TEMPE - Sun Devil Water Polo has announced a new assistant coach ahead of the 2025 season, ASU alumna Amira Van Buren joins head coach Petra Pardi and assistant coach Ethan D'Souza after being a student athlete for the Sun Devils from 2018-22.
"She's a very dynamic person. I love her energy, her competitiveness, she loves to win and she will put everything on the line to secure the win. But the other side of her that I think makes her the best candidate for the job is her ability to bring people along with her, connect with people and to make people want to give more than what they would be willing to give otherwise. So really, it's a lot of intangibles when it comes to what she brings to the staff, everything that is important but not always measurable," said Pardi on how Van Buren completes the coaching trio.
Van Buren spoke with high excitement when discussing her future with the team, "I'm super excited to make a positive impact in the girls' lives. I grew so much as a player and as a person while at ASU, I'm looking forward to being a positive impact in someone else's journey as well. I'm also looking forward to working with Petra & Ethan! They're both so knowledgeable and I can't wait to learn and grow alongside them."
Just can't stay away ??
— Sun Devil Water Polo (@SunDevilWP) June 11, 2024
Join us in welcoming alumna Amira Van Buren to the Sun Devil Water Polo family as an assistant coach! pic.twitter.com/L5Fdv7svA5
During her career at ASU, Van Buren put up great statistics, still holding records from her time as a student-athlete. With 138 goals, 10 assists, 147 points, and 29 steals over her five years, Van Buren brought an edge to the pool for the Sun Devils being a three-time All-American in her time in Tempe. She was also a three-year captain during her time as a player.