In her second season as assistant coach, Jefi Harper brings a wealth of water polo experience to San Diego State. As a goalkeeper, Harper brings a strong defensive orientation to the program and provides extensive goalie coaching expertise to the next generation of Aztec keepers.
A friend and teammate of head coach Carin Crawford for more than a decade, Harper?s playing experience complements the Aztec?s emphasis on team defense. Harper?s performance in the goal has garnered nine U.S. Senior National Championships, three U.S. Olympic Festival Gold Medals, and three first-team All-America awards including the Most Valuable Goalkeeper award at the National Club championships in 1996.
During her collegiate playing career as co-captain for UC San Diego, Harper led her team to national prominence from 1987-1989 culminating in an undefeated season and a U.S. collegiate national championship in 1990. She was named collegiate first-team All-America in 1989 and 1990 while earning her Bachelor?s Degree in psychology from UCSD.
Harper, 31, is married to Denny Harper, the head men?s water polo coach at UCSD. Denny and Jefi have three sons, Travis, 12, Noah, 9, and Jack, 2. Harper is a volunteer with the Special Olympics and dedicates her work to the memory of her sister, Vicki, a participant in several Special Olympics who passed away five years ago.