Eric Ploessel
Eric Ploessel
  • Title:
    Head Coach
  • Phone:
    (714) 532-6034
  • Email:
    ploessel@chapman.edu
  • Previous College:
    Long Beach State (2000)
  • W-L Record:
    185-227 (.449); 16th season
  • CU Record:
    185-227 (.449); 16th season

Bio

Eric Ploessel enters his 16th season as the Head Coach of the men's water polo team in 2023-24.

Ploessel earned career win No. 100 (all with the Panthers) in his eighth season as head coach of the Chapman men's program. He also has over 200 career victories as the head coach of Chapman's women's program, which he has led for the past 18 seasons.

In 2017, Ploessel guided the Panthers to a third place finish in the SCIAC to qualify for the SCIAC Tournament in its first season as a four-team tournament. The Panthers won 10 games in the expanded league format.

In 2009, the Panthers defeated a No. 1-ranked Division III school (Pomona-Pitzer) for the first time in school history. And in 2008, Chapman upset a nationally-ranked top-20 program (Cal Baptist) for another first.

Ploessel began his tenure as head men's coach in 2007 and has since guided the Panthers to their first of four consecutive appearances in the WWPA championships in 16 years in 2008, including hosting the championship tournament in '09. On the women's side, the Panthers led the nation in team GPA in 2009 with a 3.42 mark for the first time ever. Both of Chapman's men's and women's programs are consistently ranked among the top-10 in NCAA Division III.

The son of former long-time aquatics director Dennis Ploessel, Eric became Chapman's head women's water polo coach in spring 2004 and helped guide the Panthers to their first top-10 national ranking in school history with a 17-13 record. In 2005, Chapman ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation and qualified for the Collegiate III Championhips for the first time ever and finished fourth in the tournament. Ploessel's athletes have also excelled outside of the water as Chapman ranked No. 5 in the nation in team GPA in 2006 with a 3.33 mark.

Prior to becoming head coach of the women, Eric served as men's and women's assistant coach for three seasons. Eric played collegiately at Long Beach State from 1995-98, scoring 58 career points, including a career-high 20 as a senior. He once notched five goals in an overtime win versus UC San Diego.