The most decorated women's water polo player in the history of the sport, and a former Cerritos College assistant coach, Brenda Villa, has been named the associate Head Coach at Stanford University.

From 2005-09, Villa served as a member of the Falcons staff alongside high school teammate Sergio Macias (pictured left with Villa) and the duo wade the program one of the most prolific in the state during that time. In 2007, she helped the team win the first South Coast Conference title in school history (three during her tenure), while they won the 3C2A State Championship in 2008. During her time with Cerritos, Villa and the Falcons posted a combined 114-15 (.884) record.

One of only two four-time Olympic medalists (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012) in the history of the sport, Villa enjoyed tremendous success on the international stage. Named the Female Water Polo Player of the Decade (2000-09) by FINA Aquatics World Magazine, Villa concluded her playing career having won 20 medals (4 Summer Olympics, 4 World Championships, 3 Pan American Games, 1 FINA World Cup, 8 FINA World League) while representing Team USA.

"Returning to Stanford is incredibly special to me," said Villa to the Stanford athletic website, who retired from professional water polo in 2012. "Being part of the first NCAA championship team here wasn't just about winning — it was about laying the foundation for what this program could become. As one of the early athletes to help shape that era, I feel honored to now give back as a coach and help lead the next generation of student-athletes who will carry that legacy forward."

Villa's impact on the sport is unmatched, beginning with a remarkable legacy established during her collegiate career at Stanford that immediately opened doors to international success. After red-shirting in 1999 to train for the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, Villa led the Cardinal to its first NCAA title in 2002. A three-time All-American, Villa was also named ACWPC Player of the Year in 2001 before becoming Stanford's first Peter J. Cutino Award recipient in 2002. Named the 2016 Pac-12 Player of the Century, Villa ranks 12th in school history in goals scored (173) and is a member of the Stanford Athletics Hall of Fame.

After her time with the Falcons, Villa served as the head coach at Castilleja School in Palo Alto for 10 seasons starting in 2010. Villa, who in 2018 was inducted into both the USA Water Polo Hall of Fame and International Swimming Hall of Fame, has also served as head coach of the Team USA's U16 squad.

Villa and Macias first met while swimming for Commerce Aquatics and then the two were teammates on the Bell Gardens High School team, where both were four-time All-Americans. Villa played on the boys team because the school did not have a girls team.