LISA DEROSSI-COOPER : Head Coach
lisa.derossi@csueastbay.edu
Year: 6th
Alma Mater: University of Hawaii 2001
Hometown: Perth, Australia
Lisa De Rossi-Cooper is currently in her 6th season as head coach of the Cal State East Bay Women's Water Polo team and has turned the Pioneers into a national power house. De Rossi has established CSUEB as one of the top division III water polo programs in the nation, with top five national finishes in her past four years as head coach. Under De Rossi, the 2007 Pioneers competed in the Division III National Championships for the fourth straight year finishing 4th. Cal State East Bay had two Division III All-Americans as well as nine Academic All-Americans. The 2006 Pioneers competed in the Division III Championships for the third straight year. Cal State East Bay was 5-0 in overtime matches and had two Division III All-Americans as well as nine Academic All-Americans. The Pioneers were the 2005 runners-up in the Division III National Championships, concluding her most successful season yet and the best campaign in school history. In 2004 she led the Pioneers to a 4th place finish in their first ever post season appearance at the Collegiate III National Championships.
Coach De Rossi's philosophy combines both academic and athletic excellence. She believes her athletes are students first and foremost and sees water polo as an integral part of their overall college experience. De Rossi believes that the overall development of her athletes is of the utmost importance, and this is taught through the life skills of teamwork, discipline, persistence, communication and dedication.
In her five years at CSUEB, De Rossi has produced 10 All-Americans and 30 Academic All-Americans. As a program, the 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, and 2007 squads received Academic All-American team honors, proving they excel in both the pool and the classroom.
De Rossi, a native of Perth, Australia, started playing water polo at the age of 14. She was a member of the Western Australian State Junior Team that won national championships in 1996 and 1998. De Rossi also was a member of the Australian National Youth and National Junior Teams. In 1999, De Rossi received a full athletic scholarship to play water polo at the University of Hawaii. While at Hawaii, De Rossi received Division I All-American and Academic All-American honors, was Hawaii's top scholar athlete, leading goal scorer, and received Hawaii's most outstanding player award. De Rossi graduated from the University of Hawaii with a degree in Health and Exercise Science. She completed her master's degree in sports psychology at Cal State East Bay.
As a coach, De Rossi-Cooper led Perth College to back to back Western Australian state high school championships. Before taking over the Cal State East Bay water polo program, she coached Pac 5 combined high schools in Honolulu, Hawaii.
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