Gannon University Athletics

Gannon University Director of Athletics Lisa Goddard-McGuirk announced the appointment of former GU All-American Zarko Sadikovic as the men's and women's water polo coach on Aug. 25, 2023. Sadikovic became the fifth different individual to oversee the two programs.

Zadikovic enjoyed a successful return to his alma mater in his initial season. The men’s water polo team finished with a 12-10 record, going 3-3 in Western Water Polo Association action. They went on to finish fifth in the WWPA Championships.

Entering as the number three seed from the Eastern Division, Gannon dropped a 15-12 decision to No. 2W Concordia Univ. Irvine in the opening round before defeating No. 3W Fresno Pacific 16-14 in the consolation round. Gannon ended in fifth place thanks to a 22-17 win over No. 2E Mercyhurst.

On the women’s side the Golden Knights ended the season with a 10-12 record and went 2-4 in WWPA action. They would finish eighth at the WWPA Championships. The 10 wins match the 2021 win total and are the most since the 2014 team won 13 games.

A native of Nis, Serbia, Sadikovic played for the Golden Knights from 2015 to 2018. He finished his career ranked sixth on the all-time Gannon goals list (155), 11th (now 17th) in assists (64) and 22nd in steals (96).

"We are excited to welcome Zarko back to Gannon!  He is passionate about growing the game of water polo, has tremendous knowledge and experience, and is committed to providing a high-quality student-athlete experience," Goddard McGuirk said upon his appointment. "Zarko's demonstrated commitment to excellence will continue to elevate our men's and women's programs within the Western Water Polo Association and the NCAA."

Sadikovic served as the head coach of the men's water polo team of the USA Water Polo Olympic Development Program since October 2021, serving as an instructional coach for USA Cadet water polo athletes in the Great Lakes zone.
 
After graduating from Gannon in 2019, Sadikovic began his coaching career as a graduate assistant coach at Penn State Behrend in the fall of 2019. That was followed by a stint as a graduate assistant at Mercyhurst in 2020-21.
 
Sadikovic took over as Mercyhurst's interim men's head coach due to unfortunate circumstances just prior to the start of the 2021 season. He took over after the passing of head coach Curtis Robinette after a long battle with cancer.

Sadikovic picked up his first win as a head coach with a 14-11 win over Penn State Behrend. During the spring, he served as the assistant coach for the women's water polo program.

Now, he returns to Gannon as the head coach of both water polo programs.
 
"It's a surreal moment; it really is," Sadikovic said. "Gannon University has meant so much to me and my family, and when that opportunity was presented to me, I couldn't turn it down. I feel obligated to give back, and I'm really looking forward to the future success of the program and getting the best out of both of my teams "

With Sadikovic playing a major role, Gannon enjoyed its most successful seasons during his playing career. The Golden Knights won three straight MAWPC Western Championships from 2016-18 under former head coach Sean Morphy. In addition, Gannon finished third at the MAWPC-West Region Championship in both 2016 and 2018, the top finishes ever for the program to that point.

Gannon was 51-14 during his three seasons. The 20-1 finish in 2018 represents a school record for wins, and the 2017 squad ended the year at 18-8. That is tied for the second-highest win total in a season.
 
During the course of his career he was a two-time first team ACWPC All-American, earning the honor in 2017 and again in 2018. He is the only Golden Knight to earn the honor twice.

He was also named to the MAWPC-West All-Region First Team both years, along with earning a spot on the MAWPC-West Championships Second Team in 2018. In 2017, Sadikovic was selected as the CWPA Division II Championship MVP and the MAWPC West Region MVP. He was named to the CWPA Division II Championship All-Tournament Team in 2016 and 2017.
 
Sadikovic led Gannon in goals and points as a senior in 2018 with 68 and 104, respectively. The 68 goals ranks fourth in a season. He was second in goals in 58 in 2017 while leading the team with 70 points, and began his career in 2015 with 29 goals and 16 assists for 45 points, good for third on the team in goals and points.
 
Sadikovic received his bachelor of science degree in marketing and entrepreneurial studies from Gannon in May 2019, and completed work on his master of science degree in cybersecurity from Mercyhurst in May 2022.