Kandace Waldthaler

UC Davis Athletics

Title

Jamey Wright and Hodgens Family Director of Women’s Water Polo
Alma Mater

Indiana '05
Year

14th Season (3rd as Head Coach)
Phone

(530) 752-0648
Email

kwaldthaler@ucdavis.edu

After serving on the UC Davis women’s water polo coaching staff for 12 seasons, Kandace Waldthaler was selected as the Coach Jamey Wright and Hodgens Family Director of Women's Water Polo in July of 2022. She will enter her second season as head coach in the spring of 2024. Waldthaler spent the first seven seasons as an assistant coach and the last five as associate head coach. She has been instrumental in cementing the inclusive and high-performance culture the program has enjoyed under Wright. Most recently, Waldthaler joined the national team staff as an assistant coach for the Senior National "B" Team.

The Aggies have enjoyed nine winning seasons, 21 ACWPC All-America recognitions, and 45 All-Big West honors during Waldthaler's time at UC Davis. The team has seen multiple ACWPA All-Academic honorees in every year of her tenure, including eight or more five times (2012, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2021) with two team (2012, 2018) awards.

A 2005 All-American with Indiana, Waldthaler returned to the Davis water polo scene in 2010 as an assistant coach for both the Aggie men's and women's teams.

Originally from Armijo High in Fairfield, Calif., Waldthaler earned JC All-America honors and a conference MVP nod for nearby Sierra College before embarking on her two-year career in Bloomington. As a senior, she led the Hoosiers with 55 goals, 55 drawn exclusions, five four-meter penalty shots and nine hat tricks to capture AWPCA (now ACWPC) All-America third-team distinction.

While at IU, Waldthaler retained her ties with Northern California, serving as a coach at Sierra Water Polo Club in 2004 then with Davis WPC in 2005. She served at the helm of the girls' 12-and-under squad, solidifying her ties with Aggie mentors Steve Doten and Jamey Wright.

After playing pro ball for St. George of the Australian National Water Polo League, Waldthaler served as an assistant at Indiana for four years, partially while completing her masters' studies. She received her M.S. in applied sports science in 2009. Waldthaler had also excelled as an IU undergrad, earning AWPCA All-Academic Superior accolades both years before graduating with her degree in exercise science.

In January 2011, Waldthaler was inducted into the Sierra College Athletic Hall of Fame, joining four individuals and one team in the Wolverine Athletic Association's sixth induction class.