MALIBU, Calif. – Israel native, Maxim Smirnov will join the Pepperdine water polo team next year after recently signing a national letter-of-intent, Head Coach Terry Schroeder announced today.
 
"We are excited to sign Maxim," said Schroeder.  "Our goal is to compete for conference and NCAA titles and having a goalie of Maxim's caliber will help us to achieve those goals."
 
"We are excited to have Maxim join our Waves Family!" said Associate Head Coach Merrill Moses. "He has a wealth of international experience and I look forward to working with him to help him compete to be one of the best goalies in the country."
 
Maxim Smirnov - Goalie - Petah Tikva, Israel - Amal Bet
 
Competed for the Hapoel Petah Tikva club team from 2013-2021 … Also played for the Hapoel Qiryat Tivon club program from 2021-2023 ... Helped his U17 team to qualify for the European championship in 2019 … In 2022, Smirnov earned a Senior European Championship qualification which was held in the Spaladium Arena in Split, Croatia … Also participated in the World Maccabiah Games in 2022… Competed in the National Israeli Cup in 2023 … Attended Amal Bet High School.
 
Smirnov says he chose to attend Pepperdine because "it's an amazing school with an incredible water polo program."