Wagner College Director of Athletics
Brendan Fahey has announced the hiring of Josh Hower as the next head men's and women's water polo coach.
Hower arrives at Grymes Hill after spending the last five years as the lead assistant coach on the University of Michigan women's water polo staff. During his tenure in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines won the CWPA (Collegiate Water Polo Association) Conference and reached the NCAA quarterfinals four times (2018-19, 2021-22).
"I'd like to thank
Brendan Fahey and the entire Wagner College administration for this opportunity. These two programs have had tremendous success over the past few years and I look forward to helping them win in the pool and in the classroom. I'm excited to get to know our student-athletes and start working with them."
At Michigan, Hower had a slew of responsibilities as a key member of the staff. He was the recruiting coordinator, served as a liaison with the facilities manager and event staff for home contests and tournaments, video analyst, and scout team leader. Hower even stepped in as head coach for two games in 2021 and won both matchups.
We're excited to welcome Josh Hower to Wagner," Fahey commented. "His coaching and playing experience made him a perfect candidate to lead our teams and we look forward to watching him continue the great tradition of Wagner water polo."
Prior to his time at Michigan, Hower was a men's and women's assistant water polo coach at Pomona and Pitzer Colleges from 2015-18. Other stops for the Ypsilanti, MI native include head coach of aquatics at Chino High School and head coach of different age groups at Foothill Club Water Polo.
Hower is a graduate of Whittier College in 2005, where he received a bachelor's degree in history. He was the team captain for two seasons and helped win the school's first SCIAC Conference championship in 2004. That season's team was inducted into Whittier's Hall of Fame in 2016.
Hower inherits a women's program that was nationally ranked as high as No. 13 last season, went 35-4 (16-0 in conference play), and reached the NCAA Tournament Quarterfinal before falling to #1 Stanford. The Seahawks advanced after winning the opening-round game over Salem. The Green & White also rattled off a program-record 18 straight wins last season and had three players earn All-American recognition.
On the men's side, Hower will inherit a program that returns two-time All-American, all-time leading goal scorer in program history, and single-season goals leader, Olivér Fodor. Fellow All-American Honorable Mention Zsombor Gyémánt also returns for the Seahawks in 2022, as the team looks to improve upon last season's 17-17 record.
Hower's staff on Grymes Hill will include former Seahawk
Malia Josephson, who enters her first season as a coach after serving as captain of the 2022 team in which she was named an Association of College Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) Honorable Mention All-American and the Second Team All-Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC). Also on the staff is
Murat Ersoz, who begins his second season at Wagner as a coach after a four-year career as the starting goalie at Whittier College.
