MALIBU, Calif. – Head Coach Merrill Moses, and the Pepperdine men's water polo coaching staff announced the eight newcomers for the 2024 season.
 
The Waves will welcome one transfer from Long Beach State (Reed Pantaleon) and seven freshmen, including four from California, one from Miami (Gabe Lewis), one from Israel (Maxim Smirnov) and one from Hungary (Erik Ionescu).
 
"I am very excited about our 2024 incoming class," said Moses. "We are bringing in eight athletes that are going to help our team compete for conference and NCAA championships."
 
"Adding depth, talent and experience to our goalie position is Maxim Smirnov, an international goalie from Israel and Jaxon Leach from The Bishop's School in San Diego. Both goalies will be competing amongst our current goalies on the team to try and earn the starting position. Reed Pantaleon is a transfer from Long Beach State who is a strong center defender that also has a great shot and could help our team on both sides of the game. Erik Ionescu is an attacker from Hungary who is a talented player and has represented his country on the international stage. He will be a valuable addition to the team. Cade Anderton is an attacker from Laguna Beach High School who is a fast, smart player and will be a valued asset to the team. Charles Warmington is a left-handed attacker from Corona Del Mar High School who has great vision of the game and is an offensive weapon as a passer and shooter. Owen Tift is a versatile attacker and utility player from Newport Harbor High School who will impact the game in a multitude of ways. Gabe Lewis is an attacker from Gulliver Prep High School and was named the Florida State water polo player of the year. He has the potential to be an impact player for the program."
 
Cade Anderton – Attacker – Laguna Beach, Calif. – Laguna Beach HS
Graduated from Laguna Beach High School, located in Laguna Beach, Calif., in 2024 … Played four years of varsity water polo … Made the All-CIF SS Division I first team and All-Sunset Conference first team as a senior … The Laguna Beach Water Polo MVP in 2023 and Defensive Player of the Year in 2022 … Made the All-CIF SS Division I second team and All-Sunset Conference second team as a junior … Led his team in goals, assists and steals as a junior and senior … Earned the first ever Division I Finals appearance for Laguna Beach High School in 2023 … Played club for Vanguard Aquatics, SET Water Polo and Laguna Beach Water Polo.
 
Anderton says he chose to attend Pepperdine because "of the tight knit community at the school and the water polo team. I am looking forward to learning from some of the best coaches in the world."
 
Erik Ionescu - Attacker - Budapest, Hungary - Orchidea Bilingual School
Graduated from Orchidea Bilingual School, located in Budapest, Hungary, in 2022 …Played for the Szolnok club team in 2023 … Competed for the UVSE club water polo team from 2020-2022 … Two-time Hungarian Junior Cup winner … Won the junior championships twice … MVP of the Hungarian Junior Cup … Helped his U17 team to a third-place finish at the European Championship for the Hungarian national team … Also, for the Hungarian national team, led his team to a U18 World Championship.
 
Ionescu says he chose to attend Pepperdine because "Pepperdine has the best student-athlete program in the entire country as well as the most beautiful campus."
 
Jaxon Leach - Goalie - San Diego, Calif. - The Bishop's School
Graduated the Bishop's School, located in La Jolla, Calif., in 2024 … Played four years of varsity water polo … Named to All-CIF San Diego Section first team and All-Western League second team as a senior … Two-time San Diego Section CIF Champion in 2022 and 2020 … Played club for San Diego Shores … 16U and 14U US Club Champion MVP … Won the 16U and 14U Club Championships … Made the 16U Junior Olympics All-American first team, 14U Junior Olympics All-American honorable mention and 12U Junior Olympics second team.
 
Leach says he chose to attend Pepperdine because "of the incredible water polo program and the great academics. I also felt that the family-like atmosphere of the water polo team would be the place that I could thrive the most in."
 
Gabe Lewis – Utility – Miami, Fla. – Gulliver Prep HS
Graduated from Gulliver Prep High School, located in Pinecrest, Fla., in 2024 ... Played four years of varsity water polo … Had a career total of 189 goals, 123 assists and 219 steals … Earned MVP, Florida Player of the Year, Athlete of the Year and made All-Date County first team as a senior … Two-time Florida State Champion (2024, 2021) ... Played club for Miami Riptides, Pride JOs and Laguna Beach.
 
Lewis says he chose to attend Pepperdine because "I started playing water polo in Laguna Beach and it was always my dream to play for Pepperdine after I attended the Malibu water polo camp."
 
Reed Pantaleon - Attacker - Huntington Beach, Calif. - Long Beach State
Transferring from Long Beach State … Played one season (2023) … Had a season-high three goals and three assists vs. La Verne (9/10) … While at Orange Lutheran High School, earned All-Trinity League first team honors, All-CIF first team honors, All-League first team honors, All-Section first team honors and Offensive Player of the Year as a senior … Played club for Vanguard, Northwood and Socal.
 
Pantaleon says he chose to attend Pepperdine because "I love the team environment and I feel like surrounding myself with ambitious individuals will fuel my success in the pool and in the classroom."
 
Maxim Smirnov – Goalie – Petah Tikva, Israel - Amal Bet
Graduated from Amal Bet High School in 2021 … Competed for the Hapoel Petah Tikva club team from 2013-2021 … Also played for the Hapoel Qiryat Tivon club program from 2021-2023 ... Won the European Championship in 2024 … Competed in the National Israeli Cup in 2023 … Participated in the World Maccabiah Games in 2022 and earned a Senior European Championship qualification … Helped his U17 team to qualify for the European championship in 2019.
 
Smirnov says he chose to attend Pepperdine because "Pepperdine has strong academics in addition to an outstanding water polo team and exceptional coaching staff. The combination of high-quality education and competitive athletics made it the perfect fit for my goals and aspirations."
 
Owen Tift – Utility – Newport Beach, Calif. – Newport Harbor HS
Graduated from Newport Harbor High School, located in Newport Beach, Calif., in 2024 ... Played four years of varsity water polo ... A USA All-American in 2022 and 2023 ... Won the CIF-SS Open Division in 2022 and 2021 … A Varsity League Champion as a junior ... 14U National Junior Olympics champion in 2019 … Played club for Newport Beach Water Polo … Took second at the Futures Super Finals in 2023 and third in the Futures Super Finals in 2022.
 
Tift says he chose to attend Pepperdine because "it has always been my dream to play water polo in Malibu."
 
Charles Warmington - Utility - Newport Beach, Calif. - Corona Del Mar HS
Graduated from Corona Del Mar High School, located in Newport Beach, Calif., in 2024 … Played four years of varsity water polo ... Named the Sunset League MVP as a junior and senior... Made the All-CIF first team, All-County first team, All-State second team and was an All-American his senior year … Made the Junior Olympics first team in 2023 ... Made the All-CIF SS Division I first team and All-County third team as a junior … Played club for Back Bay Water Polo, CDM Polo and SOCAL Water Polo.
 
Warmington says he chose to attend Pepperdine because "Pepperdine has a great water polo program in addition to stunning views, a great abroad program and business school."
 
Pepperdine's 2024 season begins September 7-8 at the Triton Invite hosted by UC San Diego. The Waves finished 25-6 overall last season and ranked tied for #7 in the country.