SACRAMENTO, Calif. - Emily Whalen returns to the St. Francis coaching staff as the Head Varsity Water Polo Coach to replace Heather Moody, Athletics Director Mark McGreevy announced.
"We're excited to welcome back Coach Whalen to take the helm of Troubadour Water Polo," said Athletics Director Mark McGreevy. "She's a Heather Moody coaching protégé who lends her own unique spirit and background in high levels of competitive water polo. A professional educator who is mission-centered and purpose-driven, she's shown that she's highly invested in the development of her students both as athletes and young women of character. We're excited to see her work with our athletes again and make her mark in the great tradition of SF polo."
Whalen will lead the talented water polo program that finished second in the Sac-Joaquin Section in 2018 and earned a CIF Northern California Regional berth. The Troubies return 14 letter winners to the program in 2019.
"I am excited to be taking over the program that Heather developed over the last 6 years," said Whalen. "I will be coaching the freshman from the first year I started who are now seniors. I am looking forward to seeing their progression in the sport and as young women getting ready to go off to college. It was important to me to come back to St. Francis to offer consistency for the team in this transition."
Whalen joined the St. Francis coaching staff as the Head Junior Varsity Water Polo coach in 2016, coaching the program for two seasons under varsity coach Heather Moody before taking the 2018 season off. She has also coached at the club level with the 16U team at American River Water Polo.
"I am very excited to hear that Emily will be the new coach at SF," said Moody. "She brings tremendous experience as an athlete and a new young coach. I'm excited to see where she leads the Troubies this year."
Whalen has a strong prep and collegiate background after a four-year career at San Diego State where she earned Big West Honorable Mention honors and the Coach's Award in 2013. She graduated with a degree in Sociology in 2013 and later served as a student assistant for one season.
She comes from a Catholic school background, graduating from Loretto High School in 2009. A three-year letter winner, she was named the team's most valuable player in both 2007 and 2008 and led the team to the most wins in school history. Whalen led the Lions to a third-place finish in the section playoffs to complete her senior season.
Whalen currently works in the Natomas Unified School District.
Whalen replaces Moody, who led the program for the last six seasons and recently took the Head Coach position at American River College. The Troubies reached the Sac-Joaquin Section finals in five of her six seasons and won the title in 2015.
