As Denison University Adds Women’s Water Polo, Coach Tim Sherwood Eager to Develop Program
Denison University will expand its athletic offerings with the addition of women’s water polo. The varsity program will debut in the 2026-27 season under Tim Sherwood, who has been named the team’s first head coach.
Sherwood’s connection to water polo began when he was just eight years old, learning the sport in Seattle’s summer swim league. He continued playing throughout middle and high school before playing at Grinnell College, where he also swam for the varsity team. His coaching resume includes leading high school teams in Seattle, serving as an assistant at Saint Francis University in Pennsylvania, and now taking on the challenge of building Denison’s program from the ground up.
“I’ve always wanted to work my way back to a college similar to Grinnell,” he said. “Midwest liberal arts colleges are special in a way that’s hard to quantify. When Denison announced they were starting a program, I knew I wanted the job.”
For Sherwood, Denison offers a chance to build something lasting. The university’s athletics department has produced national championship teams in swimming and diving, as well as men’s tennis, and he sees water polo as the next program capable of joining that legacy.
“Denison has an extremely strong athletics department,” he said. “I hope to eventually build a water polo program that is contending for Division III titles and is looked at as a peer water polo institution with the Claremont schools.”
In recent years, Pomona-Pitzer and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps have set the standard in Division III women’s water polo, consistently winning championships and maintaining their place at the top of the national rankings.
The program’s first year will focus on the fundamentals: building a roster, acquiring equipment, and developing team culture. The team will practice at the Trumbull Aquatics Center, a 50-meter by 25-yard facility that provides ample space for the program’s growth. Beginning as a club team this season, the program will transition to full varsity status next year.
But for Sherwood, these logistics are just the beginning. His plan for the program extends beyond administrative details. He wants water polo to become part of what makes the Denison student experience distinctive.
“Denison is an elite liberal arts college,” he said. “I want to provide an opportunity for high school athletes to continue playing water polo at the college level that will also give them a strong holistic education.”
Sherwood emphasized that while he has competitive goals for the program, he sees water polo as just one part of the broader Denison experience.
“I want to win, but not at all costs,” he explained, emphasizing a mindset that prioritizes helping student-athletes thrive academically and personally, not just in the pool.
Looking toward the first season, it will be about laying a strong foundation and creating a positive team culture, with Denison as a school playing a large role in that process.
“Alumni are the lifeblood of successful college programs, so creating an alumni network will take time,” Sherwood said. “There is a history of club water polo at Denison, so I’m hoping to tap into that.”
Starting a varsity program from scratch won’t be easy, but Sherwood says the challenge is exactly what motivates him.
“Having the chance to build a culture from scratch is really exciting. Once things get moving, I know there’s institutional support to keep growing,” he said. “The sky is the limit at Denison, and that’s fun.”
