MALIBU, Calif. – Pepperdine Athletics had another impressive year in 2023-24, winning the WCC Commissioner's Cup for the fourth time in program history and accumulating many excellent performances, including NCAA appearances by eight teams.
 
-- Celebrated the retirement and 14-year tenure of Steve Potts as Pepperdine University director of athletics.
-- Hired Tanner Gardner as new director of athletics (began June 1).
-- Pepperdine 1^st in the West Coast Conference Commissioner's Cup for the fourth time in program history, as well as the Women's All-Sports Award for the sixth time.
-- Pepperdine finished 7^th in Division I-AAA Athletics Directors Association All-Sports standings.
-- Pepperdine finished 89^th in the NACDA/Learfield IMG College Directors' Cup standings, which was second among WCC schools.  
-- Four teams finished with top-25 national rankings (women's golf, women's tennis, men's volleyball, men's water polo) and three finished in the top-10 (women's tennis, men's volleyball, men's water polo).
-- Five teams won six conference championships (women's golf, men's tennis, women's tennis, women's volleyball and water polo).
-- Eight teams competed at NCAA Championships or NCAA Regional events (men's cross country, women's cross country, women's golf, women's soccer, men's tennis, women's tennis, women's indoor volleyball, women's swimming and diving).
-- Eight student-athletes earned All-American honors.
-- Five student-athletes earned conference player of the year honors (Savannah Broadus in women's tennis, Jeneath Wong in women's golf, Tori Waldeck in women's soccer, Grace Chillingworth in women's volleyball, Antonio Knez in men's water polo).
-- Eight student-athletes garnered other top conference honors – Freshman of the Year: Julia Quinonez of women's soccer, Edward Winter of men's tennis, Jasmine Conway of women's tennis, Ethan Watson of men's volleyball, Kaydon Meyers of beach volleyball … Newcomer of the Year: Ryan Brosnan of men's water polo … Setter of the Year: Isabel Zelaya of women's volleyball … Libero of the Year: Riley Patterson of women's volleyball.
-- Four coaches earned conference Coach of the Year: Scott Wong of women's volleyball; Terry Schroeder of men's water polo, Laurie Gibbs of women's golf and Per Nilsson of women's tennis).
-- 58 student-athletes earned 63 all-conference honors (30 first team awards).
-- 90 student-athletes earned conference all-academic honors (51 on the first team).
-- 219 student-athletes earned Pepperdine Scholar-Athlete status.
-- In the NCAA Graduation Success Rate report (released December 2023), the Waves had an overall rate of 95 percent, better than the national rate of 91 percent.  Thirteen teams had perfect 100 percent GSR rates (women's basketball, men's cross country and track, women's cross country and track, men's golf, women's golf, women's swimming and diving, women's soccer, women's tennis, men's volleyball, women's beach volleyball and men's water polo).
-- Nine Pepperdine teams had perfect 1,000 scores in the NCAA Academic Progress Rate data (released June 2023): men's golf, women's basketball, women's cross country, women's golf, women's soccer, swimming and diving, women's track, beach volleyball and women's indoor volleyball.
 
Following is a listing of each team and student-athlete's accomplishments:
 
BASEBALL (15-28, 9-15)
-- Finished 6th in the West Coast Conference.
-- Went to the WCC Tournament for the first time since 2018. 
-- Tyler LaTorre hired as the 18th head coach of the program.
-- Brady Renck: All-WCC honorable mention … Player of the Week (3/25).
-- Connor Walsh: All-WCC second team … Player of the Week (5/20).
-- Connor Bradshaw: All-WCC honorable mention.
-- Collin Valentine: WCC All-Freshman Team.
-- Matt Queen: WCC Freshman of the Week (5/20).
 
MEN'S BASKETBALL (13-20, 5-11 WCC)
-- Competed in the first and second rounds of the WCC Tournament, including a 102-43 wallop of Pacific in the first game after tallying a 56-9 lead at halftime.
-- 8th place in WCC regular season.
-- Three players named to All-WCC teams, with one first team and two honorable mention nods.
-- One player earned WCC Player of the Week honors (8/26) and one earned WCC Freshman of the Week (12/11).
-- Ed Schilling named head coach.
 
