Ryan Brown - Men's Water Polo Coach - Air Force Academy Athletics

Ryan Brown

Title:
Head Coach
Email:
Ryan.Brown@afacademy.af.edu
Phone:
719-333-9288

Ryan Brown is in his eighth season as the head coach of the Air Force water polo in 2025, taking over after the retirement of Jeff Heidmous prior to the 2018 season.

Brown spent seven seasons working under Heidmous, three as an assistant coach and four as the associate head coach. With his arrival at the Academy, Brown brought more than a decade of experience coaching at the high school, college and national levels.

In his first season, Brown led the Falcons to nine wins and a fifth-place finish in the WWPA. In the WWPA Tournament, the Falcons upset 11th-ranked Cal Baptist, 6-5. He coached seven all-academic selections, tied as the second most in school history and the most since the Falcons had eight in 2004.

In his second season, the Falcons tied the most victories in five years. Air Force was the seventh seed in the WWPA Championships, after a 1-6 regular-season conference mark. The Falcons improved one position, placing sixth with a 14-5 win over Fresno Pacific in the final game of the season. The Falcons hosted two tournaments for the first time in school history and played a school-record 11 home games.

The COVID-19 pandemic brought many changes to the 2020 season, but Brown guided the Falcons to their first ever conference championship. The Falcons were 2-0 in the WWPA and 4-7 overall in a season that was played in the spring of 2021. Air Force received a bye in the first round of the WWPA Tournament. The season came to an end with an 11-9 loss to California Baptist in the championship game.

In 2021, the Falcons enjoyed its best season in many years, finishing with a 17-9 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the Western Water Polo Association. Air Force’s 17 wins are the most since the 2012 team won 19. The 17 wins tied as the fifth most by any team in the nation. Air Force was also 9-0 at home, the most wins ever in an undefeated home season. Air Force opened the 2021 season with six straight wins, the longest winning streak since 2008. Air Force defeated Navy to win The Vase for the fourth time in seven years. With wins over MIT and Brown, the Falcons improved to 11-1, the best start since 1977.

In 2022, the Falcons took another step forward, posting a 23-12 record and 4-4 mark in WWPA play. The 23 wins was the second-most in a season in program history. The Falcons maintained the Freedom Vase with a win over Navy in a dramatic triple-overtime win. Brown coached Grant Snyder to his third All-America honor. Snyder led the nation in scoring with 181 points and was second with 123 points. He set the program record for most goals and points in a season and graduated as Air Force's all-time leading points scorer with 399 points.

In 2023, despite moving to the perennial tough West Cost Conference, Air Force posted its third-straight winning season with a 17-16 record in 2023. It is the first time Air Force has finished over .500 for three straight season since 2007-09. Brown coached Tom Leggett to one of the best freshman campaigns in program history. Leggett ranked second in the nation and first in the WCC with 114 goals. He earned ACWPC All-America honorable mention honors. Brown also coached standout Ian Christie, who graduated as Air Force's all-time leader in assists with 214.

The 2024 season saw the Falcons post 13 wins on the season. Sophomore Tom Leggett led the nation in goals scored (143) and points (183), en route to an ACWPC All-America (Third Team) and First-Team All-WCC Water Polo honors.

Brown made an immediate impact on the Falcons' program, particularly at the goalkeeper position, as he coached 2013 graduate Mike Fish to second-team All-Western Water Polo Association honors. Fish, who became just the second Air Force goalie in the past nine seasons to earn all-conference accolades, was also a first-team WWPA all-tournament selection and set the Falcons' single-season record for saves per game (12.77).

Prior to his arrival at the Academy, Brown spent five years as an assistant for the USA Men's Senior National Water Polo Team, working with the program from 2006 until 2010. In 2008, Brown helped guide the U.S. team to a silver medal at the Summer Olympics in Beijing, its best showing in 20 years. Starting in 2009, Brown also served as the head coach of the USA Junior National Water Polo Team.

Brown also spent four seasons as the head women's water polo coach at the University of the Pacific prior to working with the men's national team. In 2005, he led the Tigers to their highest win total in program history. Meanwhile, Brown also served as an assistant coach for the men's team during the 2002 season and in 2003, served as the assistant men's coach for the USA World University Games team.

Brown, a two-year starting goalkeeper for the Tigers during his collegiate career, graduated from Pacific in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in business administration, while receiving his MBA from UOP in 2001. During his time at Pacific, he started a water polo club team, serving as director and head coach from 1999 until 2006.

Brown also served as the boys' youth director and head coach for the SoCal Water Polo Club, as well as an assistant coach for the boys' and girls' water polo teams at Foothill High School in Santa Ana, Calif.

Brown currently resides in Monument with his wife, Rebekah, and their sons, Reese and Russell, along with two dogs (Dozer and Jewlz) and a cat (Wicket).