Whittier College

Hometown:  Huntington Beach, Calif.

College:  Salem International (W.V.)

Years at Whittier:  11th

Overall Record:  158-164; 66-39 SCIAC

Coaching Philosophy

My main coaching objective is helping all of our water polo student-athletes reach their goals both academically and athletically.  One of my goals for all of my student-athletes is that they grow as individuals while also building their leadership skills.  This requires me to push them in the classroom and in the pool with the ultimate goal of winning our conference championship.  In my mind, championships are achieved through building team unity and cohesion.  Lastly, I believe success in the classroom and the pool are possible while also giving back to the community through community service.  It is important to me that all of our student-athletes become the best leaders they can be, not only in their sport of expertise, but also in the community where they live.

Whittier Coaching Accomplishments

2016
 The Whittier College Men's Water Polo team put together another impressive season under Justin Pudwill.  They entered the SCIAC Championships as the No. 2 seed but came up short of another SCIAC Championship Title as they were upset by both No. 3 Claremont-M-S and No. 4 Redlands.  They finished19-13, 8-3 SCIAC and saw Massimiliano Mirarchi (1st Team) and Murat Ersov (2nd Team) earn All-SCIAC recognition.  

Mirarchi again was named an ACWPC 1st Team All-American joined by Aidan Tol, while Mirarchi, Mihailo Vuja, Tim Aakhus, Carlos Campos-Moya, and Nikolas Gregov were named to the ACWPC All-Academic Teams. 

2015
The quest for the three-peat fell short in 2015 as the Poets finished runner-ups in the SCIAC Championships falling in overtime 12-11 to Claremont-M-S.  They finished 19-12, 8-3 SCIAC and finished the season No. 2 in the CWPA Division III National Polls.  The Purple & Gold were led by sophomore Massimiliano Mirarchi who was named 1st Team All-SCIAC and was joined by Marino Fatovic (1st Team) and Justin Pratt (2nd Team).  

From the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC), Mirarchi was named a 1st Team All-American, while Fatovic and Pratt were named to the 2nd and Honorable Mention Teams, each respectively.    

2014
For the second consecutive year, Justin Pudwill has won the SCIAC Championship Title and earned a berth into the NCAA Division I National Championships.  He compiled a 23-13 overall record and a perfect 11-0 record in conference, the first time in program history this feat has been accomplished.  This record marks the best in Pudwill's tenure and the 23 wins ties the record for most wins in a single season in the Whittier College men's water polo record books.

They also finished 2014 at No. 1 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Division III Polls for the fourth time in program history.  A number of awards were handed out at the conclusion of the year led by Goran Mataic who was named the SCIAC and ACWPC Division III Player of the Year.  He was joined by freshman Massimiliano Mirarchi who was named the SCIAC Newcomer of the Year, while Mataic (1st Team), Marko Zuric (1st Team), and Wedge Molthen (2nd Team) earned Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) recognition.

In the ACWPC, five players were named All-Americans including Mataic (1st Team), Mirarchi (1st Team), Ryan Brunansky (1st Team), Zuric (2nd Team), and Molthen (Honorable Mention), while Mirarchi, Kyle Catino, Mataic, Roman Novak, and Kurt Holzmuller were named to the ACWPC All-Academic Team.

Pudwill was named the ACWPC Division III Coach of the Year for the second year in a row.                

2013
This season marked the best year in Head Coach Justin Pudwill's tenure at Whittier College grabbing his first SCIAC Championship Title and the program's third overall, while earning a berth into the NCAA National Championship Tournament for the first time.  Whittier wraps up their 2013 season 20-13, 10-1 SCIAC the best overall record in Head Coach Justin Pudwill's tenure and the second best record in the Whittier College men's water polo record books.

