View source for Adam Krikorian

{{short description|American water polo coach (born 1974)}}
{{Infobox water polo biography
| name           = Adam Krikorian
| image          = 
| caption        = 
| birth_date     = {{birth date and age|1974|7|22|df=y}}
| birth_place    = [[Santa Clara, California]], U.S.
| nationality    = {{USA}}
| coachyears1       = 2009–
| coachclubs1       = [[United States women's national water polo team|United States women's national<br />water polo team]]
| show-medals       = yes
| medaltemplates    = 
{{MedalSport|Women's [[water polo]]}} (as head coach)
{{MedalCountry|{{USA}}}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Water polo at the Summer Olympics|Olympic Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2012 Summer Olympics|2012 London]]|[[Water polo at the 2012 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Rio de Janeiro]]|[[Water polo at the 2016 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2020 Summer Olympics|2020 Tokyo]]|[[Water polo at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Water polo at the World Aquatics Championships|World Championship]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships|2009 Rome]]|[[Water polo at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships|2015 Kazan]]|[[Water polo at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships|2017 Budapest]]|[[Water polo at the 2017 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships|2019 Gwangju]]|[[Water polo at the 2019 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships|2022 Budapest]]|[[Water polo at the 2022 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup|FINA World Cup]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup|2010 Christchurch]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup|2014 Khanty-Mansiysk]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2018 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup|2018 Surgut]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2023 FINA Women's Water Polo World Cup|2023 Long Beach]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[FINA Water Polo World League|FINA World League]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[2009 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2009 Kirishi]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2010 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2010 La Jolla]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2011 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2011 Tianjin]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2012 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2012 Changshu]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2014 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2014 Kunshan]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2015 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2015 Shanghai]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2016 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2016 Shanghai]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2017 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2017 Shanghai]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2018 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2018 Kunshan]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2019 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2019 Budapest]]|}}
{{MedalGold|[[2020 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2020 Athens]]|}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2013 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2013 Beijing]]|}}
{{MedalBronze|[[2022 FINA Women's Water Polo World League|2022 Santa Cruz de Tenerife]]|}}
{{MedalCompetition|[[Water polo at the Pan American Games|Pan American Games]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2011 Pan American Games|2011 Guadalajara]]|[[Water polo at the 2011 Pan American Games – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2015 Pan American Games|2015 Toronto]]|[[Water polo at the 2015 Pan American Games – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2019 Pan American Games|2019 Lima]]|[[Water polo at the 2019 Pan American Games – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
{{MedalGold|[[Water polo at the 2023 Pan American Games|2023 Santiago]]|[[Water polo at the 2023 Pan American Games – Women's tournament|Team]]}}
| updated          = 26 October 2020
}}

'''Adam Krikorian''' (born July 22, 1974) is an American [[water polo]] coach and the head coach of the [[United States women's national water polo team]]. He coached the team to gold medals at the [[2012 Summer Olympics|2012 Olympic Games]], [[2016 Summer Olympics|2016 Olympic Games]], and [[2020 Summer Olympics|2020 Olympic Games]].<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.latimes.com/sports/olympics/story/2021-12-07/usa-water-polo-coaches-adam-krikorian-dejan-udovicic-retained-paris-olympics | title=U.S. Retains water polo coaches Adam Krikorian, Dejan Udovicic through Paris Olympics | website=[[Los Angeles Times]] | date=7 December 2021 }}</ref> He was named the [[United States Olympic Committee]]'s Coach of the Games for 2016.<ref>{{cite news|title=U.S. Olympic Committee Announces 2016 Winners For Team USA Awards Presented By Dow, Best Of The Games|url=http://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/September/28/US-Olympic-Committee-Announces-2016-Winners-For-Team-USA-Awards-Presented-By-Dow-Best-Of-The-Games|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161002061713/http://www.teamusa.org/News/2016/September/28/US-Olympic-Committee-Announces-2016-Winners-For-Team-USA-Awards-Presented-By-Dow-Best-Of-The-Games|url-status=dead|archive-date=October 2, 2016|accessdate=29 September 2016|publisher=United States Olympic Committee|date=28 September 2016}}</ref> He won 15 NCAA national championships as player, assistant coach, and head coach at [[UCLA Bruins|UCLA]].<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.usawaterpolo.org/SingleNews/09-03-27/Krikorian_Named_Women_s_Senior_National_Team_Head_Coach.aspx?ReturnURL=%2fHome.aspx |title=Krikorian Named Women's Senior National Team Head Coach |access-date=2009-03-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110608232143/http://www.usawaterpolo.org/SingleNews/09-03-27/Krikorian_Named_Women_s_Senior_National_Team_Head_Coach.aspx?ReturnURL=%2fHome.aspx |archive-date=2011-06-08 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

