Jens Cole was hired in September of 2024. The 2024-25 water polo seasons will be the first season with Cole as an assistant coach for the Cal State Fullerton men's and women's water polo team.
Jens Cole is entering his 7th year of coaching. He left behind a CIFSS DI high school boys’ program that he built up across a 4-year period. Jens took over the Westlake H.S. Boys program in 2020 as an average D3 entity, and would later lead it to DI status by 2023, qualifying for the CIFSS DI Playoffs. Across 4 years, Jens totaled an impressive overall record of 71-28, amassing 3 consecutive 20+ win seasons, leading over 10 of his student-athletes to all-league selections, and winning two tournament titles.
In his HS Girls program, Cole led a complete culture shift around competitiveness, intensity, preparation, and commitment. They would qualify for CIFSS Playoffs in 3 out of the 4 years he was at the helm. In the 2023-24 season, his Girls’ team would be invited to the illustrious SoCal HS Championship tournament, competing against the top HS programs in Southern California.
In addition, Jens is a part of the ODP Coastal Zone coaching staff and has completed 6 years of club coaching with South Coast Aquatics, where he and his athletes secured Top 24 Junior Olympic finishes in the Championship Platinum Division (2023, 2024), along with 2nd place (2019) and 3rd place (2021) finishes in JO’s Classic Silver Division. Cole now is a part of the SET Water Polo coaching staff.
Outside of the Water Polo world, he has carried various roles across industries such as Life and Mental Performance Coaching, Sports and Entertainment, Business Consulting, and Higher Education
As a collegiate student-athlete, Jens played DI Water Polo at Pepperdine University, under the coaching of Terry Schroeder and Merrill Mosses, winning a GCC conference title in 2016. Being a member of the team for 5 years, Jens finished with a BA in Political Science and a Masters in Alternative Dispute Resolution. He finished as an Academic All-American all five years and completed his goal of competing at the highest level.
He was a Varsity athlete all four years of high school. In his time at Malibu High School, he surpassed the all-time assist record, was awarded team MVP, was selected to All-Tri Valley League first team, first-team All-Ventura County tournament team, and Southern California All-Star team. He won league titles with his team in 2011, 2012, and 2013. In 2013, his senior year, the team went 30-1 and finished CIFSS Runner-Up. Academically, Jens was a four-year honor roll member and a California Scholarship Foundation member all four years as well.
His club water polo experience included five years with South Coast - most notably, winning a Gold in the Championship Gold Division at JO’s in 18U in 2012. His senior year, he would go on to compete with S&S Bruin finishing 9th in the country and would be selected to the ODP Coastal Zone team.
Cole resides with his wife Kelli in Irvine, California.
