Women's Water Polo Coaches

Felix Mercado was hired in the summer of 2007 as Brown's new men's and women's water polo coach. Mercado 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.

Mercado enjoyed a banner year in 2009 as the Brown men's water polo team won a Northern Division Championship and the women's team claimed an Eastern College Association Conference (ECAC) Championship. Mercado was honored by the Collegiate Water Polo Association as the Northern Division Coach of the Year for his third consecutive year, earning the honor from 2007-2009.

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 campsfor 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.

Mark Lawrence joined the Brown water polo coaching staff in the winter of 2013 after spending two years at MIT as the head coach of the men's water polo program. Originally from Fremont, California, Lawrence is an alumni of Queens College and was a member of the school's 2002 NCAA Final Four team, and he brings over 15 years of both playing and coaching experience to College Hill.

"We are very excited to have Mark Lawrence join our program," said head coach Felix Mercado. "He brings tremendous experience at the highest level, for both men and women. We have a great history of exceptional assistant coaches here, and Mark will hit the ground running to continue that tradition."

Prior to MIT, Lawrence spent time as an assistant coach with both Arizona State University and the Kazakhstan Women's National Team, helping coach the Kazakhs at the 2011 FINA World Championships. He has also spent time starting and rebuilding youth clubs, serving as the head boys' coach and club director for West Coast Aquatics in San Jose, California, Ohlone Renegades Club in Freemont, California, and Sun Devil Water Polo Club in Tempe, Arizona.

Lawrence also spent a year playing professional water polo in Australia, as well as coaching the Warrior Polo Club in Brisbane and teaching water polo at the high school level through physical education classes.