Women's Water Polo
Mercado, Felix
Felix Mercado
- Title:
- Head Coaching Chair for Water Polo
- Phone:
- 401-863-9042
- Email:
- felix_mercado@brown.edu
- Joined Brown:
- 2007
- Alma Mater:
- American Intercontinental University '06
Felix Mercado was named head coach of the men's and women's water polo program in 2007. Mercado was elevated to Director of Water Polo in the summer of 2024.
In 2025, Mercado led Brown to an 18-4 overall record and a 7-5 conference play. Under Mercado, Ella Palmer was named First Team All-CWPA with Roxanne Hazuka, Aubrie Anderson and Ava Schoening taking home Honorable Mention honors. Claire Poissonnier earned ACWPC Honorable Mention All-American honors.
After the 2022 season, Mercado was named lead coach for Team USA Born in 2005 Futures Youth National Team.
The Bears earned a program-record 25 wins in 2022 under Mercado. Junior Zoe King earned CWPA First Team All-Conference and two Bears were named ACWPC All-American Honorable Mention.
Brown opened the 2020 season with an impressive 12-2 record and had entered the national rankings at No. 25 before the remainder of its season was canceled due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In July 2020, Mercado was selected for USA Water Polo’s Racial Equity & Reform Task Force. The Bears’ 2021 competitive season was canceled due to COVID-19.
In 2019, Brown tallied a 21-13 record for its fourth 20-win season in the last six years and seventh 20-win campaign under Mercado. Mercado guided Carissa Perez ’21 to ACWPC All-America accolades and McKenna Miller ’19 to First Team All-CWPA honors. During the summer of 2019, Mercado served as an assistant coach with USA Women’s Water Polo at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy.
Mercado led the Bears to a national ranking of No. 24 in the final CWPA poll for the 2018 season. He mentored a pair of ACWPC All-Americans in Marisol Dakan ’18 and Jessica Heilman ’18 with Dakan concluding her career as Brown’s all-time leader in saves with 1,131 career stops.
During the 2017 season, Brown posted a 21-10 record, marking the Bears’ seventh winning year and sixth 20-win campaign during the Mercado era. Mercado mentored Marisa Kolokotronis ’17 who earned Second Team All-CWPA and First Team All-CWPA Tournament accolades.
In 2015, Mercado guided the Bears to a 20-17 record, marking the third time in four seasons that the team finished with 20 or more wins. He coached a pair of All-CWPA and ACWPC All-American performers in Shannon Crowley ’17 and Marisol Dakan ’18. Under Mercado’s tutelage, Dakan set Brown’s single-season saves record with 403 saves in 2015. As a team, the Bears out-performed their seed, placing fifth at the CWPA Championship with an 8-7 win over Harvard. In 2016, Mercado challenged a young team, which included eight freshmen, playing 19 ranked opponents on the season.
The 2014 season marked Brown's second 20-win campaign in three years, during which Mercado earned Collegiate Water Polo Association Southern Division Coach of the Year honors and steered the Bears to fifth place at the CWPA Championship. Brown battled to its third-straight CWPA Southern Division title game appearance, while Kate Woods ’14 became a three-time Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-American and finished her career as Brown's all-time leading scorer.
Mercado was elected President of the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches in 2013 following a season that saw Brown take fifth place at the CWPA Eastern Championships. Brown posted the nation's fifth-best team grade point average, collecting All-Academic Awards from the ACWPC, while Madison Pepper ’15 and Woods landed on the ACWPC All-American roster. The Bears also contended for the CWPA Southern Division Championship for the second straight year, falling to Princeton in the title game.
In 2012, Mercado garnered CWPA Southern Division Women’s Coach of the Year laurels after leading the Bears to a 21-17 record. He posted a 20-15 record with Brown in 2011 and a 22-15 mark in 2010.
Mercado enjoyed a banner year in 2009 as the men's water polo team won a Northern Division title and the women's team claimed an Eastern College Association Conference (ECAC) championship. Mercado took home CWPA Northern Division Coach of the Year for the third consecutive year at Brown, earning the honor on the women’s side in 2008 and 2009 and on the men’s side in 2007.
Mercado was hired in the summer of 2007 as Brown's men's and women's water polo coach. He spent the two seasons prior to coming to Brown at the helm of the MIT men's varsity and women's club teams after one year as an assistant.
In 2006, he was named CWPA Division III and CWPA Northern Division Coach of the Year after leading MIT's men's team to a second-place finish at the Division III Eastern Championship and the team's third-ever appearance at the Division I Eastern Championship. He posted a 26-34 record in Cambridge, as the Engineers attempted to integrate 12 freshmen into the program in 2006 after a 15-14 record in 2005.
In two years as the coach of the MIT club women's team, Mercado's squads posted a 30-3 record, making back-to-back appearances at the Club National Championships. He was named the North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year in 2007. Mercado also served as an assistant coach at Hartwick College in the spring, as the Hawks finished fifth at the NCAA Championship.
Before arriving in Cambridge, Mercado spent 11 years coaching at Ransom Everglades School in Miami, Fla. During his tenure with Ransom, Mercado helped guide his squad to three Florida State Championships in the boys division and coached the girls program to six straight Final Four finishes.
