water polo squad 2017 World Aquatics Championships}} {{United States women's water polo squad 2019 World Aquatics Championships}} {{United States women's water polo squad 2020 Summer Olympics}} {{United States women's water polo squad 2022 World Aquatics Championships}} {{United States women's water polo squad 2024 Summer Olympics}} }}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Krikorian, Adam}} Category:1974 births Category:Living people Category:American people of Armenian descent Category:UCLA Bruins men's water polo players Category:American male water polo players Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:American water polo coaches Category:Olympic coaches for the United States Category:United States women's national water polo team coaches Category:Water polo coaches at the 2012 Summer Olympics Category:Water polo coaches at the 2016 Summer Olympics Category:Water polo coaches at the 2020 Summer Olympics Category:Mountain View High School alumni Category:Sportspeople from Santa Clara, California Category:UCLA Bruins men's water polo coaches Category:Water polo coaches at the 2024 Summer Olympics Category:21st-century American sportsmen Category:20th-century American sportsmen