WOMEN'S BASKETBALL (5-25, 1-15)
-- Competed in the first round of the West Coast Conference Tournament.
-- Ninth place in the WCC's regular season.
-- Katie Faulkner named head coach.
-- Helena Friend: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Jane Nwaba: WCC honorable mention, WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Jorynn Ross: All-WCC Freshman Team, 2x WCC Freshman of the Week award (12/18, 12/26).
 
MEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
-- Finished 24th at NCAA Regionals.
-- Hosted WCC Championships.
-- Placed sixth at WCC Championships. 
-- Johnathan Flint: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Nate Lannen: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Will Bullock: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Joshua Bergers: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Kai Newman: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Spencer Mueller: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Patrick Thomas:  WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
 
WOMEN'S CROSS COUNTRY
-- Finished 35th at NCAA Regionals. 
-- Hosted WCC Championships. 
-- Placed seventh at WCC Championships.
-- Caroline Fleenor: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Megan La Camera: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Elle Shrader: WCC All-Academic honorable mention-- Abby Winter: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
 
MEN'S GOLF
-- Final national ranking of #55 by Scoreboard by Clipp'd.
-- Won one tournament, Saticoy Showdown.
-- Finished in second-place at the WCC Championships.
-- Mahanth Chirravuri: PING All-West Region first team … All-WCC first team … Earned NCAA Rancho Santa Fe Regional bid … Finished ranked #89 in Scoreboard by Clipp'd national individual rankings.
-- Joshua Koo: CSC Academic All-District.
-- Kristoffer Kuvaas: Won Saticoy Showdown.
-- Brady Siravo: WCC Championship medalist … All-WCC first team … Earned NCAA Rancho Santa Fe Regional bid.
-- William Walsh: All-WCC first team … Finished in first place at the WCC Championships (second after playoff) … Earned NCAA Rancho Santa Fe Regional bid.
 
WOMEN'S GOLF
-- Final national ranking of #22 by Scoreboard by Clipp'd.
-- Reached NCAA Championship for 14^th time in program history, finished in 21^st-place.
-- First-place at the West Coast Conference Championships (21^st all-time).
-- Won four tournaments – Spring: WCC Championships, Silicon Valley Showcase; Fall – Dick McGuire Invitational, Golfweek Red Sky Classic.
-- Laurie Gibbs: WGCA National Coach of the Year Watch List … WCC Coach of the Year for 16^th time.
-- Lauren Gomez: WCC Championship medalist for the second time in her career … All-WCC first team … WCC April Golfer of the Month … WCC All-Academic honorable mention … #68 in final Scoreboard by Clipp'd national rankings.
-- Lion Higo: All-WCC first team … Finished in second-place at WCC Championships … #97 World Amateur Golf ranking by USGA … #150 in final Scoreboard by Clipp'd national rankings.
-- Kaleiya Romero: All-WCC first team … WGCA All-American Scholar … CSC Academic All-District … WCC All-Academic first team … WCC February Golfer of the Month … #157 in final Scoreboard by Clipp'd national rankings.
-- Jeneath Wong: WGCA All-American honorable mention … … Golfweek All-American honorable mention … WCC Player of the Year … All-WCC first team … WCC All-Academic honorable mention … WCC March Golfer of the Month … Won first career tournament at Silicon Valley Showcase … Competed at LPGA Maybank Championship in Malaysia … #65 World Amateur Golf ranking by USGA … #41 in final Scoreboard by Clipp'd national rankings.
 
