Four-time All-American Sarah Lizotte will return to the UC San Diego women’s water polo team as an assistant coach, head coach Brad Kreutzkamp announced.

Lizotte was a standout player for the Tritons from 2011-14 and is the team’s all-time leading scorer and assist provider. The Riverside native was named First Team All-America by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches in each of her seasons.

She returns to La Jolla after spending the last year as an assistant coach for UCLA’s men’s and women’s programs.

“I am thrilled to return to UC San Diego, a place that has always been close to my heart,” Lizotte said. “My time as a player nearly a decade ago was formative, and my water polo career as a Triton was a testament to the incredible support and camaraderie of this community.”

Last season, Lizotte’s leadership as coach helped UCLA’s women’s team win a national title. With the Bruins, she helped develop and implement practice plans and game strategies, and mentored and managed players. Lizotte was also involved in recruiting both domestically and internationally.

Lizotte served as head coach of the Canyon Crest Academy women’s varsity team from 2012-2015 and was an assistant coach of the Cathedral Catholic High School men’s varsity team from 2012-2015, winning two CIF titles during her tenure.

Between 2010 and 2015, Lizotte was the head coach and youth program director at the Del Mar Water Polo Club in San Diego.

As a professional player, Lizotte played eight seasons (2015-2023) for Barcelona-based club Esportiu Mediterrani. Lizotte was team captain six times and helped the team to promotion to the European Champions League.

Lizotte ranks in the top three on UC San Diego’s season goals list with 92 goals in 2014 and 2013 and 91 in 2012. She finished her career with 321 goals and 176 assists.

She graduated from UC San Diego in 2014 with a degree in communications and minored in business administration at UCSD’s Rady School of Business.

In 2024, UC San Diego finished 18-12 overall and 4-3 in the Big West. For the third year in a row, the team reached the semifinals of the Big West Championship.