Jessica Jang

At Home in the Water

Growing up Jessica excelled at swimming but after nearly a decade in the sport she became bored.  Water polo offered her the opportunity to build on her swimming ability while participating in a more team-oriented sport.  Little did she know that water polo would reshape her life and lead her on an NCAA D1 athletic journey. 

Jessica attended Fountain Valley High School, and also played youth club water polo for United at GoldenWest and Long Beach Aquatics Federation. Her high school career was marked by impressive performance and accolades: she earned the Sophomore Year Coaches Award, made the All-League First Team, was named to the All-Team, and achieved CIF Second Team honors. In her senior year, Jang served as team captain, was named team MVP, and again clinched All-League First Team and CIF Second Team recognition. 

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At the Ocean View Girls’ Water Polo Tournament (Jan 22–23, 2022), Jang scored for Fountain Valley High School in key moments. She tallied a goal in the semifinal against Villa Park and opened the game with a goal (assisted by a teammate) in the third-place match. The team ultimately finished fourth in the tournament. 

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Despite not initially expecting to play in college, Jang caught the eye of California Baptist University (CBU) during a club tournament in Riverside. After her team competed, a CBU coach followed her performance and invited her for an official visit. Enamored by the campus and team culture, she committed to play NCAA Division I water polo at CBU. 

Balancing the dual demands of athletics and academics, Jang has excelled in the classroom. In July 2025, the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) named her to the All-Academic list in the “Excellent” category. Moreover, the Golden Coast Conference All-Academic honors included her as a standout scholar among peers. 

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Jang officially joined the CBU Lancers women’s water polo team as a freshman and is listed on the 2025 roster, majoring in civil engineering. She saw action in games such as the February 8, 2025 match against Chapman University—making a defensive contribution including a steal—and earning playing time in eight games. 

Jessica Jang was born in Bangkok, Thailand, and raised in Garden Grove, California.  Her mother, Julie Kaufman, was born in Vientiane. Laos.