Bio

Aquatics (Women's Water Polo and Swim & Dive) head coach Kimberly Diana Romero is going on her 8th year at ELAC. She's already notched significant accomplishments in both sports: In fall of 2023, she led ELAC Water Polo to their best overall season (12-12) since the program's inception in 2013. The program aslo notched their best conference record ever (6-3), along with their highest place finish within the South Coast Conference (3rd). The following spring, Coach Romero sent a Husky swimmer to the 3C2A State Swimming & Diving Championships for only the second time in school history.

Romero began her aquatics journey at Commerce Aquatics where she swam competitively and played club water polo. At nearby Montebello High School she continued with water polo, helping the Oilers become CIF Division-I finalists for both her junior and senior years; she made All-CIF teams both years as well.

After graduating from Montebello, Coach Romero moved on to Division-I water polo at Loyola Marymount University.

College Career at LMU (2008–2011)

Romero was a key contributor for LMU’s women’s water polo program during one of its strongest eras.

Production & Career Stats

• 126 career goals (13th all-time in program history)
• 128 steals (top-15 all-time)
• 135 games played (program record at the time)

She was known as a high-motor, durable player—basically a “workhorse” who was always in the lineup and contributing on both ends.

Honors & Recognition

• 2009 Honorable Mention All-American
• 3× All-WWPA (Western Water Polo Association) selection
• 2010 First-Team All-WWPA
• 2008 WWPA All-Freshman Team

She was named an All-American, and helped her team to two conference championships along with a fourth-place finish in the 2010 NCAA Tournament. After graduating from LMU, Romero played with the Mexican National Team where she competed in the Pan American Games. She also lived in Sydney while playing for the Australian Water Polo League.

After retiring from competition, she served as an assistant coach at alma mater LMU for three years before being tapped for head coaching duties at ELAC. The combination of elite college experience (NCAA semifinalist), international playing experience and exposure to multiple systems (U.S. college, international, Australian league) is exactly the kind of background that helps build a strong JUCO program.