Ventura College women's water polo head coach Linda Wright has been awarded the Doc Hunkler Distinguished Coaching Award by USA Water Polo for the Coastal California Zone. The fourth-year head coach, who has been with VC water polo for seven years, was named the zone winner of the award and a finalist for the national award in a press release by USA Water Polo earlier this month. Wright led Ventura to a 20-7 overall record in 2021, the fourth 20-win season in program history.
Richard "Doc" Hunkler was a legendary coach who helped build the sport of water polo at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. He was inducted into the USA Water Polo Association Hall of Fame in 2000 and was one of two men in 2002 who comprised the inaugural class of inductees into the Collegiate Water Polo Association Hall of Fame. USA Water Polo established the Doc Hunkler Distinguished Women's Coaching Award in 2010.
Wright, who has a 50-33 overall head coaching record with the Pirates, led VC to its best season since 2016 this past fall. Ventura finished runner up in the Western State Conference and advanced to the second round of the CCCAA Southern California Regional Playoffs.
Wright is one of 11 zone award winners, from whom USA Water Polo will select its national award winner.