Back Where It All Began

STANFORD, Calif. – The most revered and accomplished player in the history of women’s water polo is returning to The Farm, completing a unique full-circle moment that originated at Avery Aquatic Center nearly 25 years ago.

Brenda Villa will join the Cardinal women’s water polo program as Associate Head Coach, as announced on Wednesday by John Tanner, Stanford’s Dunlevie Family Director of Women’s Water Polo.

“Brenda is an icon in the water polo world, as one of our sport’s greatest ever athletes, as a global ambassador for the sport, and as an extraordinary coach who engenders belief, self-reliance and resilience in her athletes and teams,” said Tanner, who coached Villa and has guided the Cardinal to 10 NCAA championships in 28 years at the helm. “Brenda’s path to Stanford was exceptional, a journey made possible by the City of Commerce, her family, teachers, coaches and her own relentless drive. Brenda’s journey since graduating has been equally remarkable.” 

Villa’s impact on the sport is unmatched, beginning with a remarkable legacy established during her collegiate career at Stanford that immediately opened doors to international success. After redshirting in 1999 to train for the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, Villa led the Cardinal to its first NCAA title in 2002. A three-time All-American, Villa was also named ACWPC Player of the Year in 2001 before becoming Stanford’s first Peter J. Cutino Award recipient in 2002. Named the 2016 Pac-12 Player of the Century, Villa ranks 12th in school history in goals scored (173) and is a member of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame.

One of only two four-time Olympic medalists (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012) in the history of the sport, Villa enjoyed tremendous success on the international stage. Named the Female Water Polo Player of the Decade (2000-09) by FINA Aquatics World Magazine, Villa concluded her playing career having won 20 medals (4 Summer Olympics, 4 World Championships, 3 Pan American Games, 1 FINA World Cup, 8 FINA World League) while representing Team USA.

“Returning to Stanford is incredibly special to me,” said Villa, who retired from professional water polo in 2012. “Being part of the first NCAA championship team here wasn’t just about winning — it was about laying the foundation for what this program could become. As one of the early athletes to help shape that era, I feel honored to now give back as a coach and help lead the next generation of student-athletes who will carry that legacy forward.”

She returns to The Farm having most recently served as the head coach at Orange Lutheran High School in Orange, California, since 2022. A two-time CIF Open Division Coach of the Year (2023, 2024) and Orange County Register Coach of the Year (2023), Villa led the Lancers to CIF Regional State titles in 2024 and 2025, highlighted by an undefeated season in 2024.

Villa’s coaching career also includes a five-year stint as an assistant coach of the women’s water polo program at Cerritos College from 2005-09, guiding the Falcons to a CCCAA state title in 2008. Villa later served as the head coach at Castilleja School in Palo Alto for 10 seasons starting in 2010.

Villa, who in 2018 was inducted into both the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame and International Swimming Hall of Fame, has also served as head coach of the Team USA’s U16 squad.

Equally rewarding has been Villa’s long-standing commitment to advocacy for women’s sports and community service, specifically focusing on expanding diversity in water polo and other aquatic sports. Villa co-founded Project 2020, a non-profit organization committed to providing aquatic opportunities for those in under-resourced communities. Working within the Northern California community of East Palo Alto and East Menlo Park, Villa paired high school coaching with Project 2020 efforts hoping to mirror the offerings she received during her youth when sports were available regardless of financial status. Also, the Brenda Villa Foundation, founded in 2020, supports individuals, community leaders, and organizations in under-resourced communities through micro-grants to facilitate aquatics in these communities.

Villa has also been instrumental through her affiliations as a member of the USA Water Polo Board of Directors, Advisory Committee of the Women’s Sports Foundation and Executive Committee of Pan American Aquatics Union Americana De Natacion (UANA).

Born in East Los Angeles, Villa began swimming for Commerce Aquatics at the age of six before starting her water polo journey two years later. A true pioneer of the sport in every aspect, Villa prepped at Bell Gardens High School and was a four-time first-team All-American, All-CIF and all-league selection - as a member of the boys’ water polo team because the school did not have a girls’ team.

A 2003 graduate of Stanford with a degree in political science, Villa and her husband have two children.