WOMEN'S SOCCER (9-5-5, 6-2) 
-- Finished second in the West Coast Conference.
-- 13th NCAA Tournament Appearance.
-- Lost in the first round to national runner-up Stanford.
-- Tori Waldeck: WCC Offensive Player of the Year … All-West Region honors … CSC Academic All-District … All-WCC first team … WCC All-Academic team … All-WCC Preseason Team. 
-- Taylor Bloom: All-West Region honors. 
-- Skylar Enge: CSC Academic All-District … WCC All-Academic team. 
-- Kelsey Adams: WCC All-Academic honorable mention. 
-- Cadee Borg: WCC All-Academic honorable mention. 
-- Caroline Coleman: WCC All-Academic honorable mention. 
-- Julianna Duckett: WCC All-Academic honorable mention. 
-- Karina Gonzalez: WCC All-Academic honorable mention … All-WCC honorable mention.
-- CC Maloof: CSC Academic All-District … WCC All-Academic honorable mention. 
-- Kyra Murphy: CSC Academic All-District … WCC All-Academic honorable mention. 
-- Tatum Wynalda: WCC All-Academic honorable mention … All-WCC second team … Offensive Player of the Week (10/30) … Offensive Player of the Week (8/21) … All-WCC Preseason Team. 
-- Erin Zeile: WCC All-Academic honorable mention. 
-- Julia Quinonez: WCC Freshman of the Year … All-WCC second team … WCC All-Freshman Team … Offensive Player of the Week (10/9) … Offensive Player of the Week (8/28).
-- Peyton Leonard: WCC All-Freshman Team.
-- Ava Verplancke: WCC All-Freshman Team.
-- Taylor Rath: Offensive Player of the Week (8/28).
 
WOMEN'S SWIMMING & DIVING
-- AJ Adams: Set school record in the 800 free relay … MPSF All-Academic.
-- Alexandra Browne: All-MPSF second team (50 free) … Set school records in the 50 free, 100 IM and 200 free relay … MPSF All-Academic.
-- Layla Busquets: Set school record in the 200 free relay.
-- Jessica Calderoni: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Lexie Deitemeyer: CSC Academic All-District honors … MPSF All-Academic.
-- Elliot Easton: CSC Academic All-District honors … MPSF All-Academic.
-- Lexi Fok: Set school record in the 800 free relay … MPSF All-Academic.
-- Ansley Halbach: Set school record in the 800 free relay.
-- Lexi Haymart: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Lindsay Hemming: Set school record in the 800 free relay … MPSF All-Academic.
-- Ellie Hendren: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Saskia Jager: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Anna Johnson: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Ava Langheim: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Lexie Martin: CSC Academic All-District honors … MPSF All-Academic.
-- Eleanor Mashkovich: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Maddie McLeay: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Delainey Pisaruk: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Anna Ryan: Set school record in 200 free relay … MPSF All-Academic.
-- Charli Sunahara: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Kylie Taylor: All-MPSF second team (100 back) … Set school records in the 100 back and 200 free relay… MPSF All-Academic.
-- Tay Thomas: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Vivian Vallely: NCAA Zone Diving qualifier in 1M and 3M dive … MPSF All-Academic.
-- Ava Wiley: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Amanda Wong: All-MPSF second team (platform dive) MPSF All-Academic.
-- Ari Yeh: CSC Academic All-District honors … MPSF All-Academic.
 
MEN'S TENNIS (14-12, 7-1)
-- Final national ranking of #41 by the ITA.
-- Fourth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.
-- Was the WCC Tournament runner-up.
-- Co-West Coast Conference regular season champions.
-- Edward Winter: ITA Southwest Regional Newcomer of the Year … 2024 WCC Freshman of the Year … NCAA Singles Tournament participant … All-WCC first team (singles) … All-WCC second team (doubles) … 2x WCC Singles Player of the Week (3/5, 4/23) … WCC Doubles Team of the Week (2/27) … ITA Southwest Regional Runner-Up (doubles) … Was named a Top 10 Newcomer/Freshman of the Year by the ITA … ITA National Fall Championship participant (doubles) … Earned wild card berths in singles and doubles at the 2024 Australian Open.
-- Linus Carlsson Halldin: All-WCC honorable mention (singles and doubles) … WCC Doubles Team of the Week (3/19) … WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention … CSC Academic All-District Team … ITA National Fall Championship participant (doubles).
-- George Davis: All-WCC honorable mention (doubles) … WCC Doubles Team of the Week (3/19) … ITA National Fall Championship participant (doubles).
-- Maxi Homberg: WCC All-Academic Honorable Mention … WCC Singles Player of the Week (2/27) … ITA Southwest Regional Runner-Up (doubles) … ITA National Fall Championship participant (doubles).
-- Pietro Fellin: All-WCC first team (singles) … All-WCC second team (doubles) … WCC All-Academic honorable mention … WCC Doubles Team of the Week (2/27).

