--Todd Clapper Recognized as 2020-21 Frank Kush Award Winner
--On the record with Todd Clapper of Arizona State women’s water polo (by Michael Randazzo, Swimming World/Jan. 30, 2018)
Todd Clapper was hired as the head coach of the Sun Devils women’s water polo team in 2005 after serving as an assistant coach for the team for a single season. He has led the Sun Devils to perennial placements in the national Top-10 rankings and two NCAA appearances while playing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), the toughest league in the nation.
Since 2012, the Sun Devils have compiled a 167-75 record under Clapper. In that time the team earned its first victory over UCLA in program history, beat Cal on the road for the first time ever, and matched a program-best upset over No. 2 USC in 2016. ASU advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history in 2014, taking fifth overall. The Sun Devils posted a program-best fourth-place finish in the MPSF Championships and CWPA Final Coaches Poll in 2013 (peaking at a program-best No. 3 during the regular season) and set school records in wins in two of those seasons as well.
Clapper and the Sun Devils ended the shortened 2020 season with a 12-5 record (1-1 MPSF), coming just two wins short of matching their total number of wins for the entire 2019 season. ASU defeated nine ranked opponents, including an upset against No. 5 UC Irvine, and the team posted a dominant 6-1 record at home.
In 2018, ASU wrapped up their regular season campaign at 16-9, the seventh consecutive season that they had reached 16 victories. Out of those 16 wins, 14 of them came over teams that were ranked in the CWPA Top 25 at the time. The team finished at No. 5 in the nation in the final CWPA Top 25, tying the second highest finish in the poll in program history. The team collected wins over four teams that competed at the 2018 NCAA Championship.
The 2017 season saw ASU post a 20-7 record, the fifth time in program history the team reached the 20-win plateau mark. The season included an upset victory over then-No. 4 Cal, marking the second straight year the Sun Devils defeated the Bears in the teams’ regular season meeting.
Individually, Clapper has continued to grow the program by bringing in some of the top talent both nationally and internationally, including Addison McGrath, who is the program’s all-time leading goal and point scorer and a three-time All-American. He has also helped develop goalkeepers E.B. Keeve and Mia Rycraw who currently sit at No. 2 and 3, respectively, in the Sun Devil record books for career saves. Rycraw’s success in 2017 led her to train with Team USA’s senior national team and in 2016 Keeve helped lead her Mataro (Spain) club team to both Spanish and LEN titles. Under Clapper’s leadership, 33 Sun Devils have earned All-American honors.
Since coming to Tempe, Clapper has also been busy working with international teams. He served as the 2005 U.S. Junior National Team assistant coach before being selected as the 2006 U.S. Youth National coach. That year, he led the youth team into the Pan-Am Championships in Montreal, Canada where the team, playing up an age level, brought home gold. For his efforts he was named the 2006 USOC National Water Polo Coach of the Year. In 2008 and 2009 Clapper was the head coach of the New Zealand Women’s National Team.
Clapper came to the Valley of the Sun with a wealth of coaching experience. Following his graduation from Slippery Rock University in 1997, he stayed on with his alma mater and served as an assistant coach for the women’s team for one season before taking on assistant coaching duties at Villanova.
After a one-year head coaching stint at Wissahickon High School in Ambler, Pa., Clapper took over at Brown University where he mentored a pair of teams as the head coach for both the men’s and women’s water polo squads from 1998-2004. For his efforts at Brown he earned several Coach of the Year awards, including New England (2000), Eastern Championship (2001 and 2003), Northern Division (2002) and Northeastern (2004). He closed out his tenure with the Bears’ women’s program with a record of 105-73 while seeing his team post 18 or more wins in each of his last four seasons, including 22 victories in 2001 and 20 in 2002.
Clapper was a four-year letter winner for The Rock, helping the team attain a Top-15 national ranking. As the starting goalie, he captained the team as a senior in 1996, the same year he was also selected second-team all-conference. A walk-on that became the starter in goal by the end of his sophomore season, he graduated Cum Laude with a BS in Exercise Science (aquatic emphasis) and also attained a minor in Adapted Physical Activity and Rehabilitation.
COACH CLAPPER HEAD COACHING RECORDS
AT BROWN (1999-2004/6 SEASONS): 105-73
AT ASU (2005-2020/16 SEASONS): 283-178
HEAD COACH TOTALS: 390-253
--On the record with Todd Clapper of Arizona State women’s water polo (by Michael Randazzo, Swimming World/Jan. 30, 2018)
Todd Clapper was hired as the head coach of the Sun Devils women’s water polo team in 2005 after serving as an assistant coach for the team for a single season. He has led the Sun Devils to perennial placements in the national Top-10 rankings and two NCAA appearances while playing in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), the toughest league in the nation.
Since 2012, the Sun Devils have compiled a 167-75 record under Clapper. In that time the team earned its first victory over UCLA in program history, beat Cal on the road for the first time ever, and matched a program-best upset over No. 2 USC in 2016. ASU advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in program history in 2014, taking fifth overall. The Sun Devils posted a program-best fourth-place finish in the MPSF Championships and CWPA Final Coaches Poll in 2013 (peaking at a program-best No. 3 during the regular season) and set school records in wins in two of those seasons as well.
Clapper and the Sun Devils ended the shortened 2020 season with a 12-5 record (1-1 MPSF), coming just two wins short of matching their total number of wins for the entire 2019 season. ASU defeated nine ranked opponents, including an upset against No. 5 UC Irvine, and the team posted a dominant 6-1 record at home.
