Honors & Accomplishments
• Led the Big Red to Eastern Regional titles and appearances at the USPA nationals in his first season on the sidelines.
• Guided the men to a 10-2 record and the women to a 6-7 mark (4-2 vs. intercollegiate teams) over his first three months.
• Has worked in every facet of the polo industry, including serving as the polo string manager for the Team USPA program in Aiken, S.C.
Coaching Experience
• Head Coach, Cornell University (2018-present)
• Head Coach, Yale University (2016-18)
• Polo School Manager, Great Meadow Polo Club (2015)
• Polo String Manager, Team USPA (2014-present)
• High Goal String Manager, Amista Polo (2013-14)
• Club Manager, Maryland Polo Club (2013)
Playing Experience
• Team USPA (2014)
• Cornell University (2010-13)
• Two-year captain
• Advanced to the intercollegiate national championships four times.
• Cornell Interscholastic Team
• Interscholastic Player of the Year (2009).
Education
• B.S., Public Policy, Cornell University (2013)
At Cornell
Branden Van Loon '13, a former captain of Big Red men's polo and a member of the Team USPA, was named the The Peter B. Orthwein `68 Head Coach of Polo at Cornell University in December of 2018. Van Loon enters his third year at the helm of the men's and and women's polo programs in 2020.
In 2019-20, Van Loon led both Cornell polo programs to successful seasons, despite not being able to take a stab at the national championship tournament due to COVID-19. Van Loon aided the women's polo program to a 15-5 record while the men finished the season 14-4.
Prior to Cornell
Van Loon served as head coach and manager of the Yale polo team and its equestrian center since 2016. He had primary responsibility in overseeing the training, care and welfare of a string of nearly 40 horses, facility and team management, scheduling and travel. He did all that while juggling five interscholastic and intercollegiate teams and up to 40 collegiate players.
Prior to his time at Yale, Van Loon was the Polo School Manager at Great Meadow Polo Club in Warrenton, Va., and has served as polo string manager for the Team USPA program in Aiken, SC. He also spent time at Amista Polo in Wellington, Fla., Airy Hall Polo in Aiken, S.C. and the Maryland Polo Club in Street, Md.
Van Loon had the opportunity to work in many facets of the polo industry, from club management and green horse training, to playing professionally. His status as a member of the Team USPA program has allowed him to work with several of polo's greats, including Julio Arellano, Owen Rinehart and Adam Snow.
Playing Career
A 2013 Cornell graduate with a degree in public policy, Van Loon competed for the Big Red for four seasons, captaining the squad his final two. He was part of four teams that made it to the Intercollegiate nationals and was selected for Team USPA in 2014. At the same time, he spent three years as a research assistant at the College of Veterinary Medicine. The Ithaca, N.Y. native was the Interscholastic Player of the Year in his final season while attending Ithaca HS.
Personal
Van Loon is a certified instructor with the USPA, an elite clinician with the USPA, and also is a certified umpire in both arena and grass polo.
Updated March 2020.
