- Athletics
After a storied 24-year coaching career as Head Coach of the Varsity Water Polo Team, Jay Schiller has announced his decision to step down. Coach Schiller holds the unique distinction of being Malvern Prep's first and only water polo coach, guiding the Friars since the program's inception 24 years ago. In addition to his contributions to water polo, he served as an Assistant Swimming & Diving Coach under Coach Paul Hornsleth from 2001 to 2012 and later took the helm as Head Coach from 2013 to 2021.
Under his leadership, Malvern Prep’s Water Polo team has enjoyed numerous winning and highly competitive seasons in the most prestigious water polo league in the tri-state area. The program has clinched five Inter-Ac League Championships (2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, and 2017) and has claimed several Flight Championships at Beast of the East Water Polo, the largest high school water polo tournament outside of California featuring top teams from six states.
Additional accolades include:
- Annual qualification for the prestigious Eastern Prep School Water Polo Championship Tournament, which features the top 18 prep school teams on the East Coast. Coach Schiller’s team won the tournament in 2017 as the top prep school team on the East Coast and finished 2nd in 2013 and 2016!
- Malvern Preparatory School has had 37 Academic All-Americans recognized by NISCA (National Interscholastic Swim Coaches Association) over the last 24 seasons for their success in the classroom and the pool, seven Water Polo All-Americans, and several all-league athletes each season.
- Named 2013 Daily Local News Swimming & Diving Coach of the Year
- Five Inter-Ac Swimming & Diving Titles and two National Catholic Championships.
- Named National Catholic Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year in 2018 and 2019.
In addition to awards and recognition, Malvern Prep water polo student-athletes have gone on to play at the Division 1 level (United States Naval Academy, UMASS, Bucknell, Santa Clara, Fordham, and University of Toronto), Division 3 (MIT and Queens College) and the collegiate club level (Notre Dame, Villanova, University of Pennsylvania, Penn State University, Boston College, Pitt, South Carolina, Maryland, Alabama, and Drexel). This is in large part due to Jay Schiller's coaching and mentorship.
“Coach Schiller’s character and leadership are second to none. We truly appreciate the impact that Coach Schiller has had on the young men who competed under his leadership,” said Mr. Jim Stewart Jr. ’86, Head of Athletics. “At both Malvern Prep and in the world of high school aquatics, Coach Schiller has earned his spot among the greats.”
Stewart announced that Mr. Magnus Sims ’15 has accepted the offer to become the second Head Water Polo Coach in school history. “We are blessed to have a former student-athlete of Coach Schiller assume this role. Sims brings a wealth of high-level knowledge and experience as both a water polo coach and an alumnus. We look forward to an extremely smooth transition and much-continued success in the future,” said Stewart.
About Coach Magnus Sims
Coach Magnus Sims is a 2015 graduate of Malvern Prep and a proud member of the water polo and swim team from 2011-2015. Coach Sims was a two-time Water Polo Inter-Ac Champion, two-time Swimming Inter-Ac Champion, and a two-time First Team All-Inter-Ac selection as well as a two-time All-Eastern Team pick. He went on to play Division I water polo at Fordham University, where he played as a four-year starter and was selected by Fordham’s Leadership Academy for promising leaders amongst student-athletes.
Most recently, Coach Sims served as an assistant water polo coach at Malvern Prep for the 2024 season. After graduating from Fordham, Coach Sims worked in Manhattan before moving back to the area to work as a Financial Advisor at Sims Financial Services. His family has a longstanding relationship with Malvern—his father, two uncles, three cousins, and brother are all proud graduates.