CAITLIN HASKELL JOINS THE ROYAL 559 COACHING STAFF
Royal 559 Water Polo Academy is proud to announce the addition of Caitlin Haskell to the Royal 559 Coaching
Staff! Coach Haskell will be assisting with the U14 Girls Program, as well as help lead PCA (Positive Coaching
Alliance) initiatives throughout all age-groups, boys and girls. Welcome, Coach Benson to the 559 Family!
A Fresno native, Haskell returns to the Valley after two seasons as an assistant coach
at the University of Michigan, working alongside former USA Youth Women's National
Team head coach Dr. Marcelo Leonardi.
UC IRVINE:​ As a collegiate player at UC Irvine (2008-11), Haskell garnered 2011
ACWPC All-America honorable mention accolades and was a two-time Big West
All-Conference second team selection (2010, '11) under the tutelage of current USA
Women's National Team assistant coach Dan Klatt. She ended her collegiate career
with 118 career goals, including a career-best 41 as a junior, ranking among UCI's
all-time goal leaders. As a senior, Haskell led the Anteaters to the NCAA Tournament
for the first time in program history and captured three consecutive Big West
Tournament titles (2009-11). Haskell graduated from UC Irvine in 2011 with a
bachelor's degree in social ecology. As a senior, she earned ACWPC All-Academic
Team honors and was named a Big West and UCI Scholar-Athlete.
COLLEGE COACHING:​ In 2016, she helped guide the Wolverines to their highest ranking, and highest finish, in
program history at No. 4. This came on the heels of capturing their first CWPA title since 2010 and earning an
automatic qualifier for the NCAA Tournament.
PREP/CLUB COACHING: ​Haskell joined Michigan after spending three years (2011-14) with SOCAL Water Polo,
considered among the top clubs in the country. During her tenure, she quickly rose to youth girls co-head coach
and was instrumental in coaching SOCAL to top finishes in the Junior Olympics and the prestigious TYR
Champions Cup, including gold at the 2013 event.
USAWP:​ She has held the position of SOPAC Zone assistant coach and was selected to be the assistant coach for
the USA National Development Team (8th grade and under) from 2011-13. While in Michigan, she spent time as an
assistant coach in the Great Lakes Zone Team. In 2013, Haskell was selected to serve as National Team Staff
coach for the ODP Holiday Camp in Colorado Springs, Colo.
Prior to UCI, Haskell was a standout prep athlete at Buchanan High School, leading the Bears to three straight
California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Central Section Championships. She was named back-to-back CIF Most
Valuable Player as a junior and senior.