Merced native Hannah DeAndreis was named the head men’s water polo coach at UC Merced by Executive Director of Athletics and Recreation David Dunham on August 4, 2025.
DeAndreis was an assistant coach for the Bobcats men’s and women’s water polo teams in the 2024-25 academic year and served as the interim head coach from May 1, 2025 until being promoted to head coach.
In her first season at the helm, DeAndreis mentored Andrew Jones to All-WWPA Second Team recognition and Christian Soto to All-WWPA Freshman Team honors. The Bobcats finished the year 5-18 overall and 1-5 in the WWPA, winning its first ever WWPA match against Fresno Pacific.
In the fall of 2024, DeAndreis was on staff for UC Merced’s historic win over NCAA Division One foe LIU. The victory was UC Merced’s first win over a NCAA Division One opponent all-time across all sports. DeAndreis also coached ACWPC Honorable Mention All-American Camden Peterson and had six of her student-athletes earn ACWPC All-Academic honors.
Before coming to UC Merced, DeAndreis spent two seasons as an assistant men’s and women’s water polo coach at Connecticut College. While coaching the Camels, the women’s water polo team made back-to-back appearances in the CWPA Division III Championships.
DeAndreis first got into college coaching in 2022 as an assistant at McKendree.
Prior to college coaching, DeAndreis spent two seasons at El Capitan High School as the head varsity aquatics coach. During her time with the Gauchos, the school won back-to-back Central California Conference (CCC) Championships and advanced to the semifinal round of the California Interscholastic Federation (CIF) Sac-Joaquin Section Division II Playoffs.
She first got into coaching in 2013 coaching both girls and boys 14U, 16U, and 18U youth club teams in Merced County, including the 16U boys team for Central Valley United during their inaugural summer season in 2022. Ellett has also coached in both the Central and Northeast Zones for the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program.
In addition to her coaching experience, DeAndreis also taught English at El Capitan and Buhach Colony High School.
DeAndreis earned a bachelor of arts in English from Whittier College in 2017 and received her master’s degree in English literature from Chico State University in 2019.
