From the Persian Gulf to the Princeton pool

It may seem difficult to step out from under the shadow of a father who set the world record in the 100-meter butterfly twice and participated in three consecutive summer Olympics, but Luis Nicolao, head coach of the men's and women's water polo teams, has managed to make his own impact on the aquatics world.

After finishing a collegiate career at the Naval Academy that netted him three All-American selections and the school's all-time goals scored record, Nicolao has continued his success by leading the Tigers to a collective 399-143 (.763) record in his 10 years at Princeton. In the process, he has won one national coach of the year award and a handful of Collegiate Water Polo Association Eastern and Southern coach of the year awards.

Players said that when it comes to coaching, Nicolao is more West Coast calm than military strict.

"Coach normally seems pretty relaxed around us and lets us figure out our own mistakes," sophomore utility Helen Meigs said. "You see a little bit of the Navy side of him when it comes to conditioning, but otherwise he is pretty chill."

Born in Brazil to legendary Argentinean swimmer Luis Nicolao, he moved to San Jose, Calif. at a very young age. Though he grew up in the water polo mecca that is the Bay Area, he did not start playing the sport until his freshman year of high school. His talents were soon recognized, however, and he was named a high school All-American twice and led Bellarmine Prep to several local championships.

At Navy he found even greater success. Nicolao led the Midshipmen to two Eastern Championships and three NCAA tournament appearances in his collegiate career. He graduated in 1992, earning Navy's Athletic Association Sword as the top graduating male athlete. The next year Nicolao won a gold medal with the U.S. national team at the World University Games.

Nicolao spent the next five years serving his mandatory tour of officer duty in the Navy, ascending up the chain of command to lieutenant. During that stint, he was stationed in the Persian Gulf and at one point manned an amphibious vehicle that deployed U.S. Navy SEALs.

After returning to Navy as an assistant coach for 18 months, Nicolao was offered his current position at Princeton, which has been his home ever since. He said that his experiences have left a strong mark on how he carries himself as a Tiger.

"When I was in high school and at Navy, I played for regimented, tough coaches. Here, I try to get my players to compete but also to enjoy themselves," Nicolao said. "I want my kids to leave the program feeling like they've had a really rewarding experience."

His players seem to respond well to the amalgamation of styles and experiences Nicolao brings to the table.

"He's not too much of a discipline-oriented coach. He'll yell at you if you mess up at that moment, but he won't make the whole team go and swim 100 meters of freestyle for it," freshman driver Matt Hale said. "Before games, he doesn't joke around but isn't super intense."

And while he coaches both the men's and women's teams, Nicolao employs similar tactics for both.

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"The kids who get into Princeton are great. You've got to be smart, and since we don't have any scholarship money, you're here because you really want to play water polo," Nicolao said. "So the strategy is pretty similar; the bigger thing we try to do is adapt our strategy to the players we have, regardless of whether it's boys or girls. Water polo is a simple game, and what it really comes down to is execution."

Though the strategy may be the same, there are a few things that Nicolao does for the girls that the boys never get to experience.

"Before big games, he sings for the team in the locker room. He actually has a really good voice," Meigs said. "And for our early practices on Friday morning, he brings us Panera bagels."

Looking back on his career at this point, Nicolao doesn't regret much.

"You forget the wins and the losses, but the interactions are what keep you going. When alums show up to support players they don't even know, and when you see your former players moving on in life, it's a great feeling," Nicolao said.