University of California Athletics

Jeff Tyrrell, the hero of California’s 2006 last-second victory for the NCAA men’s water polo title, completed his eighth season as Cal’s assistant coach in 2023 after serving the previous two seasons (2014-15) as the volunteer assistant. Following the 2021 season, he was promoted to Associate Head Coach. The Bears boast a 161-41 record and have won three national championships ('21, '22, '23) since Tyrrell joined Kirk Everist’s staff in 2016.

Tyrrell earned experience as an assistant coach with the USA National Team during the summer of 2019, helping the Americans book their ticket to the 2021 Summer Olympics with a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Brazil. He represented Team USA again in December 2019 as an assistant coach for the Junior National Team at the FINA Men’s Junior World Championship in Kuwait City, Kuwait.

Tyrrell was a two-time All-American for the Golden Bears, helping Cal to back-to-back national titles in 2006 and 2007 over USC. In the ’06 final, he nailed a shot from 12 meters out as time expired to give the Bears a 7-6 win over the Trojans. Tyrrell helped Cal top USC, 8-6, in the 2007 NCAA final as well.

“Cal has always felt like home,” Tyrrell said at the time of his hire. “Kirk Everist was a huge part of my success as a player and I am very excited and honored to be back and working with him. The start of the season is always an exciting time, and I can tell this group of guys is here to work hard and win. This is a great opportunity for me coaching alongside Kirk and Russ (Hafferkamp). I look forward to helping this team build on, what they have set out to do, which is win championships.”

Tyrrell graduated from Cal in 2007 from the department of American studies with a degree in Urban Development and worked as a broker associate at Team Realty in Richmond. His younger brother, Jamie, lettered in swimming at Cal in 2013 and 2014.

A member of the USA National Team from 2006-12, Tyrrell also had a long career playing professionally in Europe. In 2008-09 Tyrrell played for Roma Vis Nova in Rome, from 2009-10 he played for VK Sibenik in Croatia, from 2010-11 for Rari Nantes Camogli in Italy, in 2011 for Fluminense in Rio de Janeiro and finally Sportiva Nervi in Italy in 2012-13.

“I’m really excited to have Jeff coaching with us this year,” Everist said in 2014. “He brings a great deal of experience to the staff and is doing a great job working with our players. He had an incredible playing career as a Bear, he knows what it takes to build a championship team, and we are excited he is back to help the program as a coach.”