Jackovich Joins Coaching Staff

STANFORD, Calif. – Dani Jackovich has been named an assistant coach for the Stanford women’s water polo program, returning to The Farm after an extensive international playing career.

A three-time NCAA champion and two-time ACWPC All-American who competed for the Cardinal from 2014-17, Jackovich is transitioning to the collegiate coaching ranks after playing professional water polo in six different countries over the last 10 years.

A member of the Australian senior national team since 2023, Jackovich made the most of her Olympic debut two years ago, becoming Stanford’s first international medalist after helping guide Australia to a silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“We are extremely excited to have Dani back in our program, this time as a coach,” said Dunlevie Family Director of Women’s Water Polo John Tanner, who has guided the Cardinal to 10 NCAA titles and enters his 30th season at the helm in 2027. “She brings globally relevant experience as a player and leader, insightful views on skill development, and highly valuable technical and analytical skills. Dani will be a wonderful role model for our program and an important bridge builder across campus.”

Last month, Jackovich helped lead the Ord Minnett Aussie Stingers to a bronze medal at the World Aquatics World Cup final in front of the home crowd in Sydney, representing Australia’s 12th medal at the event.

A native of New Lenox, Illinois, Jackovich moved to Australia to play water polo in 2019. Through membership in their league, Jackovich was able to secure visas, residency and citizenship necessary to maintain eligibility and compete for Australia in world aquatics competitions.

“Returning to Stanford as a coach is both a privilege and a full-circle moment for me,” said Jackovich, who recently closed out a 2026 campaign that included a championship and MVP recognition in the Australian water polo league and Italian Serie A1 title with Orizzonte. “Stanford has played a profound role in shaping my life, and I am excited for the opportunity to give back to a community that has given me so much. I look forward to contributing to the continued success of this program while helping the next generation of student-athletes achieve their goals in and out of the pool.”

The signature moment of Jackovich’s career came in 2024, becoming the 14th Olympic medalist in school history overall and first from a country other than the United States. Extending Stanford’s streak of at least one Cardinal player collecting a medal at every Olympics, Jackovich participated as a reserve in each game of the tournament and scored her first goal of the Games in the gold medal final against Spain.

Jackovich, who led the Aussie Stingers to a sixth-place finish at the World Aquatics World Championships in 2024-25, also competed for the Cronulla Sharks senior club team. Other professional accomplishments include a pair of LEN European Cup Final Four appearances and silver medal (2021) and European Challenger Cup winner (2025).

Jackovich, who finished her collegiate career with 106 goals and 11 hat tricks, was also a four-time ACWPC All-Academic recipient and three-time MPSF All-Academic selection. A biomechanical engineering major, Jackovich was a member of three NCAA championship teams (2014-15, 2017) and the 2014 MPSF title squad.

Jackovich also boasts hands-on experience in app development and account management within the sports industry, having also served as an analyst and account manager for 6-8 Sports and Delfina Sport, respectively.