University of the Pacific

Iosefa Tuiasau, an Aotearoa New Zealand native, steps into his second year as assistant coach across the Pacific men's and women's water polo programs. He brings with him a wealth of knowledge from his extensive playing career collegiately, professionally, and internationally and is noted at the only pacific island male player to be coaching in NCAA water polo. Tuiasau played his collegiately under Kirk Everest at the University of California Berkeley, during which Cal twice went to the NCAA Tournament. Past his college career, he went on to play professionally in Europe and Australia, before returning home to New Zealand where he began his coaching career in high school, club level, and internationally.
 
At the high school level, Tuiasau was one of the most successful coaches in the history of the Rangitoto College sporting program, Tuiasau created high levels of standards and growth, delivering a number of trophies including; a New Zealand National Championship, three Trans-Tasman Championships (the top 16 schools from Australia and New Zealand), and a variety of different tournament player awards and athletes joining the NZ Men's national team program while still at high school, as well as sending athletes to the United States and Europe to continue their playing careers.
 
Tuiasau worked at the prestigious North Harbor Water Polo Club, New Zealand’s premier water polo program. Starting as an age group coach, he worked over the course of four years up to head coach of the New Zealand national league men’s coach, the north harbor turtles. Tuiasau's coaching ability was showcased where he won New Zealand National Championships at every age group level.
 
At the national team level, Tuiasau helped the New Zealand woman’s program navigate its response to Covid-19, which culminated in New Zealand’s highest placings in back-to-back world championships in program history.
 
Tuiasau is a proud Pacific Islander and is the only pacific island male to have played collegiately, professionally, and international, now coaching in the NCAA. He notes that Pacific Islanders are people of the ocean, and that one of his main goals is to help create a platform for pacific peoples to access aquatic sports. He hopes to use his large skill set to add value to the Pacific men’s water polo program and help them win their first every national championship, as well as add value and insight to the Pacific women's water polo program.