==Family==
Krikorian was born into an Armenian-American family, the youngest son of Gary Krikorian and Joyce (''née'' Srabian). Krikorian is the younger brother of [[Blake Krikorian]] and Jason Krikorian, founders of [[Sling Media]]. Adam followed his brothers into the pool; Blake also played water polo at UCLA while Jason swam for Cal.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Veronin|first1=Nick|title=Making a splash at the Olympics|url=http://www.mv-voice.com/news/2012/05/10/making-a-splash-at-the-olympics|accessdate=September 29, 2016|work=Mountain View Voice|date=May 10, 2012}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Interview with Adam Krikorian|url=https://www.maxraskin.com/interviews/adam-krikorian|access-date=2022-02-14|website=Interviews with Max Raskin|language=en-US}}</ref>  Blake died of a heart attack days before the 2016 Olympics began in Rio de Janeiro; Adam went back to Northern California for the funeral before returning to the Olympics.<ref>{{cite magazine|last1=Shipnuck|first1=Alan|title=U.S. waterpolo coach makes emotional return to Rio|url=https://www.si.com/olympics/2016/08/11/us-womens-water-polo-coach-adam-krikorian-brothers-death-rio-2016|accessdate=29 September 2016|magazine=Sports Illustrated|date=11 August 2016}}</ref><ref name=":0" />

Adam Krikorian is married to Anicia, with whom he has two children. They live in [[Manhattan Beach, California]].<ref>{{cite news|last1=Vartabedian|first1=Tom|title=A Well-Deserved Olympic Tribute to Adam Krikorian|url=http://armenianweekly.com/2016/08/30/adam-krikorian/|accessdate=29 September 2016|work=Armenian Weekly|date=30 August 2016}}</ref>

==High school and college record==
Krikorian, a water polo and swimming standout, attended [[Mountain View High School (Mountain View, California)|Mountain View High School]] before playing college water polo at [[UCLA Bruins|UCLA]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Player Bio: Adam Krikorian |url=http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/krikorian_adam00.html |publisher=[[CBS Interactive]] |accessdate=5 January 2013 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20121223082943/http://www.uclabruins.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/krikorian_adam00.html |archivedate=23 December 2012 }}</ref>  During his senior year in high school, he scored 113 goals and was named honorable mention All-America. He helped his team to a National Junior Olympic championship.

He led UCLA to its first [[NCAA]] Championship in 23 years (1995). While at UCLA, Krikorian scored 76 goals and was a four-year letterwinner (1992–1995). He was named a second team All-America and All-[[MPSF]] honoree in 1995. He was captain of the UCLA team in 1994 and 1995. He was inducted into the [[UCLA Bruins#UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame|UCLA Athletics Hall of Fame]] in 2016.

==Coaching career==

===College===
[[File:UCLA Women's Water Polo team honored for winning UCLA's 100th NCAA Championship.jpg|thumb|Adam Krikorian (far left) and his UCLA Women's Water Polo team honored for winning UCLA's 100th NCAA Championship, 2007.]]
[[File:UCLA women's water polo at the WH.jpg|thumb|At the White House with his water polo team, June 2008]]
Krikorian became an assistant coach for the UCLA men's water polo team in 1996 and then also the women's water polo team in 1997.  During his coaching career, his teams won 15 national championships, 11 as a head coach, three as an assistant coach and one as a player. He was awarded the 2004 national men's water polo coach of the year and the 2001, 2005, 2006 and 2007 national women's water polo coach of the year.

The 2007 women's title was UCLA's 100th NCAA championship, the first school in history to achieve the milestone. The 2008 women's team had a perfect 33-0 season, including the three games at the MPSF Championship and the three at the NCAA Championship. #1 ranked UCLA beat #3 USC 6-3 for the 2008 NCAA Women's Water Polo Championship on May 11, 2008.

He is tied for first among active men's water polo coaches in NCAA championships won and led both teams to national titles in the same season 3 times (’99-’00, ’00-’01, ’04-’05).  As men’s head coach, he coached 25 All-America selections.

Krikorian has coached five [[Peter J. Cutino Award]] winners: [[Sean Kern]] (2000 and 2001), [[Coralie Simmons]] (2001), [[Natalie Golda]] (2005), [[Kelly Rulon]] (2007), and [[Courtney Mathewson]] (2008). The award is given to the outstanding female and male collegiate water polo players each year.<ref>[https://www.ncaa.com/waterpolo-womens/article.aspx?id=261324 Cutino Award winners]{{dead link|date=June 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> For the 2007–08 season, he captured the NCAA Division I Coach of the Year honor for the fifth time as UCLA's head women's water polo coach, given by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC). "Krikorian led the UCLA women's water polo program to its 11th national championship – the seventh national title in his 10-year tenure as head coach. UCLA registered its second undefeated season in the last four years, posting a 33-0 overall record and perfect 12-0 MPSF mark," according to the UCLA Athletic Department.

In 2009, Krikorian Was named NCAA Division I Coach of the Year for the fifth consecutive season and sixth time overall by the [[Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches]] (ACWPC).

