HOME OF BULLDOG MEN'S WATER POLO - 1993, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2009 SCIAC Champions

Tom Whittemore
	Head Men's & Women's Water Polo Coach tom_whittemore@redlands.edu 909-748-8425

Tom Whittemore came to the University of Redlands in 1988 following a two-year assistant coaching stint at his alma mater, Claremont McKenna College. Since joining the Bulldog staff, he has built the Bulldog aquatics programs into national powerhouses, working at one time or another as the head men’s and women’s water polo and swimming coach, assistant swimming coach, and director of aquatics.

Currently serving as the women’s and men’s water polo coach, Whittemore has claimed over 300 wins with each team. He earned his 300th victory with the men’s team in the final game of the 2005 season with a 6-5 victory over Division I UC Davis for third place at the WWPA Championships. He also captured his 300th victory in women's water polo, following an 11-10 showing against Cal Lutheran University on April 14, 2007.  

Whittemore has led the Bulldog men’s water polo team to SCIAC titles in 1993 and 1999, to go along with three-consecutive championships in 2001-2003. After a one-year hiatus, Whittemore’s team regained the coveted conference crown in 2005 and then again in 2006 to bring the program’s total to seven. He was named Western Water Polo Men's Coach of the Year in 1998, 2001 and 2004. During the 2004 season, Whittemore guided the Bulldogs to their best finish at the WWPA Championships with a second-place showing. Overall, he has coached eight Division III Players of the Year, including three men and five women.

From 1994-1999, Whittemore coached the Redlands women's water polo team to five-consecutive Collegiate III National Championships and added three more titles in 2002, 2004 and most recently in 2006. For his efforts, Whittemore has been named American Water Polo Association Coach of the Year six times, earning that distinction for women's water polo in 1996, 1998, 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2006. In addition, the Bulldogs became the first Division III school to participate in the newly-expanded NCAA Women’s Water Polo Championships when the team captured the conference’s automatic bid in 2005. That year he was named the Division III Coach of the Year while coaching the Division III Player of the Year. Since the women’s water polo team’s move to varsity status in 1994, Whittemore has guided the Bulldogs to nine SCIAC championships, including four-straight from 2000-2003.

Whittemore began his career at Redlands as the men’s and women’s swimming coach from 1988-1995. Under Whittemore’s tutelage, both teams continued to climb the conference ladder and develop for their future success. In 1993, the men’s team snapped Claremont-Mudd-Scripps’ 12-year, 60-dual meet streak in conference with a 124-81 victory. That year, one of his student-athletes, Greg Milton, captured the NCAA Division III Championship in the 100 Freestyle. Whittemore also guided the Bulldogs to the program’s first SCIAC Championship in 1994.

As a collegian, Whittemore was a four-year letterman in swimming and a three-time NCAA Division III qualifier at Claremont McKenna College.

Currently, he enjoys sports and traveling in his free time. He is also an active member of the Redlands Hoop Shots youth group through the local YMCA. He also serves on the NCAA Women's Water Polo Committee.  Whittemore is married to the Bulldogs' swimming coach, Leslie. They currently reside in Redlands with their son, Tait, and daughter, Maggie.