They also finished 2013 at No. 1 in the Collegiate Water Polo Association Polls in Division III for the third time in the program's history.  A plethora of awards were also given out led by Goran Mataic who was named Player of the Year in both the SCIAC and the ACWPC.  He was joined by freshman Wedge Molthen who was named the SCIAC Newcomer of the Year, while Mataic (1st Team), Marko Zuric (1st Team), Ryan Brunansky (1st Team), Molthen (1st Team), Filip Delic (2nd Team), and Nicolas Beavers (Honorable Mention) earned Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference recognition.  

From the ACWPC, six players were named All-Americans including Mataic (1st Team), Zuric (1st Team), Molthen (2nd Team), Brunansky (2nd Team), Delic (Honorable Mention), and Beavers (Honorable Mention).  But not only were the Poets strong in the pool they they were also strong in the classroom landing John Halet, Kyle Catino, John Brown, and Mataic on the ACWPC All-Academic Team.  

2012
Whittier finished 3rd in the SCIAC Standings after starting SCIAC play 5-0 getting wins overs La Verne, Caltech, Redlands, Cal Lutheran, and Occidental.  Pudwill saw sophomore transfer Goran Mataic earn 1st Team All-SCIAC honors, while grabbing Newcomer of the Year recognition in the conference.  Mataic also was Honorable Mention in the WWPA's and 1st Team All-ACWPC.  Freshman Douglas Marriott made 2nd Team All-SCIAC and was Honorable Mention from the ACWPC, while making the WWPA All-Freshman Team and senior Cameron Rehm gained Honorable Mention recognition from the ACWPC.   

2011
The Poets finished 5th in the SCIAC Championships after holding onto a one goal victory 11-10 over La Verne in the final day of competition and followed that performance up with another victory over the Leopards in the WWPA Championships.  To wrap up the year Pudwill saw Ryan Rock be named to the WWPA All-Tournament Team, senior Chet Schuster earn 2nd Team All-SCIAC honors, senior goalie Chris Maloney be named to the All-SCIAC Academic Team, Erick Gonzalez and Kyle Catino become ACWPC All-Americans, and Eric Bonander, Catino, and Keary Schlactus land on the WWPA All-Academic Team.   

2010
Whittier returned to the WWPA Tournament after finishing as runners-up at the SCIAC Tournament. Pudwill saw Erick Gonzalez named the WWPA Newcomer of the Year and had three student-athletes named All-SCIAC.

2009
The Poets finished the season 20-14 which includes a 16-3 mark against Division III opponents. It was only the third time in program's history, and first time since 2004, that Whittier reached the 20-win plateau.

Whittier ended the year as the No. 1 ranked team in Division III and took home fourth place honors at the Western Water Polo Association Championships held at Chapman University. The tournament was highlighted by a 10-9 win over second seeded Air Force in the opening round.

Pudwill had four players named ACWPC All-Americans, four named All-SCIAC and two named All-WWPA. First-team All-American goalie Casey Regehr led the country, all divisions, in total saves.

2008
Pudwill led the Poets to a first round upset of SCIAC rival Occidental in the conference tournament.

Whittier had two ACWPC All-Americans, two All-SCIAC selections, one All-WWPA honoree and one student-athlete named to the All-WWPA Freshman Team in 2008.

Other College Coaching Accomplishments

2004-06
Pudwill began his college coaching career as an assistant coach at Occidental in 2004. In two seasons with the Tigers, he helped Occidental reach some of its highest rankings in the Division III polls and saw the '06 women's team reach No. 2 in the polls.

Other Coaching Accomplishments

2006
Head boys water polo coach at Fountain Valley High School in Fountain Valley, Calif.

2001-03
Selected as head coach at the National Zone Championships for Zone 4 in Texas.

2001
Co-founded the Dirty Bay Water Polo Club, the first year-round age group water polo program in Texas. In two years the club grew from a roster of 20 to 100.

2000
Assistant coach for the boys and girls water polo and swimming teams at Ross S. Sterling High School in Baytown, Texas.

* Denotes SCIAC Championship Title & Berth into NCAA National Championships