===International===
As the head coach of the USA Women's Water Polo Team, Krikorian coached his team to the gold medal at the [[Water polo at the 2009 World Aquatics Championships – Women's tournament|World Championships]] in Rome, Italy on July 31, 2009, defeating Canada, 6-5.

In October 2011, Adam led the team to the gold medal at the [[2011 Pan American Games]] in Guadalajara, Mexico. At the [[2012 Summer Olympics]], his [[United States women's national water polo team]] won the gold medal by defeating the Spain team 8–5 on August 9, 2012.

Krikorian coached the USA women's water polo team to the first Olympic gold medal in program history by defeating Spain in the gold medal game in London, England on August 9, 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.swimmingworldmagazine.com/news/usa-water-polo-womens-olympic-team-features-4-returners-from-2012-gold/|title=USA Water Polo Women's Olympic Team Features 4 Returners from 2012 Gold|date=6 July 2016|work=swimmingworldmagazine.com|accessdate=29 September 2016}}</ref>

On August 19, 2016, Krikorian led the USA women's water polo team to their second straight gold medal as they defeated Italy by a score of 12-5 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Ever since breaking through for its first-ever gold in 2012, the Americans have dominated this sport, winning the 2014 World Cup, the 2015 World Championships and three consecutive World League titles in China.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/rio-2016/2016/08/19/usa-water-polo-gold-italy/89004590/|title=USA wins gold in women's water polo|work=usatoday.com|accessdate=29 September 2016}}</ref>

===National Champions===
{| class="wikitable"
! Year !! Champions !! Position !! Winner !! Loser !! Records <br />(Overall/Conf.)
|- align=center
|  1995 || NCAA Champions || Student-athlete || UCLA Men's Water Polo || Cal || 20-6/8-0
|- align=center
|  1996 || NCAA Champions || Asst. Coach || UCLA Men's Water Polo || USC || 24-6/6-2
|- align=center
|  1997 || NCAA Champions || Asst. Coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Cal || 31-1/6-0
|- align=center
|  1998 || NCAA Champions || Asst. Coach  || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Cal || 35-1/9-0
|- align=center
|  1999 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Men's Water Polo || Stanford || 22-3/8-0
|- align=center
|  2000 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Men's Water Polo || UCSD || 19-7/6-2
|- align=center
|  2000 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || USC || 30-5/8-1
|- align=center
|  2001 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Stanford || 18-4/9-1
|- align=center
|  2003 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Stanford || 24-4/8-2
|- align=center
|  2004 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Men's Water Polo || Stanford || 25-3/8-0
|- align=center
|  2005 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Stanford || 33-0/12-0
|- align=center
|  2006 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || USC || 29-4/11-1
|- align=center
|  2007 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || Stanford || 28-2/11-1
|- align=center
|  2008 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || USC || 33-0/12-0
|- align=center
|  2009 || NCAA Champions || Head coach || UCLA Women's Water Polo || USC || 25-6/9-3<ref>[http://www.dailynews.com/ucla/ci_12341078 UCLA defeats USC, claims NCAA women's water polo title] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110603233318/http://www.dailynews.com/ucla/ci_12341078 |date=2011-06-03 }}, ''Los Angeles Daily News'', May 10, 2009</ref>
|}

==See also==
* [[United States women's Olympic water polo team records and statistics]]
* [[List of Olympic champions in women's water polo]]
* [[List of world champions in women's water polo]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Sports links}}
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20080308091429/http://uclabruins.cstv.com/sports/w-wpolo/mtt/krikorian_adam00.html Profile – Adam Krikorian]

{{Navboxes
|title = United States squads
|bg = #3C3B6E
|fg = #FFFFFF
|bordercolor = #B22234
|list1 = 
{{United States women's water polo squad 2009 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States women's water polo squad 2012 Summer Olympics}}
{{United States women's water polo squad 2015 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States women's water polo squad 2016 Summer Olympics}}
{{United States women's water polo squad 2017 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States women's water polo squad 2019 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States women's water polo squad 2020 Summer Olympics}}
{{United States women's water polo squad 2022 World Aquatics Championships}}
{{United States women's water polo squad 2024 Summer Olympics}}
}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Krikorian, Adam}}
[[Category:1974 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:American people of Armenian descent]]
[[Category:UCLA Bruins men's water polo players]]
[[Category:American male water polo players]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Medalists at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:American water polo coaches]]
[[Category:Olympic coaches for the United States]]
[[Category:United States women's national water polo team coaches]]
[[Category:Water polo coaches at the 2012 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo coaches at the 2016 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Water polo coaches at the 2020 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:Mountain View High School alumni]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Santa Clara, California]]
[[Category:UCLA Bruins men's water polo coaches]]
[[Category:Water polo coaches at the 2024 Summer Olympics]]
[[Category:21st-century American sportsmen]]
[[Category:20th-century American sportsmen]]