Davis, Calif. - UC Davis has extended Child and Meisel Families Director of Men's Water Polo Dan Leyson with a contract that will keep him in Davis through the end of the decade, athletics director Rocko DeLuca announced Wednesday. 

Leyson's new contract runs through June 30, 2030. 

"Under Dan Leyson UC Davis water polo has been a championship level program for many years and I am grateful for his leadership," DeLuca said. "He is an integral part of the culture we are creating here at UC Davis, and we look forward to supporting him and his team as they continue to build upon last season's success."

The fifth head coach in UC Davis water polo program history, Leyson completed his ninth season at UC Davis in the fall, leading the Aggies to the NCAA Championship tournament for the second straight season after making the quarterfinal round in 2019. UC Davis opted out of the 2020 season. 

"I would like to thank Athletic Director Rocko DeLuca for having faith in the water polo program we're developing here at Davis and allowing me the opportunity to keep building for another eight years at least," Leyson said. "I am so proud of what our student athletes have accomplished so far— and there is more to come. On a personal note, my family and I could not be more pleased to be staying in this special community here in Davis. As we say on our team, 'No place I'd rather be!'"  

At UC Davis Leyson has built a perennial contender with Western Water Polo Association titles in four of the last six seasons and four NCAA Championship tournament berths. 

He is 146-75 with a commanding 48-4 mark in the WWPA over his nine seasons and won his fourth WWPA Coach of the Year honor in 2021. 

Under Leyson's tutleage, the Aggies have seen 11 ACWPC All-Americans, 30 players have earned at least one ACWPC All-Academic honor, six WWPA Player of the Year winners - including Nir Gross in 2021 - and 20 players have earned at least one All-WWPA selection. 

2021 was a banner year for Leyson's Aggies as he led UC Davis to a WWPA title and the NCAA Championship tournament for the eighth time in program history, advancing to the tournament semifinal for the first time since 1996. Gross was named the WWPA Player of the Year and he and Aleix Aznar Beltran made the NCAA All-Tournament Second Team. Gross was also an ACWPC second team All-American and Logan Anderson and Aaron Wilson were All-America honorable mentions.