Sept. 17, 2012

BERKELEY -- Christopher Lee, who has been an assistant coach with the United States National Water Polo program for the past two years, has joined Cal's women's water polo staff as a volunteer assistant coach, head coach Richard Corso announced.

Lee has been a head coach in the U.S. Olympic Development Program since 2010 and an assistant with the U.S. National Women's Water Polo team since last year. Lee was part of the coaching staff that led the U.S. Olympic Women's Water Polo team to a gold medal last month at the London Games.

"It's great to have another national team-caliber coach with Olympic medal experience on our coaching staff," Corso said. "Chris is an outstanding young coach that brings to our program a strong water polo intellect. I am excited not only because of his coaching skills, but even more of his matriculation toward his advanced degree at Cal."

A former team captain for Penn's men's water polo team, Lee was Penn's women's water polo head coach for eight years and led the Quakers men's program for two seasons. Lee was named the Mid-Atlantic Conference Division Women's Water Polo Coach of the Year four times (2003-04, 2006-07) and won the honor for men's water polo in each of the two seasons he coached the Quakers (2006-07). Lee was Penn's team captain as a player in 2003 and 2004 and helped the Quakers win the Mid-Atlantic Division championship in 2002.

"I'm excited to be able to coach with Rich and (Associated Coach Matt Flesher)," Lee said. "Both come with a lot of experience in every facet of water polo - they have international experience, college experience, high school experience. All are represented there pretty strongly.

Lee has also served stints as an assistant coach for the Pomona & Pitzer Colleges men's and women's water polo programs.

Lee earned his degree in Computer Science from Penn in 2004 and also has a minor in architecture. He also has a Master of Architecture degree from the Penn School of Design.