Mike Schofield returns for his 23rd season at the helm of the Navy water polo program. Under his direction, the Mids have won seven Eastern Championships and competed in 12 NCAA Tournaments. Fifteen Navy athletes have earned All-America honors under Schofield.

Last year's team was one for the record books as Navy amassed a 24-7 record and won the program's seventh Eastern Championship. The 24 wins kept a remarkably consistent streak in tact, as the Navy water polo program has won at least 19 games in all 25 years since the program's resurrection in 1982. The 24 wins were tied for the seventh most in school history and Navy went 19-1 against teams from the East. The Mids also won 14 games in a row from Sept. 27 to Nov. 12, the fourth-longest streak in school history. Schofield has had a long line of All-American athletes under his guidance.

Last season, Aaron Recko and George Naughton received third-team and honorable mention accolades, respectively, running the All-American total to 21. It marked the eighth straight year that a Navy water polo player was named All-American, beginning with Jason Pace (HM) in 1999. Sean Foster (2nd) and Nick Hill (HM) followed up Pace's honor in 2000. Hill was named honorable mention twice more in 2001 and 2002. In 2003, Joe Donahue was a third-team selection. Following Donahue, Patrick Rollo and Alex Ratcliffe were third-team selections in 2004 and 2005.

The Mids also succeed in the classroom as well. Led by Eric Gardiner's 4.00 GPA, one of six players nationally to record a 4.00, six Navy players were honored by the Collegiate Water Polo Association as having a 3.20 GPA or better. In all, nine players sported a 3.00 GPA or better.

Schofield is well recognized in the water polo community, having also coached on the international level, guiding the U.S. Water Polo Team at the 1997 World University Games to a fifth-place finish. He also served as an assistant for the 1992 National Team and as an assistant for the U.S. Water Polo Team that won gold medals at the World University Games in both 1991 and 1993.

The Midshipmen compete in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA), which consists of 20 schools divided into northern and southern divisions. The southern division has been dominated by Navy, as it has won 19-of-25 divisional titles since 1982.

Schofield also directs the Naval Academy Aquatic Club, which produces some of the top young water polo players and swimmers in the country, many of whom have continued their careers at the Naval Academy.

Schofield graduated from Pittsburgh in 1979, where he was the captain of the water polo team and received most valuable player recognition. In 1982, Schofield arrived in Annapolis and assisted in resurrecting a water polo program that had been dormant for 32 years. He took over the head coaching duties in 1985, and his teams have enjoyed 15 20-plus win seasons, playing to an overall record of 464-184-1. Schofield has been named Eastern Coach of the Year seven times including last season (1982, 1984, 1986, 1990, 2000, 2003, 2006). In 2004, Schofield added National Coach of the Year to his resume, and in March of 2004 was inducted into the United States Water Polo Hall of Fame.

Mike, his wife, Gina, and their sons, Kevin (13) and Matthew (9), reside in Arnold, Md.

# GO NAVY #