Ian Wood joined the Gauchos’ staff during the 2023 season as a volunteer assistant, making his return to the program where both he and his son played collegiate polo. In his three seasons on the pool deck, Santa Barbara has produced six All-Americans, the 2023 Big West Player of the Year, the 2025 Big West Freshman of the Year and brought home a total of 19 All-Big West Honors.
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In 2025, Wood helped Santa Barbara to an expectation-defying season, as the Gauchos finished second in The Big West after being picked fifth in the preseason poll. Along the way, Santa Barbara thrice upset the no. 6 team in the country and added an upset of then-No. 10 Pacific to make it four Top 10 opponents felled in one campaign. At the end of the year, Charlie Johnson was named The Big West Freshman of the Year, one of seven Gauchos to earn all-conference honors. Levi Lentin and Brock Zamanian were both named All-America Honorable Mentions.
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In 2024, Wood saw three Gauchos earn All-America honorable mentions: Dom Brown, Danilo Dragovic and Brock Zamanian.
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In his first season on the pool deck, Wood helped the Gauchos make a run to The Big West Championship Final, an effort for which head coach Wolf Wigo was named the conference’s Coach of the Year. In that season, Dash McFarland was named The Big West Player of the Year and a Second Team All-American. McFarland was joined by Adam Gyenis on the All-Big West First Team.
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As a student-athlete, Wood was a member of the 1985 Santa Barbara team that racked up 21 wins en route to a Pacific Coast Athletic Association Championship and an NCAA Tournament appearance that included a victory over Long Beach State. Wood’s son, Spencer, played for the Gauchos from 2017 to 2021.
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