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Ploessel took over the aquatics programs at Chapman in 1996 when it offered just men's water polo and women's swimming. Since then, Ploessel has overseen the additions of women's water polo as a varsity sport in 1998 and expansion into diving with the completion of the Allred Olympic Pool in 2008, as well as the growth of men's swimming and diving as a club sport. Both the men's and women's water polo teams have improved from winless inaugural seasons to top-10 rankings in Division III under Ploessel and the women's swimming program continues to improve with school records falling every winter and spring. In 2007, Ploessel's second swimmer qualified for the Division III National Championships.
Ploessel's student-athletes have thrived as Chapman's men's and women's water polo teams consistently rank among the top academic teams in the country, and in 2006, Chapman's women's team compiled a GPA of 3.33 and ranked fifth in the country - ahead of school's such as Princeton, U.C. San Diego and USC. The men faired almost as well in 2005, ranking 10th in the nation with a team GPA of 3.07.
Prior to joining the Chapman coaching ranks, Ploessel coached water polo and swimming at Cypress College and at Los Alamitos High School, where he continues to teach full time as a resource specialist. He swam and played collegiate water polo at Cal State Fullerton from 1968-73 while earning his bachelor's degree in physical education. He received a master's degree in special education from Cal Lutheran in 1979.
Chapman added diving to its swimming program in 2008 with the opening of the Allred Aquatics Center and it has grown and improved quickly in two years with McLellan's leadership.
The son of long-time aquatics director Dennis Ploessel, Eric became Chapman's head women's water polo coach in spring 2004 and helped guide the Panthers to their first top-10 national ranking in school history with a 17-13 record. In 2005, Chapman ranked as high as No. 3 in the nation and qualified for the Collegiate III Championhips for the first time ever and finished fourth in the tournament. Ploessel's athletes have also excelled outside of the water as Chapman ranked No. 5 in the nation in team GPA in 2006 with a 3.33 mark.
Prior to becoming head coach of the women, Eric served as men's and women's assistant coach for three seasons. He still serves as an assistant on the men's and women's swimming teams. Eric played collegiately at Long Beach State from 1995-98, scoring 58 career points, including a career-high 20 as a senior. He once notched five goals in an overtime win versus U.C. San Diego.
A sprinter and freestyle specialist, Vigeant returns to Chapman
as an assistant coach for the Panthers' swim team. She served as a
team captain from 2008-09 where she set a personal best in the
100-yard freestyle with a time of 56.89. She also earned the
Coaches Award as a swimmer at Chapman. While coaching at her alma
mater Granite Bay High School, she helped the Gators to three
league championships and as a prep star, the swimmer/water polo
player was named Granite Bay Female Athlete of the Year.
