California Golden Bears Athletics

BERKELEY – Heather Petri, the only four-time female Olympian in Cal history who served as a volunteer assistant coach last season for the women's water polo team, has been named a full-time assistant coach.

"We're happy to have Heather back," Cal head coach Coralie Simmons said. "She rounds out our staff and rounds out our team really well. Having someone with as much experience and as much heart and soul in the game that she has is kind of unmatched in the nation."

Petri played at Cal from 1997-99 and 2001 and was a two-time All-American. She won a gold medal at the 2012 Summer Olympics with the U.S. National Team while also capturing the silver medal in 2000 and 2008 and the bronze in 2004.

Petri was inducted into the Cal Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013 and was named to the Pac-12 All-Century Team in 2015.

"My experience last year really ignited my passion for helping this program," Petri said. "Having this new opportunity is just another way that I can give back to them and be part of the great coaching staff, and see these girls be successful."

With Petri as the volunteer assistant last season, she helped the Bears reach the semifinals of the NCAA Championships and finish the year ranked No. 4 in the nation.

Cal begins the 2018 season Jan. 20-21 at the Rainbow Invite in Honolulu.