Jackie Puccino

Jackie Puccino joined the Harvard water polo coaching staff in July 2018. Puccino will enter her fifth season with the Crimson in 2022-23.

During the women's campaign in 2022, Puccino helped lead the team to its first-ever CWPA Championship game appearance on his way to earning CWPA Coach of the Year for the second time with the women's team. The team went on to post a 23-7 overall record, the second-highest single season win total in program history. The seven losses also marked the least amount in varsity program history, barring the shortened 2020 season. The Crimson boasted a quartet of All-Conference honorees including Zoe Banks, Inde Halligan, Grace Thawley and Evan Tingler. All four student-athletes also gained ACWPC All-America honors, including a spot on the third team for Halligan.

Returning to competition in 2021, Puccino helped guide the men's team to its third-highest win total in program history, amassing 26 wins. The Crimson was ranked as high as No. 11 in the CWPA National Rankings during the season, and featured a trio of All-America honorees in Noah Hodge, Alex Tsotadze, and Gabe Putnam. Tsotadze, meanwhile, was named NWPC Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of the season.

Due to COVID-19, the 2020 men's water polo and 2021 women's water polo seasons were canceled by the Ivy League.

In a shortened 2020 season, Puccino helped guide the women's program to a 12-2 overally record, including victories over three ranked oppoenents. The team saw three players win CWPA weekly honors over four separate occasions and reached a season-high national rank of No. 17.

Puccino helped lead the Crimson men to a historic season in 2019, earning an undefeated 27-0 record through regular season play and breaking program records for best start to a season and most consectuive wins. In its sixth consecutive 20-win season, Harvard defeated Princeton to become the new NWPC Champion. Four members of the Crimson – seniors Charlie Owens and Austin Sechrest, junior Dennis Blyashov and sophomore Noah Hodge – earned First Team All-NWPC honors while Owens was named MVP of the conference.

In her first season as assistant coach in 2018-19, Puccino guided the men’s team to a 22-8 overall record and the program’s first victory over a top-three ranked opponent when the team defeated then No. 3 California in triple overtime. On the women’s side, she helped the Crimson to its first varsity program shutout while collecting a 21-8 overall record and just the teams fifth season of 20-plus wins.

Before Harvard, Puccino spent a year as the women’s water polo head coach at San Diego Mesa College, leading the Lady Olympians to a 15-8 record, an undefeated conference season (6-0), PCAC Conference Championship and an appearance in the So Cal Regionals. In addition to her roles as head coach, the 2017 PCAC Coach of the Year spent her time as head coach to the Cathedral Catholic High School girls water polo team and the San Diego Shores water polo club.

Prior to her time at SDMC, Puccino spent five years coaching at her alma mater, Palomar College, helping the Comets to two conference championships and four So-Cal regional appearances while earning the PCAC Coach of the year in 2014 and 2016.

Puccino was named first team All-American while playing at Palomar and went on to earn a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Marist before earning a master’s degree in physical education from Azusa Pacific.