Office Hours: Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday 11:00 am - 3:00 pm (September - May)
Nikola Malezanov has served as the head coach for the W&J men's and women's water polo programs since the Fall of 2017.
Malezanov led the Presidents women's team to a 12-6 overall mark in 2025. The 12 wins represents the most for the Presidents since the 2017 season. W&J has put together a 6-2 mark in CWPA play to enter the tournament as the number-three seed. For his work in improving the Presidents, Malezanov earned recognition as CWPA Division III Women's Coach of the Year. Emmie Ratcliff earned CWPA D-III Rookie of the Year to highlight the major award winners. Emmie Ratcliff and Emma Halle picked up First Team honors from the CWPA. Hallie Ratcliff secured a spot as an Honorable Mention selection.
Both water polo programs finished with winning records during the 2022-23 academic year. The men's program put together a 10-8 overall record to secure its most wins since 2015. The women's squad finished 7-1 in CWPA East play to finish the regular season tied with Connecticut College for first place.
Malezanov led the W&J women's team to the 2022 CWPA Division III East Division Title. Ryley McClellan and Megan DePrez earned All-America status from the ACWPC following the 2022 campaign. The Red and Black men's team finished with a 9-12 overall record in the fall of 2021.
Malezanov was chosen to serve as an assistant coach for the USA Men’s National Team in a three-game exhibition series against Serbia in Southern California from December 2019.
He joined the W&J staff during the Spring of 2016 as head coach of the women's team and led the Presidents' to a 16-6 finish with a runner-up finish at the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championship hosted by Connecticut College.
In addition to his coaching duties, Malezanov served as chairman of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Water Polo Rules Committee for the 2022-23 academic year. He was appointed to the NCAA Men's Water Polo Committee in May 2020 to represent Division III and the East Region.
The native of Nis, Serbia, arrived at W&J following a successful tenure as the head coach of the Pittsburgh Water Polo Club and North Allegheny High School, where he won Pennsylvania state titles in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
A veteran of more than 15 years of water polo coaching experience, he has also been involved with the USA Water Polo Olympic Development and National Team programs as an assistant coach for the USA Water Polo Cadet National Team and the Great Lakes Zone head coach. Previously, he served on the staff for the US National Team at the World University Games and World League preliminary tournament.
Malezanov gained experience in the collegiate ranks as a graduate assistant for swimming and water polo at Salem International University (W.Va.) from 2007-2009. He then moved on to the United States Naval Academy as a coach with the club water polo team, eventually earning a spot on the Varsity coaching staff.
He earned his Bachelor’s degree from the Faculty of Physical Education at the University of Nis and later received his Master’s in Education, Coaching and Exercise Science from SIU.
| Year-by-Year Record (Men) |
| 2024 |
5-15 |
| 2023 |
7-17 |
| 2022 |
10-8 |
| 2021 |
9-12 |
| 2020-21 |
0-7 |
| 2019 |
5-21 |
| 2018 |
8-17 |
| 2017 |
1-18 |
| Total |
45-115 |
| Year-by-Year Record (Women) |
| 2025 |
12-6 |
| 2024 |
7-12 |
| 2023 |
11-10 |
| 2022 |
10-8 |
| 2021 |
1-1 |
| 2020 |
1-3 |
| 2019 |
4-14 |
| 2018 |
4-11 |
| 2016 |
16-6 |
| Total |
66-71 |
