Joe Tristan enters his 19th season as the head men's and women's water polo coach at Penn State Behrend. Tristan has mentored an All-American in 15 of the 17 seasons with the Behrend Lions, and named the CWPA Division III Coach of the Year in 2011 and has led Behrend to four third-place finishes at the CWPA Division III Championships (2006, 2008, 2011, 2018, 2019, 2020).

In the Fall of 2016, Coach Tristan and the Lions transitioned to the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), and in 2018, led the team to a 5^th place finish at the MPSF Championships. In the short time in the MPSF, Coach Tristan has led Isaak Hatopp and Matt Olimski to MPSF All Conference honors, and also guided Olimski to an MPSF record in saves for a single game. 

In his 17 years at the helm Coach Tristan has mentored 20 All-Americans and 26 Division III Eastern Championship All-Tournament team members, and 67 athletes have been recognized as National and Conference All-Academic team members. In 2005, Anthony Spoto had the unique opportunity to try out for the USA Senior Men's National Team in Southern California. 

Tristan joined the Behrend Lions after leading the women's club water polo program at Eastern Michigan University. He also was an assistant coach for the Great Lakes Water Polo Club in Ann Arbor, MI. At EMU he coached a pair of all-conference players and his teams earned all-academic honors. From 1997-2002, Tristan was the head boy's junior varsity coach for Huron High School.

A native of Southern California, Tristan played water polo and swam for Earl Warren High School. He also played water polo for Tulare Water Polo Club and for Eastern Michigan in 1995-96. In 2000, Tristan competed and finished 22nd in the United States Olympic swimming trials in the 200 meter freestyle. From 1998-2000, Tristan was ranked in the FINA Top 20 and the top 100 in the World in the 200 meter and 100 meter freestyle events. Tristan was a vital part of a pair of EMU Mid-American Conference Swimming and Diving Championship teams. 

While serving as a coach at Behrend, Tristan also instructs in the health and physical education department.