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Mladen Stanicic Position: Assistant Coach Experience: 4th Season Alma Mater: University of Split, Croatia

Mladen Stanicic returns for his fourth season of his second stint as Navy water polo assistant coach. Stanicic began coaching at Navy in 1987.

Stanicic served as an interim coach for eight games last year, leading the Mids to a 7-1 mark during those games, while starting the team off on its school-record 19-game winning streak.

"It would be hard to list all of the areas of our program that Mladen has helped make better - he does great work with our goalies, our shooters, our young guys, and runs much of our extra man offense," said head coach Mike Schofield. "Administratively, he is very skilled and has a great feel for every aspect of our program."

After immigrating to the United States, he briefly volunteered as a coach for the Fordham University men's water polo team. After relocating to Annapolis, Stanicic joined the Naval Academy Aquatics Club as a coach. He also volunteered with the men's varsity team as an assistant coach, particularly in 1988, helping the Mids to win the Eastern Championship and participate at the NCAA tournament.

He continued in his role as volunteer coach with varying degrees of engagement. After 1988, he specialized in coaching the Navy goalkeepers.

Throughout the years following 1988, Stanicic continued to work with the Naval Academy Aquatic Club and led both men's and women's teams to several national championships including the Women's Open in 1999 and multiple-age group titles in 20 and under, 18 and under, 16 and under and 14 and under competitions.

He earned a bachelor's degree at the University of Split at Zadar, Croatia, in 1981.

Mladen and his wife, Miriam, are the parents of Maro (28) and Blaise (21). Miriam serves as the USNA Director of Community Relations. Miriam serves as the USNA Director of Community Relations.

Both Miriam and Mladen are also high-level interpreters and translators with the U.S. Government, including the Department of Defense. Their assignments have included interpreting for U.S. and foreign heads of state, Secretaries of State, Secretaries of Defense and Chiefs of Defense. Their translating work included non-proliferation and export control treaties. In this capacity they accompanied President and Mrs. Bush on their visit to Zagreb, Croatia, following 2008 NATO summit.

Maro is a former Naval Academy Aquatic Club swimmer and water polo player and Blaise is one of the NAAC current standouts. As a two year Maryland Terrapins captain, in 2008 she received an honorable mention All-American by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches, the first all-American in the five-year history of Maryland water polo. Maryland is coached by former Navy assistant Carl Salyer. Blaise also trained with the Croatian Women's Water Polo National Team.

# GO NAVY #