HONOLULU — University of Hawai'i women's water polo head coach James Robinson completed his inaugural coaching staff by announcing the hiring of Candice Vorbeck as the new Rainbow Wahine associate head coach.
 
Vorbeck will head to Mānoa after serving as head coach at the University of the Pacific last season and fills the position previously held by Robinson the past two years.
 
"I am very excited to welcome Candice to the Rainbow Wahine water polo program," Robinson said. "Candice is extremely hard working and has a lot of experience coaching at a high level. With her experience I know she will help our student-athletes with her knowledge of the game and will also help as we continue to build upon the culture of this university and program. I am looking forward to working with her very much." 
 
Vorbeck has coached on the collegiate level for the past six years and joins a UH program coming off a 23-4 season highlighted by a Big West championship and a run to the NCAA tournament's final four in Maureen Cole's final season as head coach. Robinson was selected to succeed Cole in March and Rebekka Williams will also return as an assistant coach.
 
"First, I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to head coach James Robinson for this incredible opportunity to continue my passion for coaching at the highest level," Vorbeck said. "I am deeply honored and grateful to be joining the Rainbow Wahine water polo staff. I am eager to bring my passion for the sport and dedication to player development to this esteemed program, and I look forward to collaborating, learning, and competing with such talented athletes and coaches."
 
Vorbeck led Pacific to a 16-11 season in 2024, including a 4-3 mark in the Golden Coast Conference. She previously spent a season in the Big West as an assistant coach at CSUN in 2023, and helped the Matadors post their highest win total in nine years with a 17-13 campaign. She spent the 2021-22 season as an assistant coach with the women's and men's water polo programs at McKendree.
 
She began her collegiate coaching career in 2018 as an assistant with the women's and men's programs at Pomona-Pitzer. In four seasons, she helped the Sagehens capture two Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference regular-season championships and a conference tournament title, and was part of the 2018 SCIAC Coaching Staff of the Year.
 
During her tenure at Pomona-Pitzer, Vorbeck doubled as head coach at Bonita High School and also coached at Ladue Watkins High School in Missouri.
 
A prep standout in St. Louis, Vorbeck was named Missouri Female Player of the Year and went on to spend two years at Golden West College. She transferred to La Verne and earned Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches Academic All-America honors in 2016. She broke into coaching during her playing career by working at the youth level with Foothill Water Polo Club and Huntington Beach Water Polo Club.
 
COACHING EXPERIENCE

2023-24	Pacific	Head Coach
2022-23	CSUN	Assistant Coach
2021-22	McKendree	Assistant Coach (men's and women's)
2018-21	Pomona-Pitzer	Assistant Coach (men's and women's)
2020-21	Ladue Watkins (Mo.) High School	Head Coach
2017-20	Bonita (Calif.) High School	Head Coach
2016-20	Foothill Water Polo Club	Head Coach
2015-16	Huntington Beach Water Polo Club	Head Coach
2015-16	Huntington Beach High School	Assistant Coach

 
PLAYING CAREER
La Verne, 2016-17, '20
Golden West College, 2014-15
 
HOMETOWN
St. Louis, Mo.
 
EDUCATION
University of La Verne (Biology, 2021)