Eric Ploessel enters his 23rd season leading the women's water polo program and18th season leading the Chapman men's water polo program in 2025-26.
Ploessel has won 447 combined matches as the Head Coach of both water polo programs, surpassing 200 wins with each program.
The 2024 season was the most successful in men's water polo history as the Panthers advanced to the national title game of the USA Water Polo Division III National Championships. Chapman finished as the runner-up but won 16 games - the second-most in program history. The women's program advanced to the SCIAC Tournament semifinals in the spring, finishing third in the SCIAC standings for the second year in a row.
In 2017, Ploessel guided the men's team 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 2009. Both of Chapman's men's and women's programs are consistently ranked among the top-10 in NCAA Division III.
The son of 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. 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.
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.
