Head coach Chris Oeding was on sabbatical leave for the 2020-21 academic year as he served as a member of the coaching staff for the USA Water Polo Women's Senior National Team. His squad will competed at the 2021 Summer Olympics in Tokyo and earned the gold medal.  

-------------------------------------

Former United States Water Polo Olympic Team captain and current USA Water Polo Women's Senior National Team assistant coach Chris Oeding has served as head coach of the Long Beach City College water polo and swimming programs since 2000. Head coach Chris Oeding was on sabbatical leave for the 2015-16 academic year as he serves as a member of the coaching staff for the USA Water Polo Women's Senior National Team. His squad will competed at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Brazil. 

It took Oeding and assistant coach David Kasa just a short time to return the LBCC water polo program to its powerhouse status that it was known for in the 1960s and it’s no coincidence that the man who coached those dominant teams, Monte Nitzkowski, was one of Oeding’s coaches while a member of the U.S. National Water Polo team.

Oeding finished the 2018 season with an impressive 18-year LBCC career record of 382-112-1 (.772 winning percetage) in men’s competition and 413-139-0 in women’s action.

Over 15 years, Oeding and Kasa have led the Vikings to seven state championships. His men's squads have won state titles in 2005, 2006, 2013 and 2015 while his women's teams were state champs in 2003, 2004, and 2006. 

In 2013, he led the men's squad to a 27-2 overall record and closed out the year on an amazing 20-game winning streak. LBCC beat Golden West 11-9 in overtime in the state championship final after winning Southern California and South Coast Conference titles. 

In 2006, Oeding completed his most successful season yet at LBCC, leading both the men’s and women’s squads to state championships.

His women’s squad finished up 2006 with a 32-4 overall record on their way to the state title, while the men compiled a 30-3 mark to capture the team’s second straight state championship.

For his standout seasons, Oeding was named California Coach of the Year as well as South Coast Conference all-sports coach of the year.

Oeding has led his men’s squad to 15 state final four finishes (2001-06, 2008-11, 2013-17) and nine women’s top-four showings (2002-10).

Prior to his arrival at LBCC, Oeding was the men’s water polo head coach at Orange Coast College for five seasons and also coached women’s water polo and both swim teams. While at OCC, he was twice named Orange Empire Conference Coach of the Year (1998, 1999) and led his team to conference titles in 1997 and 1999.

As a player, his standout credentials date back to his prep career. He was a three-time high school All-American while at Corona Del Mar High School and in 1988 was named CIF Player of the Year.

From there he went on to play at Cal (Berkeley) where he was a three-time All-American and helped lead the Golden Bears to three straight NCAA championships. In 1992, he was named NCAA Co-Player of the Year.

From 1993-2000, Oeding was a member of the U.S. National Water Polo team and was selected team captain in 1997. He competed in two Olympics and helped the U.S. finish seventh at the 1996 Atlanta games and sixth at the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

In May of 2013, Oeding was named an assistant coach for Adam Krikorian and the USA Women's Senior National Team. 

Oeding received his bachelor’s degree from Cal in 1994 and earned his master’s from Azusa Pacific.