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    Erik Zimmerman is no longer the boys water polo coach at Mater Dei
    • April 14, 2026

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    Erik Zimmerman is no longer the boys water polo coach at Mater Dei, the school recently announced.

    In the fall, Zimmerman guided the Monarchs to a runner-up finish in CIF-SS Division 1 in his first season. They lost to Loyola 9-2 in the final in mid-November.

    Mater Dei announced Zimmerman resigned.

    “We thank coach Zimmerman for his effort to lead the program and wish him success with his futureendeavors,” Mater Dei executive director of athletics Ken Miller stated in a press release.

    Zimmerman didn’t respond to messages seeking comment.

    He said during the season that he was hired a few weeks before the start of the campaign.

    Zimmerman became Mater Dei’s third coach in as many seasons when he replaced Wyatt Benson.

    Benson said he resigned due to a growing involvement in a family business.

    Mater Dei finished with a 16-15 record in 2025. The Monarchs placed third in the Trinity League and reached their first section final since 2017.

    In the playoffs, Mater Dei competed below the top division for the first time since 2009.

    “It takes a while to get a family culture going but we really are a family,” Zimmerman said in the season. “We’re exactly where we’re meant to be (for a CIF-SS division).”

    Zimmerman arrived at Mater Dei from Westcliff University.

    He coached the men’s water polo team at Westcliff for two seasons before the program was cut, he said.

    Zimmerman guided the school to a NAIA national title in 2024.

    Mater Dei was Zimmerman’s first head coaching post in high school.

    The Monarchs feature two of the best juniors in Orange County in goalie Morgan Crichton and attacker Asa Chen. Crichton earned first-team All-County in ’25 while Chen took second-team honors.

    Please send water polo news to Dan Albano at dalbano@scng.com

    ​ Orange County Register 

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