In 2018, ASU wrapped up their regular season campaign at 16-9, the seventh consecutive season that they had reached 16 victories. Out of those 16 wins, 14 of them came over teams that were ranked in the CWPA Top 25 at the time. The team finished at No. 5 in the nation in the final CWPA Top 25, tying the second highest finish in the poll in program history. The team collected wins over four teams that competed at the 2018 NCAA Championship.
The 2017 season saw ASU post a 20-7 record, the fifth time in program history the team reached the 20-win plateau mark. The season included an upset victory over then-No. 4 Cal, marking the second straight year the Sun Devils defeated the Bears in the teams’ regular season meeting.
Individually, Clapper has continued to grow the program by bringing in some of the top talent both nationally and internationally, including Addison McGrath, who is the program’s all-time leading goal and point scorer and a three-time All-American. He has also helped develop goalkeepers E.B. Keeve and Mia Rycraw who currently sit at No. 2 and 3, respectively, in the Sun Devil record books for career saves. Rycraw’s success in 2017 led her to train with Team USA’s senior national team and in 2016 Keeve helped lead her Mataro (Spain) club team to both Spanish and LEN titles. Under Clapper’s leadership, 33 Sun Devils have earned All-American honors.
Since coming to Tempe, Clapper has also been busy working with international teams. He served as the 2005 U.S. Junior National Team assistant coach before being selected as the 2006 U.S. Youth National coach. That year, he led the youth team into the Pan-Am Championships in Montreal, Canada where the team, playing up an age level, brought home gold. For his efforts he was named the 2006 USOC National Water Polo Coach of the Year. In 2008 and 2009 Clapper was the head coach of the New Zealand Women’s National Team.
Clapper came to the Valley of the Sun with a wealth of coaching experience. Following his graduation from Slippery Rock University in 1997, he stayed on with his alma mater and served as an assistant coach for the women’s team for one season before taking on assistant coaching duties at Villanova.
After a one-year head coaching stint at Wissahickon High School in Ambler, Pa., Clapper took over at Brown University where he mentored a pair of teams as the head coach for both the men’s and women’s water polo squads from 1998-2004. For his efforts at Brown he earned several Coach of the Year awards, including New England (2000), Eastern Championship (2001 and 2003), Northern Division (2002) and Northeastern (2004). He closed out his tenure with the Bears’ women’s program with a record of 105-73 while seeing his team post 18 or more wins in each of his last four seasons, including 22 victories in 2001 and 20 in 2002.
Clapper was a four-year letter winner for The Rock, helping the team attain a Top-15 national ranking. As the starting goalie, he captained the team as a senior in 1996, the same year he was also selected second-team all-conference. A walk-on that became the starter in goal by the end of his sophomore season, he graduated Cum Laude with a BS in Exercise Science (aquatic emphasis) and also attained a minor in Adapted Physical Activity and Rehabilitation.
COACH CLAPPER HEAD COACHING RECORDS
AT BROWN (1999-2004/6 SEASONS): 105-73
AT ASU (2005-2020/16 SEASONS): 283-178
HEAD COACH TOTALS: 390-253
| Clapper's Coaching Career | ||
| Year | School | Team |
| 2005-22 | Arizona State University | Head Coach |
| 2004-05 | Arizona State University | Assistant |
| 2004 | Las Vegas | Age Group/Masters |
| 1999-04 | Brown University | Head Coach (M&W) |
| 1998 | Wissahickon HS | HC (M&W) |
| 1998 | Villanova University | Assistant |
| 1997 | Slippery Rock University | Assistant |
| Clapper's Year-by-Year Records (Women's Teams Only) | |||
| Year | School | Won | Loss |
| 2022 | Arizona State | 13 | 9 |
| 2021 | Arizona State | 14 | 12 |
| 2020 | Arizona State | 12 | 5 |
| 2019 | Arizona State | 14 | 12 |
| 2018 | Arizona State | 16 | 9 |
| 2017 | Arizona State | 20 | 7 |
| 2016 | Arizona State | 21 | 8 |
| 2015 | Arizona State | 16 | 10 |
| 2014 | Arizona State | 17 | 11 |
| 2013 | Arizona State | 26 | 7 |
| 2012 | Arizona State | 25 | 6 |
| 2011 | Arizona State | 12 | 14 |
| 2010 | Arizona State | 16 | 15 |
| 2009 | Arizona State | 13 | 15 |
| 2008 | Arizona State | 21 | 13 |
| 2007 | Arizona State | 14 | 14 |
| 2006 | Arizona State | 15 | 13 |
| 2004 | Brown | 19 | 8 |
| 2003 | Brown | 18 | 9 |
| 2002 | Brown | 20 | 14 |
| 2001 | Brown | 22 | 12 |
| 2000 | Brown | 12 | 14 |
| 1999 | Brown | 14 | 16 |
| Totals | 22 years | 390 | 253 |
| Clapper's Coaching Awards | ||
| 2000 | New England Division Coach of the Year | |
| 2001 | Eastern Championships Coach of the Year | |
| 2002 | Northern Division Coach of the Year | |
| 2003 | Eastern Championships Coach of the Year | |
| 2004 | Northeastern Division Coach of the Year | |
| 2006 | USOC National Water Polo Coach of the Year | |