Mercado was also the head coach and founder of the Raider Water Polo Club Foundation, and led the program to six Southeast Zone Championships. He has also offered his coaching expertise at numerous national team development camps for USA Water Polo.
Mercado earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration Management from American Intercontinental University in 2006. He also has an Associate of Arts degree in Secondary Education from Miami Dade College.
The Mercado File
Awards & Accolades
CWPA Southern Division Women’s Coach of the Year: 2012, 2014
CWPA Northern Division Women’s Coach of the Year: 2008, 2009
NCAA Men’s Appearances: 2014
CWPA Men’s Championships: 2014
CWPA Northern Division Men’s Championships: 2009, 2014, 2015
NWPC Men’s Coach of the Year: 2016
CWPA Northern Division Men’s Coach of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2014
Dick Russell Coach of the CWPA Men’s Tournament: 2014
Women’s Award Winners
All-CWPA (5): Shannon Crowley (2015), Marisol Dakan (2015), Marisa Kolokotronis (2017), McKenna Miller (2019), Zoe King (2022, 2023), Madeleine Poissonnier (2023, 2024), Ella Palmer (2024, 2025), Roxanne Hazuka (2025), Aubrie Anderson (2025), Ava Schoening (2025)
All-South (6): Kate Woods (2011-14), Joanna Wohlmuth (2011), Evan Cranston (2012), Madison Pepper (2012-13), Sarah Presant (2012), Emily McNamara (2014)
All-North (7): Alexis Blaxberg (2008), Sarah Glick (2008-10), Lauren Presant (2008-10), Stephanie Laing (2009-10), Katherine Stanton (2009), Joanna Wohlmuth (2009-10), Brittany Westerman (2010)
ACWPC All-American (9): Stephanie Laing (2009), Madison Pepper (2013), Kate Woods (2011, 2013-14), Shannon Crowley (2015), Marisol Dakan (2015, 2018), Jessica Heilman (2018), Carissa Perez (2019), Zoe King (2022), Claire Pisani (2022), Ella Palmer (2023), Sophie Golub (2023), Madeleine Poissonnier (2023), Claire Poissonnier (2025)
North Player of the Year (1): Lauren Presant (2009)
South Rookie of the Year (1): Kate Woods (2011)
In 2025, Mercado led Brown to an 18-4 overall record and a 7-5 conference play. Under Mercado, Ella Palmer was named First Team All-CWPA with Roxanne Hazuka, Aubrie Anderson and Ava Schoening taking home Honorable Mention honors. Claire Poissonnier earned ACWPC Honorable Mention All-American honors.
After the 2022 season, Mercado was named lead coach for Team USA Born in 2005 Futures Youth National Team.
The Bears earned a program-record 25 wins in 2022 under Mercado. Junior Zoe King earned CWPA First Team All-Conference and two Bears were named ACWPC All-American Honorable Mention.
Brown opened the 2020 season with an impressive 12-2 record and had entered the national rankings at No. 25 before the remainder of its season was canceled due to novel coronavirus (COVID-19). In July 2020, Mercado was selected for USA Water Polo’s Racial Equity & Reform Task Force. The Bears’ 2021 competitive season was canceled due to COVID-19.
In 2019, Brown tallied a 21-13 record for its fourth 20-win season in the last six years and seventh 20-win campaign under Mercado. Mercado guided Carissa Perez ’21 to ACWPC All-America accolades and McKenna Miller ’19 to First Team All-CWPA honors. During the summer of 2019, Mercado served as an assistant coach with USA Women’s Water Polo at the 2019 World University Games in Naples, Italy.
Mercado led the Bears to a national ranking of No. 24 in the final CWPA poll for the 2018 season. He mentored a pair of ACWPC All-Americans in Marisol Dakan ’18 and Jessica Heilman ’18 with Dakan concluding her career as Brown’s all-time leader in saves with 1,131 career stops.
During the 2017 season, Brown posted a 21-10 record, marking the Bears’ seventh winning year and sixth 20-win campaign during the Mercado era. Mercado mentored Marisa Kolokotronis ’17 who earned Second Team All-CWPA and First Team All-CWPA Tournament accolades.
In 2015, Mercado guided the Bears to a 20-17 record, marking the third time in four seasons that the team finished with 20 or more wins. He coached a pair of All-CWPA and ACWPC All-American performers in Shannon Crowley ’17 and Marisol Dakan ’18. Under Mercado’s tutelage, Dakan set Brown’s single-season saves record with 403 saves in 2015. As a team, the Bears out-performed their seed, placing fifth at the CWPA Championship with an 8-7 win over Harvard. In 2016, Mercado challenged a young team, which included eight freshmen, playing 19 ranked opponents on the season.
The 2014 season marked Brown's second 20-win campaign in three years, during which Mercado earned Collegiate Water Polo Association Southern Division Coach of the Year honors and steered the Bears to fifth place at the CWPA Championship. Brown battled to its third-straight CWPA Southern Division title game appearance, while Kate Woods ’14 became a three-time Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches All-American and finished her career as Brown's all-time leading scorer.
