MALIBU, Calif. — The Pepperdine men's tennis team was narrowly picked second in the West Coast Conference preseason poll, plus Edward Winter and Maxi Homberg earned spots on the WCC Preseason Team, as announced Tuesday.
Like last season, this year's WCC race is expected to be a close one between Pepperdine and San Diego — two teams that finished the season ranked 29th and 28th in the final Intercollegiate Tennis Association poll. With 62 points and six first-place votes, San Diego was picked atop the poll albeit by a mere three points. Pepperdine had 59 points and earned the remaining three first-place votes. San Diego and Pepperdine split the regular-season title a year ago, yet the Waves avenged a regular-season loss by sweeping the Toreros 4-0 in the WCC Championship match.
Head coach Adam Schaechterle's squad brings back three of the top six players from last season's team that made the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Winter, the No. 23 singles player in the nation, went 8-3 in singles play with four of those wins coming against ranked opponents this past fall. He and Homberg — a sophomore who clinched for the Waves in the WCC title match — are ranked 43rd in the latest ITA doubles rankings. As a true freshman, Homberg went 7-1 in singles against WCC competition en route to compiling a 24-9 record last season.
Pepperdine's season begins on Jan. 28 as the Waves host Georgia Tech. Admission to any home match is free to the public. Schedule updates can be found on the men's tennis team's schedule page at pepperdinewaves.com.
2024 WCC Preseason Poll
1. San Diego - 62 points (6 first-place votes)
2. Pepperdine - 59 (3 FPV)
3. Santa Clara - 49
4. Pacific - 42
5. Portland - 33
6. Gonzaga – 31
7. LMU - 24
8. Saint Mary's - 14
9. San Francisco - 10
2024 WCC Preseason Team
Guillaume Dalmasso, Santa Clara
Maxi Homberg, Pepperdine
Christian Lerby, Santa Clara
Oliver Tarvet, San Diego
Iiro Vasa, San Diego
Edward Winter, Pepperdine
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