John Wright

John Wright begins his third season as head coach of the Santa Ana College women's swimming & diving team in Spring 2006.

Wright joined the Santa Ana College coaching staff after serving as the head women's water polo and swimming coach at Golden West College for the past nine seasons where he guided the Rustlers to eight top three finishes and five state titles (1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000 and 2002). He also led the Golden West women's swimming team to seven top five finishes and three state titles (1999, 2000, 2001). While at Golden West, Wright was named the California Community College Coaches Association's (CCCCA) Women's State Swimming Coach of the Year three times and the Women's State Water Polo Coach of the Year four times.

Wright, who also brings international coaching experience to the Dons' aquatics program, served as the head coach of the USA Junior National girls' water polo coach for three years (2000-2002) where he guided the team to a gold medal at the World Championships held in Perth, Australia. It was the first gold medal ever won by a USA-water polo team at the world championship level. During that same time he was an assistant coach on the USA National Team that captured the Thetis Cup, Canada Cup and Holiday Cup in preparation for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

Wright started his coaching career at Marina High School in Huntington Beach (CA) in 1983 and spent 14 years as the head coach of the boy's and girl's water polo and swimming teams. He guided the Vikings' boy's swimming team to a CIF championship in 1993 and the girl's water polo team to a CIF title in 1995 before continuing his coaching career at Golden West.

Wright prepped at Huntington Beach High School where he helped the Oilers qualify for the CIF playoffs in both water polo and swimming during his junior and senior seasons. He later took his talents to Golden West College where he was a part of two California Community College men's state water polo state titles in 1981 and 1982.