Olympic gold medalist and Dos Pueblos alum Jamie Neushul will become the head coach of the San Marcos girls water polo program following the conclusion of the 2025-26 season.
The news was first announced by KEYT Sports and confirmed by San Marcos High School on Thursday. Neushul will be filling the role of longtime head coach Brian “Chuckie” Roth, who announced that this will be his last season due to a full schedule of coaching and parenting.
Roth also coaches the SBCC Women’s Water Polo team and plays a major role in the Santa Barbara Water Polo Club. He will stay on as an assistant coach for the San Marcos boys water polo team and swimming teams.
“I’m incredibly excited for the opportunity to lead the San Marcos Girls Water Polo program,” Neushul said. “Chuckie Roth is truly one of a kind — a pillar of our aquatics community whose competitive spirit and deep knowledge of the sport have shaped countless young women, including me.
“There is no replacing him, and I’m grateful for his support during this transition. I know he’ll continue to be one of the program’s biggest cheerleaders.”
Neushul is no stranger to success in the pool, having competed at the highest levels for Santa Barbara Water Polo Club, Dos Pueblos, Stanford and Team USA.
“Santa Barbara water polo has always been close to my heart and has opened so many doors in my life,” Neushul said. “After moving back to town with my fiancé, it feels natural to stay involved in a community that raised me — from my years competing at Dos Pueblos, to coaching at Santa Barbara High, to my ongoing work with Santa Barbara Water Polo Club.
“With long-standing coaches like Chris Parrish, Mark Walsh, and Chuckie, this community has set an incredible standard, and I see this role as a chance to give back to the place that shaped me as both a player and a person.”
She won a pair of CIF-SS Div. 1 titles in high school, won three national championships at Stanford and captured a gold medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Neushul was also an assistant coach at UC Irvine from 2017-2019 and has worked with the Santa Barbara Water Polo Club for years.
“San Marcos has an exceptionally motivated group of girls who love this sport and understand the work it takes to grow, but we’re teaching more than water polo,” Neushul said. “Above all else, I hope to help them build confidence, resilience, and the skills to take on challenges well beyond high school — in or out of the pool.”
Roth departs as one of the most successful head coaches in San Marcos history, including CIF-SS championships in 2003 and 2018. He has also captured nine Channel League championships in girls water polo and 11 more for the San Marcos swimming teams.
While San Marcos athletic director Aaron Solis is sad to see Roth leaving the program, he is excited for the future under Neushul
“While understanding and agreeing with Coach Roth’s decision, there is still a sadness in him stepping down,” Solis said. “He has created one of the best programs in the country, instilling a team culture that is not only successful in the pool, but also in the classroom and in creating outstanding young adults.
“He is such a valuable asset to the Athletic program and school as a whole, and I am happy he is continuing to help with the boys team and lead our swimming teams and be able to coach his sons.
“We are so excited to have Coach Neushul join the Royal family for next season. Her experience as a player and a coach is invaluable and will be necessary to continue the success that Coach Roth has started. I look forward to seeing her establish her own team culture. Once she expressed interest in the position, we knew she was the one.”
San Marcos principal Dare Holdren shared the same sentiment.
“Coach Roth is an amazing mentor and coach, and I am so happy that he will continue to lead our swim programs,” Holdren said/ “I’m especially appreciative that he’ll have the opportunity to work with his sons as they move through the boys program. Nobody can ever replace Chuckie.
“That said, I am beyond thrilled that Jaime will be taking over the program. Her values and character align with ours, her experience is unmatched, and I can’t even imagine how great an experience it would be to play for a gold medalist.”