Women's Water Polo Announces Passing of the Torch

After eight seasons as the Head Coach of the Citrus College Women's Water Polo team, Jennifer Spalding is passing on head coaching duties to long-time assistant coach Jordan Ellis. 

Spalding's tenure has been marked by unprecedented success, taking the Owls to six 3C2A SoCal Regionals in eight seasons. In her first season as head coach, her 2016 team finished with a 23-11 record, breaking a decade-long post-season drought for the program. In 2019, Spalding's squad set a program record with 28 wins. Spalding ends her career becoming the winningest coach in Citrus College Women's Water Polo history in both wins (141) and win percentage.

Reflecting on her coaching journey, Spalding said, "I found great joy in coaching diverse student-athletes and witnessing their remarkable transformation—physically, mentally, and emotionally. It was a privilege to teach them not only the skills of water polo and swimming but also invaluable life lessons that they will carry with them throughout their lives." Spalding coached 59 All-Western State Conference selections and 6 All-Americans while playing an integral role in sending many of her players to four-year universities and helping others achieve their academic dreams in pursuit of a degree. 

As she transitions to a new role as an athletic administrator in 2025, Spalding shared, "I will deeply miss the daily interactions with student-athletes and being fully engaged in their journey at Citrus College. It has been incredibly rewarding to support them as they navigate their overall development and prepare to transfer to a university." 

When asked about her favorite memory as head coach, Spalding admitted that it was hard to pick just one, as "Each team and every student-athlete brought their own unique spirit, and together we shared thousands of laughs over the years." 

Spalding, who was named Western State Conference Coach of the Year in 2017 and 2019, is excited to continue supporting Citrus' student-athletes in her new administrative role, where she will collaborate with staff to provide the necessary resources for student success.

Stepping into the role of Head Coach is Jordan Ellis, who brings 10 years of coaching experience, including seven years as an assistant coach under Spalding at Citrus College. Ellis, who played for Spalding at Chaffey College before continuing her collegiate career at Iona University, is ready to carry on the legacy and culture that Spalding built. 

"I look forward to continuing the legacy and culture that Jen established when she took over the program eight years ago. I hope to provide the training, development, team culture, and structure these athletes need," said Ellis. "I wish to continue making a difference in the lives of our athletes both in and out of the water." 

Having worked closely with Spalding for the past seven years, Ellis credits her for much of her own growth as a coach. "I have had the honor of knowing Jen for the past 14 years," she remarked. "She led with integrity, strength, strategy, and is so motivating. As her assistant coach, she provided me with a space to develop myself to one day take the reins and be successful." 

Ellis is excited to build upon the program's success. "I will continue to develop our program at Citrus to be one of the top contenders in the state for Women's Water Polo and Swimming. My goals are to continue building a strong team culture, developing player potential, improving performance consistency, fostering positive relationships with players and staff, and ultimately achieving competitive success," said Ellis. 

Ellis is honored to lead the Citrus College Aquatics Program and is committed to taking the program to new heights in the years ahead.