Episode 16 - Interview with Team USA Head Men's Coach Dejan Udovičić

Off the Deck

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From USAWaterPolo.org

Dejan Udovicic was named Head Coach of the USA Water Polo Men's Senior National Team on May 7, 2013. Udovicic, the former head coach of the Serbian national team, joined USA Water Polo after leading Serbia to a bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympic Games, his teams' 16th medal in the last 17 major championship events. Udovicic has helped restore the USA Men to among the top ranked teams in international water polo with a fifth place finish at the 2014 FINA World League Super Final and a fourth place finish at the 2014 FINA World Cup. Udovicic led Team USA to gold at the 2015 Pan American Games which also earned qualification to the 2016 Olympic Games. In 2016 the USA Men won their first medal at a major FINA competition in eight years earning silver at the 2016 FINA World League Super Final. They followed with a 10th place finish at the 2016 Olympic Games.

The most successful coach in Serbian team sports, Udovicic has compiled nearly 500 victories while winning more than 80 percent of all matches. He led the Radnicki Water Polo Club to a Euro Cup title and an appearance in the Serbian National Championship final in their first year of competition.

Udovicic was named Head Coach of the Serbian National Team in June, 2006 following the separation of Serbia and Montenegro. In the six years that followed he built Serbia into a water polo powerhouse. Included in his run was a FINA World Championship in 2009, two FINA World Cup titles in 2006 and 2010, two European Championships in 2006 and 2012, two bronze medals at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games, and five FINA World League Super Final titles.

In addition to his duties with the national team, Udovicic was also the longtime coach of VK Partizan, one of Serbia's top water polo clubs. From 2000-2009 he led the club to four national championships, four national cups and an appearance in the Euroleague final four. No stranger to the club, Udovicic played for Partizan along with neighboring VK Beograd, in a playing career that spanned more than 10 years.