Coach Meredith grew up in Marin, California, where she developed a lifelong love for swimming and water polo. A standout player and captain of her high school team, she continued her water polo journey at the University of Colorado Boulder, competing with the CU women’s team. This upcoming year, she’ll step into the role of head coach for the CU women’s team while also coaching with RISE Water Polo. Meredith has a strong passion for working with kids of all ages and brings several years of coaching experience at the middle school level in California. She’s dedicated to growing the sport by sharing her enthusiasm and helping players build confidence, skills, and a love for the game. For her, the heart of water polo lies in its strong sense of community and teamwork—and her goal is to make sure every athlete has fun while learning and improving at RISE! After finishing her senior year at CU, Meredith plans to move to Europe and pursue a career in landscape architecture—and hopefully continue coaching and playing water polo long into the future!

From Chicago’s suburbs to the record books, Coach Natalie is a defensive powerhouse with a legendary track record in the cage! Natalie’s water polo journey ignited in high school and led her to Monmouth College, where she served as Captain of the DIII varsity team. Her collegiate career was nothing short of historic: she was a two-time all-conference performer and an Academic All-American. Natalie’s name is etched into the record books, holding 12 goalkeeping records at Monmouth, along with multiple records in Illinois and at her high school. After college, Natalie spent two seasons coaching high school girls in the Chicago area, specializing in the technical art of goalkeeping. She is also the Head Coach of the Arvada West (Colorado) High School Water Polo Team (winning the D2 division last year). When she’s not guarding the net or mentoring the next generation of players, you can find Natalie creating art, hitting the hiking trails, or hunting for the best ice cream in Colorado.

Coach Evelyn is a member of the USA Water Polo All-Star team, and she has been recognized many times in water polo, including the Nick Johnson Inspiration Award, Vaughn Bigelow Jr Sportsmanship Award, multiple Academic All-Americans and multiple invitations to the USA National Team Selection Camp. She is a member of the Division 1, Univ of California Women's Water Polo Team. When not studying or training she coaches youth water polo for RISE Water Polo in Colorado and 809 Water Polo Club in California. She loves growing water polo IQ. Evie plans to attend veterinary school in the future.

Hailing from Berkeley, California, Coach Lily has been a fixture in the water since her early days. Whether leading her high school team as Captain or competing at the University of California, Santa Cruz, her passion for the pool has always been her north star. Lily is currently balancing her time between the deck and the lab at the University of Colorado, where she is pursuing her degree in Chemistry. When she isn't acting as a teaching assistant in the chemistry department, she is bringing that same precision and atomic energy to RISE Water Polo. Coach Lily specializes in working with our middle school athletes, helping them discover the same joy and community she found in the sport years ago.

From the sunny pools of San Diego to the scenic peaks of Boulder, Coach Tyler brings elite experience and high energy to the deck! Tyler’s water polo journey began with La Jolla United, where he climbed all the way to a podium finish at the Junior Olympics. Today, he’s a key player for the University of Colorado, helping lead the Buffs to consecutive National Tournament invitations. When he isn’t dominating the pool, Tyler is tackling a different kind of challenge: he’s a Biomedical Engineering major at CU Boulder on a pre-med track. Whether he’s solving complex equations, hiking the Flatirons, or experimenting with 3D printing, Tyler stays moving. He is thrilled to share his love for the game and help the next generation of athletes sharpen their skills, find their rhythm, and excel in the sport!

A busy family man and executive, Coach Pat somehow finds time to grow kids in water polo. Coach Pat grew up in California, was a member of the US Junior National Team, and attended and played Division 1 water polo at the US Navel Academy. He loves winning and a winning attitude!

Princeton University's all-time leading scorer, Coach Adele discovered water polo in small-town America, searching nearby pools for any chance to play and learn. That obsession ultimately sent her to college, where she earned recognition such as: NCAA all-time leading scorer Collegiate Water Polo Assoc. Hall of Fame 4x All-American Coach Adele now especially enjoys mentoring female athletes and helping young kids, including her own, discover the joy of water polo. Athlete Adele still plays today for the Olympic Club Masters National Team and for the NYC Athletic Club.

Coach Ken enjoys growing and encouraging water polo fundamentals (i.e. Make Good Passes!) and encouraging personal development (attitude & effort!). His big water polo achievement was winning the Intramural Championships in college. If not chopping wood or feeding cows, he spends most of his time studying water polo publications, watching film, or talking with other coaches and mentors. He finds many similarities between his current life of continuously improving tactical and technical water polo and his previous role as a veterinarian, business owner/developer and mentor.

Coaching the U.S. Men's Olympic Water Polo Team was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream for Marco. His journey began in Italy, where he discovered a passion for water polo, went on to play professionally throughout Europe, and earned a place on the Italian National Team. After moving to the United States, Marco built an accomplished coaching career, including Stanford University, Newport Water Polo Club, and ultimately serving on the coaching staff of the U.S. Men's Olympic Team in 2012. Beyond the pool, Marco is a successful restaurateur, devoted husband, and proud father. Whether mentoring athletes, building businesses, or supporting his family, he brings the same passion, dedication, and commitment to excellence that have defined his life and career.

Most recently a professional water polo player on the European CNAB team, Coach Colton attends Loyola Marymount University in California. Colton started playing water polo in Boulder, Colorado. He has an intense desire to grow water polo locally, while also developing competitive travel teams.

Coach Heath grew up playing water polo in the sport's hotspot of Menlo Park, California. He loves encouraging young players and devotes much time to supporting their development. Or as much time as is available when he's not playing Captain Heath and piloting his 787 to distant lands.

A former Bucknell collegiate water polo athlete, Coach Ali grew up in Broomfield, Colorado. She has a special desire for developing positive cultures and learning environments, and is preparing to enter Medical School.