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Men's Water Polo:
Marc Hunt begins his fourth season as head coach of the UC Irvine program in 2008 after guiding the Anteaters to a final national ranking of third in '07. Hunt was named 2007 Mountain Pacific Sports Federation Coach of the Year as he led UCI to the MPSF Championship Tournament final for the first time in history. Two of his players, Tim Hutten and Colin Mello, were named first team All-America while Cole Bitter was an honorable mention selection. Hutten received the prestigious Peter J. Cutino Award, which is given annually to the top collegiate player in the nation. Hutten and three other former UCI standouts, Ryan Bailey, Rick Merlo and Jeff Powers, are members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. Before taking over the head coaching duties, Hunt served as an assistant coach under Ted Newland for four years. He also served as interim women's head water polo coach at UCI in 2003-04. Hunt was named Southern Pacific Zone Elite Men's Coach of the Year by USA Water Polo following his inaugural season as head coach in 2005 when he led UCI to a final national ranking of fourth. The Anteaters were 18-12 overall and 6-2 for second place in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation that year. Hunt was a two-time All-American as a player (1992, 1993). He led the Anteaters with 60 points, including seven two-point goals, as a senior in 1993 in leading UCI to an 18-11 record, a berth in the NCAA Tournament and a final national ranking of fourth. He earned first team All-America honors that season. He was named a third team All-American in 1992 when he scored 32 goals as the Anteaters finished fourth in the nation. In 2007, Hunt was named to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's All-15th Anniversary team. In the summer of 1993, he competed in the World University Games, winning a gold medal, and also in the United States Olympic Festival for the South team that captured the bronze medal. He went on to play for the U.S. National Team from 1993-96, and then competed for the Sydney (Australia) University Lions club team that finished third in the National League in 1999. Hunt then served as assistant coach for the Corona del Mar High School boys' and girls' teams for two seasons, winning boys' CIF titles both years and finishing as CIF runner-up in one girls' season. |
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