Mercado was elected President of the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches in 2013 following a season that saw Brown take fifth place at the CWPA Eastern Championships. Brown posted the nation's fifth-best team grade point average, collecting All-Academic Awards from the ACWPC, while Madison Pepper ’15 and Woods landed on the ACWPC All-American roster. The Bears also contended for the CWPA Southern Division Championship for the second straight year, falling to Princeton in the title game.
In 2012, Mercado garnered CWPA Southern Division Women’s Coach of the Year laurels after leading the Bears to a 21-17 record. He posted a 20-15 record with Brown in 2011 and a 22-15 mark in 2010.
Mercado enjoyed a banner year in 2009 as the men's water polo team won a Northern Division title and the women's team claimed an Eastern College Association Conference (ECAC) championship. Mercado took home CWPA Northern Division Coach of the Year for the third consecutive year at Brown, earning the honor on the women’s side in 2008 and 2009 and on the men’s side in 2007.
Mercado was hired in the summer of 2007 as Brown's men's and women's water polo coach. He spent the two seasons prior to coming to Brown at the helm of the MIT men's varsity and women's club teams after one year as an assistant.
In 2006, he was named CWPA Division III and CWPA Northern Division Coach of the Year after leading MIT's men's team to a second-place finish at the Division III Eastern Championship and the team's third-ever appearance at the Division I Eastern Championship. He posted a 26-34 record in Cambridge, as the Engineers attempted to integrate 12 freshmen into the program in 2006 after a 15-14 record in 2005.
In two years as the coach of the MIT club women's team, Mercado's squads posted a 30-3 record, making back-to-back appearances at the Club National Championships. He was named the North Atlantic Conference Coach of the Year in 2007. Mercado also served as an assistant coach at Hartwick College in the spring, as the Hawks finished fifth at the NCAA Championship.
Before arriving in Cambridge, Mercado spent 11 years coaching at Ransom Everglades School in Miami, Fla. During his tenure with Ransom, Mercado helped guide his squad to three Florida State Championships in the boys division and coached the girls program to six straight Final Four finishes.
Mercado was also the head coach and founder of the Raider Water Polo Club Foundation, and led the program to six Southeast Zone Championships. He has also offered his coaching expertise at numerous national team development camps for USA Water Polo.
Mercado earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration Management from American Intercontinental University in 2006. He also has an Associate of Arts degree in Secondary Education from Miami Dade College.
The Mercado File
Awards & Accolades
CWPA Southern Division Women’s Coach of the Year: 2012, 2014
CWPA Northern Division Women’s Coach of the Year: 2008, 2009
NCAA Men’s Appearances: 2014
CWPA Men’s Championships: 2014
CWPA Northern Division Men’s Championships: 2009, 2014, 2015
NWPC Men’s Coach of the Year: 2016
CWPA Northern Division Men’s Coach of the Year: 2006, 2007, 2014
Dick Russell Coach of the CWPA Men’s Tournament: 2014
Women’s Award Winners
All-CWPA (5): Shannon Crowley (2015), Marisol Dakan (2015), Marisa Kolokotronis (2017), McKenna Miller (2019), Zoe King (2022, 2023), Madeleine Poissonnier (2023, 2024), Ella Palmer (2024, 2025), Roxanne Hazuka (2025), Aubrie Anderson (2025), Ava Schoening (2025)
All-South (6): Kate Woods (2011-14), Joanna Wohlmuth (2011), Evan Cranston (2012), Madison Pepper (2012-13), Sarah Presant (2012), Emily McNamara (2014)
All-North (7): Alexis Blaxberg (2008), Sarah Glick (2008-10), Lauren Presant (2008-10), Stephanie Laing (2009-10), Katherine Stanton (2009), Joanna Wohlmuth (2009-10), Brittany Westerman (2010)
ACWPC All-American (9): Stephanie Laing (2009), Madison Pepper (2013), Kate Woods (2011, 2013-14), Shannon Crowley (2015), Marisol Dakan (2015, 2018), Jessica Heilman (2018), Carissa Perez (2019), Zoe King (2022), Claire Pisani (2022), Ella Palmer (2023), Sophie Golub (2023), Madeleine Poissonnier (2023), Claire Poissonnier (2025)
North Player of the Year (1): Lauren Presant (2009)
South Rookie of the Year (1): Kate Woods (2011)
| Record at Brown | |
| Year | Record |
| 2008 | 16-15 |
| 2009 | 22-15 |
| 2010 | 20-15 |
| 2011 | 14-17 |
| 2012 | 21-17 |
| 2013 | 18-20 |
| 2014 | 20-16 |
| 2015 | 20-17 |
| 2016 | 11-25 |
| 2017 | 21-10 |
| 2018 | 16-18 |
| 2019 | 21-13 |
| 2020 | 12-2 |
| 2021 | N/A |
| 2022 | 25-15 |
| 2023 | 26-10 |
| 2024 | 17-16 |
| 2025 | 7-3 |
| Totals | 307-234 |
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