Water Polo
- Title:
- Assistant Coach
- Phone:
- 647-0500
Sydney Sonoda recently finished her fourth season as an assistant coach for the University of Michigan water polo team. She was announced to the coaching staff on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2016.
Sonoda has helped Michigan to three CWPA Championships and three NCAA appearances. Her goalkeepers have two All-CWPA selections in her three seasons.
Her first year in Ann Arbor featured a CWPA Championship and appearance at the NCAA Championship. As the coach of the goalkeepers, Sonoda coached freshman Heidi Ritner to a U-M freshman record 27 wins. Ritner was a second team All-CWPA selection and the CWPA Championship Rookie of the Tournament.
In 2018, Sonoda helped lead the team to its third straight CWPA Championship as they defeated Princeton, 11-8, in the final. The team has posted a 32-9 record with Sonoda coaching Ritner to a single-season record 30 wins in the cage.Â
The 2019 season brought a fourth straight CWPA Championship for the first time in program history and the third with Sonoda on staff. She coached Heidi Ritner to a first team All-CWPA selection as well as a CWPA All-Tournament team pick.
The team was off to an 11-8 start in 2020 before the remainder of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 illness.
Sonoda, a former player for Leonardi at Cal State Northridge, landed her first college coaching job after coaching the last two years at Elite Water Polo Club in Murrieta, California. She assisted in practice and game plans, developed an offseason strength and conditioning program and was involved in fundraising.
She also has experience as an assistant coach at Murrieta Valley High School, leading the JV team to a victory in the league finals and aiding the varsity to a CIF Division II championship. In 2015-16, she was a youth and cadet coach for the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program.
While coaching at the Elite Water Polo Club from 2014-16, Sonoda also was a designated instructional services aide at Murrieta Valley High School for one year after working as an extended daycare program assistant from 2012-14 at Encinitas Union School District.
Sonoda graduated from Cal State Northridge in 2011 with a dual degree in criminal justice and sociology. As a player at CSUN, she scored 143 career goals and had 101 career steals. She was a two-time All-Big West selection and honorable mention All-American in 2010. She earned the team's work ethic award in 2009, the team's offensive MVP in 2011 and the team's rookie of the year honor in 2008.
