STANFORD, Calif. – Princeton grad and four-year letter winner Kevin Zhang has been named assistant coach for the Stanford men’s water polo program, as announced by Brian Flacks, the Dunlevie Family Director of Men’s Water Polo.
“I’m thrilled to welcome Kevin to the Farm. His addition marks a significant step for our program, as we become one of the few in the nation with a full complement of coaches on staff. Kevin’s unique background and highly successful career in athletics and business will undoubtedly offer innovative insights and strategies to push our program forward,” said Flacks. “Beyond his proven track record, I’ve gotten to know Kevin well through the hiring process, and he’s an amazing person who will be a tremendous value add to the Stanford community and program.”
After walking on at Princeton, Zhang was a three-time CWPA Academic All-American and part of the 2011 team that finished 3rd in the NCAA Championships. He was also given the 2015 Scott A.C. Roche ’94 Memorial Water Polo Award as a senior. As a coach, Zhang has worked with the Stanford Water Polo Club, MidPen Water Polo Club and Menlo-Atherton High School.
“It is a dream opportunity to coach alongside Brian, Matt and Ryan and join Stanford’s community of world-class students, athletes, faculty, and alumni,” said Zhang. “Nothing excites me more than helping young athletes realize their God-given potential. I look forward to working with our incredible student-athletes in our pursuit of greatness both in and out of the pool.”
Zhang graduated from Princeton University in 2015 with a degree in philosophy, and has spent a decade in venture capital, management consulting and business operations. He was previously a Principal at GSV Ventures, a leading venture capital firm focused on education technology, where he was responsible for sourcing and executing investments. At GSV, Zhang also played an integral role in organizing the ASU+GSV Summit, the world’s largest convening of innovators in education with past speakers including George Bush, Condoleezza Rice, Andrew Yang, John Legend, Sal Khan and Jeremy Lin. Prior to GSV, Zhang was a management consultant at Bain & Company and Chief Operating Officer of The Stanford Daily Publishing Corporation.