Cassie Churnside joined Harvard's men's and women's water polo coaching staff in June 2014. Churnside will enter her ninth season with the Crimson in 2022-23.
During the women's campaign in 2022, Churnside helped lead the team to its first-ever CWPA Championship game appearance on his way to earning CWPA Coach of the Year for the second time with the women's team. The team went on to post a 23-7 overall record, the second-highest single season win total in program history. The seven losses also marked the least amount in varsity program history, barring the shortened 2020 season. The Crimson boasted a quartet of All-Conference honorees including Zoe Banks, Inde Halligan, Grace Thawley and Evan Tingler. All four student-athletes also gained ACWPC All-America honors, including a spot on the third team for Halligan.
Returning to competition in 2021, Churnside helped guide the men's team to its third-highest win total in program history, amassing 26 wins. The Crimson was ranked as high as No. 11 in the CWPA National Rankings during the season, and featured a trio of All-America honorees in Noah Hodge, Alex Tsotadze, and Gabe Putnam. Tsotadze, meanwhile, was named NWPC Most Valuable Player at the conclusion of the season.
Due to COVID-19, the 2020 men's water polo and 2021 women's water polo seasons were canceled by the Ivy League.
In a shortened 2020 season, Churnside helped guided the women's program to a 12-2 overally record, including victories over three ranked oppoenents. The team saw three players win CWPA weekly honors over four separate occasions and reached a season-high national rank of No. 17.
Churnside helped guide the Crimson men to a historic season in 2019, earning an undefeated 27-0 record through regular season play and breaking program records for best start to a season and most consectuive wins. In its sixth consecutive 20-win season, Harvard defeated Princeton to become the new NWPC Champion. Four members of the Crimson – seniors Charlie Owens and Austin Sechrest, junior Dennis Blyashov and sophomore Noah Hodge – earned First Team All-NWPC honors while Owens was named MVP of the conference.
During the 2017-18 season, Churnside helped lead the men's team to a second-straight Northeast Water Polo Conference title and back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances. The men concluded its season with a trip to the NCAA Quarterfinals in Los Angeles, collecting a 24-8 overall record, finishing the season at No. 11 in the CWPA poll. She also helped guide freshman Dennis Blyashov to All-America third-team and NEWPC Rookie of the Year recognition, along with sophomore Austin Sechrest who was named an All-America honorable mention. On the women's side, Harvard finished with a 17-19 overall record, including six victories over ranked opponents.
Churnside helped guide the men’s program to the most successful season in Harvard history in 2016. For the third consecutive season under Churnside, the men’s team won 20-plus games to finish with a 27-7 record, marking the first time that a Harvard water polo program has achieved that feat. The Crimson defeated a program-record 13 ranked opponents and was ranked as high as No. 8 in the CWPA poll. Harvard won the first conference championship in school history, taking home the Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Championship and clinching the first-ever NCAA Championship berth in school history. Churnside and the Crimson went on to win two NCAA tournament games with victories over No. 12 Bucknell and No. 9 UC Davis to earn a spot in the NCAA Final Four. On the women's side, the Crimson finished 15-14 while earning its highest finish at the CWPA Championships since 2000 with a fourth-place mark.
The women's team enjoyed one of its most successful seasons in program history in Churnside's second season in 2016, finishing the year at 24-10 and recording the first back-to-back 20-win seasons for the first time in program history. The Crimson checked in at No. 13 in the CWPA rankings from March 23 – April 6 for its highest ranking ever, while also marking a program first with nine wins against top-25 teams this season.
In her second season with the men’s program in 2015, Churnside was instrumental in helping Harvard to a 21-10 record and one the most memorable seasons in program history. Churnside helped Harvard to numerous firsts on the season as it reached No. 12 in the CWPA poll, defeated three top-10 opponents, downed six ranked opponents and tied the best finish in program history with a third-place showing at the CWPA Championship.
In her first season with the men’s program in 2014, coach Churnside helped lead the team to a 22-10 record, the most wins since 2000. Under her leadership, the Crimson boasted the CWPA Northern Player of the Year, Northern Rookie of the Year, two All-Northern first team selections and two All-Northern second team selections.
The women's program also saw a banner year in her first season in 2015. The team finished 20-13, the most wins since 2004, and saw four players earn All-CWPA Division I/II postseason honors.
Churnside, an Orange, Calif., native, helped to lead the Stanford Cardinal to the 2011 and 2012 national titles.
Churnside graduated from Stanford in 2012 with a Bachelor of Arts in communication.
