Jens Cole became head coach of Biola Men's Water Polo in June 2025. He takes the reigns of the program as its second head coach, succeeding the program's founder Rick Nordell.
"We look forward to the future of our men's water polo program under the leadership of coach Jens Cole. He is passionate, focused, visionary, and has a history of impactful influence in the lives and faith of his former athletes and peers," said Dr. Bethany Miller, Associate Vice President and Senior Director of Athletics.
Before Biola
Cole comes to Biola after most recently serving as an assistant coach for both the men's and women's water polo teams at CSU Fullerton.
His coaching experience includes the brief time at CSUF, as well as program head duties at Westlake High School, where he had a tremendous four-year run to lead the team from a CIFSS DIII program in 2020 to CIFSS D1 status by 2023. His boys team won two tournament titles and nearly 80 matches during his time at the helm, including three consecutive 20-win seasons
Additionally, he is active in the club water polo space, where he's held positions at South Coast Aquatics and SET Water Polo. His time at South Coast began when he played for the club and won a Junior Olympics gold medal. He also contributes as part of the coaching staff for the Olympic Development Program (ODP), formerly with the Coastal Zone and currently with the Southern Pacific (SPA) Zone. Most recently, he helped the team win the 2025 Youth Boys ODP National Championship as an assistant coach.
Playing Career
Cole is originally from Malibu, California, where he played his high school water polo for Malibu High School. He was a varsity player all four years and set the school's assist record during his time on the squad. He was an all-county, all-Southern California, all-league first team player, team MVP and led his school to three league championships. He accomplished this while earning membership in the California Scholarship Federation and making the honor roll.
He played collegiately at Pepperdine University for legendary coaches Dr. Terry Schroeder and Merill Moses. He studied Political Science and he then went on to get a master's degree in Alternative Dispute Resolution. He has additional training and certifications in the field of life and mental performance coaching.
He has this to say about joining Biola Athletics:
"I can't wait to establish Biola Men's Water Polo as a landing spot for the most dynamic, faithful, intelligent, and talented water polo student-athletes. Our goal is to be Great for God, and I am extremely excited to see all that these great young men can accomplish, representing their faith, their families, and their university."
