LORETTO, Pa. – The Saint Francis athletics department has announced the hiring of Patrick Beemer as the first ever water polo head coach, with the program beginning competition in the 2016-2017 season.
 
"The Red Flash Family welcomes Coach Pat Beemer as our first Women's Water Polo Coach," said Director of Athletics Bob Krimmel. "I look forward to working with Coach Beemer as we begin another exciting chapter in the growth of our SFU Athletics Program.  Pat's coaching background, at so many different levels of the sport of water polo, will enhance our opportunities for success in the classroom and the pool.  This is an exciting time at Saint Francis and Coach Beemer is great addition to our staff and family."
 
Beemer joins the Red Flash with 11 years of collegiate coaching experience including nine years in the Division I ranks.
 
Most recently, Beemer spent the past few months coaching a Pasadena-area club team in the Junior Olympics, with the U18 team finishing in 8th overall, the U16 club finishing in 7th, and his U14 team taking the gold.
 
Before his Junior Olympics stint, Beemer served as the men's and women's water polo head coach at Division III Caltech. While there, Beemer turned around a program that was winless in 2011 and 2012 to a seven-win team in 2014. Additionally, he led two student-athletes All-America selections in 2013 and 2014. He was responsible for all recruiting and program fundraising while also serving as the head coach of an area club program simultaneously.
 
Prior to his head coaching position with Caltech, Beemer served at Indiana University as the associate head coach for the women's program. In 2011, he and the women made an impressive run, winning the Collegiate Water Polo Association tournament and finishing the sixth overall at the NCAA tournament. Beemer also helped the team set a program record 26 wins in 2011.
 
While serving as associate head coach, Beemer also worked as Indiana's men's club water polo head coach. Over his three years the program became a perennial finalist in the conference tournament, with Beemer being named Big Ten Coach of the Year in 2012. He also coached the Big Ten player of the year in both 2012 and 2013.
 
Beemer's first collegiate head coaching experience began in 2004 through 2010, where he was named the head coach of Wagner College's women's water polo program. The two time MAAC coach of the year, he led the program to two tournament championships in 2005 and 2007, and three regular season championships in 2005, 2006 and 2009. During his tenure, he coached 45 All-Conference selections, 3 All-America honorable mentions and 27 Academic All-Americans.
 
Beemer graduated from the University of California, San Diego in 1998 with a Bachelor of Arts in United States History. He earned his Master of Science in Secondary Education from Wagner in 2006.