LA JOLLA, Calif. - Long-time UC San Diego coach Denny Harper was honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Friday.
Harper racked up more than four decades of service at UC San Diego, including 42 years as the Tritons' men's water polo head coach. He retired in July of 2022.
Harper began his tenure at UC San Diego in 1980. He earned 697 career victories while coaching the Triton men and another 245 while serving as UC San Diego's women's head coach from 1983 through 1999. He was named the ACWPC's National Coach of the Year on 17 occasions, which included a nine-year run from 2011 through 2019.
During his time as men's coach, Harper's teams compiled a 697-496-4 (.584) record. The team advanced to the NCAA Championship on 15 occasions, finishing as the national runner-up for the first time ever in 2000. In addition, the Tritons finished third in 1995, 1998, and 2006, fourth in 1999, 2002, and 2011, sixth in 1989, 1991, and 1992, and eighth in 1993. In 1995, Harper's crew became the first NCAA Division III team to advance to the NCAA semifinals, repeating the feat in 1998 and 1999.
Under Harper's direction, UC San Diego proved to be a regular contender in the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA). Since the league began sponsoring championships in 1981, the Tritons captured 18 titles and 14 runner-up trophies and Harper was named the WWPA Coach of the Year 19 times.
In 2014, Harper earned his milestone 600th win as the Tritons took down Loyola Marymount in the WWPA championship game.
UC San Diego was consistently ranked among the top teams in the NCAA, reaching as high as No. 3 in the nation in 2006 following an upset win over UCLA.
During his time as women's head coach, the Tritons won five USA Water Polo national championships. They also earned one national runner-up title as well as two national third-place trophies.
Harper has also coached extensively outside of the collegiate realm.
At the 2008 FINA Masters World Championships in Perth, Australia, Harper guided the San Francisco Olympic Club's 45+ team to the silver medal, losing the championship game to the same Russian squad that won the 1980 Olympics. The 40+ squad won a bronze medal, and the 30+ team won gold.
He has also coached the highly-successful Sunset San Diego club teams, leading the men to three indoor national championships and the women to eight national titles.
A 1978 graduate of San Diego State University, Harper began coaching at Rancho Alamitos High School with stops at Indio High School and San Diego State before coming to UC San Diego.
The annual Harper Cup game between the UC San Diego and San Diego State women is named after Harper. The Tritons have won the the last eight match-ups.
• 17-time ACWPC National Coach of the Year (1996, 1998, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019)
• 19-time Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Coach of the Year (1983, 1984, 1985, 1988, 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2018)
