Since taking over the Women’s Senior National Team in 2009, Adam Krikorian has been just about perfect. The results are staggering as Krikorian helped Team USA build a dynasty that has seen the program win every possible title multiple times over, including the last three Olympic Games (2012, 2016, 2020). In addition to the Olympic titles, the haul includes gold at the 2009, 2015, 2017, 2019, 2022, and 2024 World Aquatics World Championships, the 2010, 2014, 2018, and 2023 World Aquatics World Cups, and 11 World League Super Final crowns. From April of 2018 until January of 2020, the USA Women did not lose a match, running off a 69-game win streak that is believed to be the longest in international women's water polo history.
Krikorian has helped the United States maintain a number-one world ranking for the majority of his tenure and was honored in 2013 with the USOC National Coach of Year Award, only the second water polo coach to receive the honor. In October 2013, Adam was named the Jack Kelly Fair Play Award recipient by the USOC for his accountability and composure during the 2012 Olympic Games’ semifinal match.
Following the 2016 Games, Krikorian was named Coach of the Games by the USOC at the Team USA Awards. In early 2017 Krikorian also was honored by the Los Angeles Sports Council and the LA Sports Awards, receiving the first-ever “Extraordinary Achievement in Olympic Sport” honors.
Krikorian was named head coach of the USA Water Polo Women’s Senior National Team on March 27, 2009. He had been head coach of the UCLA men’s and women’s programs for 10 years prior.
A standout player at UCLA from 1992 to 1995, Krikorian captained the squad in his final year, leading UCLA to the 1995 Men’s NCAA Championship, the school’s first title in 23 years. Krikorian has earned National Women’s Water Polo Coach of the Year honors five times: in 2001 and from 2005-2008. He also received National Men’s Coach of the Year honors in 2004 after leading the UCLA men’s program to its eighth overall NCAA championship. He has guided the women’s team to seven national championships, six sanctioned by the NCAA, including a string of five consecutive titles. In addition, he’s piloted the men’s program to three NCAA titles; two of the three came as he served as co-head coach with Guy Baker.
Krikorian graduated from UCLA with a psychology degree and a business administration emphasis in June 1997. In May 2001 Krikorian married Anicia Mendez, a four-year Bruin letter-winner in varsity tennis who completed her MBA at UCLA. Adam and Anicia reside in Manhattan Beach, CA, with their son, Jack (born July 2006) and daughter Annabel (born June 2009).
