Men's Water Polo and Swimming & Diving
Over the course of 31 seasons, Bob Gaughran led the Dons to numerous championships as the head coach of both water polo and swim & dive. He also served as the Director of Athletics from 1967-1974.
Among his many accolades were two Southern California Championships and a South Coast Championship in water polo as well as a second place finish in the California Community College Swim & Dive Championships.
In just his third year with Santa Ana College, Gaughran led the Dons to a runner-up finish at the Southern California Swim Championships. From 1979-1985, the Dons had 18 student-athletes named to the All-American Team.
In 1981, Gaughran claimed the South Coast Conference Championship in water polo while being named the conference and Southern California Coach of the Year. Gaughran would also lead the Dons to a pair of Southern California Championships in 1983 and 1985.
Along with his career at SAC, Gaughran was involved with the 1984 Olympics while also authoring two books on water polo. Gaughran has also been inducted into the United States Water Polo Hall of Fame as well as the California Community College Water Polo Coaches Hall of Fame.