WOMEN'S TENNIS (21-7, 6-0)
-- Final national ranking of #6 by the ITA.
– Second NCAA semifinal appearance in school history.
-- Outright WCC champions.
-- Per Nilsson: WCC Coach of the Year.
-- Savannah Broadus/Janice Tjen: NCAA Doubles Runner-Up … #1 in the final ITA doubles rankings … ITA All-Americans … First Pepperdine women's doubles team to play in the national championship and earn All-American honors three times.
-- Savannah Broadus: ITA All-American (singles and doubles) … 2024 WCC Player of the Year … All-WCC first team (singles and doubles) … #16 in the final ITA singles rankings … WCC Player of the Week (2/6, 2/27) … WCC Doubles Team of the Week (1/16, 2/13, 2/27, 3/5, 3/19, 3/26, 4/9) … WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Anna Campana: All-WCC honorable mention (singles) … #103 in the final ITA singles rankings … WCC All-Academic Team.
-- Jasmine Conway: WCC Freshman of the Year … All-WCC first team (doubles) … WCC Doubles Team of the Week (3/12, 4/16).
-- Nikki Redelijk: WCC Scholar-Athlete of the Year … All-WCC second team (singles) … #71 in the final ITA singles rankings … WCC Player of the Week (3/26) … WCC All-Academic Team.
-- Janice Tjen: ITA All-American (doubles) … All-WCC first team (singles and doubles) … #35 in the final ITA singles rankings … WCC Player of the Week (4/2, 4/16) … WCC Doubles Team of the Week (1/16, 2/13, 2/27, 3/5, 3/19, 3/26, 4/9).
-- Vivian Yang: NCAA All-Tournament Team.
-- Lisa Zaar: ITA All-American (singles) … All-WCC first team (singles and doubles) … #19 in the final ITA singles rankings … WCC Player of the Week (1/30, 2/13) … WCC Doubles Team of the Week (3/12, 4/16).
 
MEN'S TRACK
-- Four school records broken (400-meter dash (twice), 200-meter dash and 100-meter dash). 
– Jonathan Flint: WCC Male Postgraduate Scholarship.
 
WOMEN'S TRACK 
-- Two school records broken (indoor 1,000-meter run and indoor 3,000-meter run). 
-- 11 MPSF All-Academic team honors.
-- Maddy Ortman: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Caroline Graham: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Ashley Eagan: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Isaella Reyes: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Elle Shrader: Set school record in 3,000-meter indoor run … MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Mia Skuraton: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Brooke Bakken: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Abby Winter: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Avery Smith: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Megan La Camera: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Lexie Dellevigne: MPSF All-Academic Team. 
-- Hannah Miller: Set school record in the indoor 1,000-meter run.
 
MEN'S VOLLEYBALL (17-11, 5-7)
-- Final national ranking of #10 by the AVCA.
-- Fifth-place in the MPSF regular season.
-- Matthew Pollock: Elevated to associate head coach of the Waves in June … Selected as an assistant coach for USA's U21 National Team roster and coached incoming freshman Cole Hartke to a gold medal at the NORCECA U21 Continental Championship.
-- Luke Reynolds: Hired as associate head coach of the Waves in June and selected to USA Men's Collegiate National Team's coaching staff.
-- Akin Akinwumi: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Ryan Barnett: MPSF Offensive Player of the Week (2/26).
-- Trey Cole: MPSF All-Academic, All-MPSF honorable mention … MPSF Defensive Player of the Week (4/1).
-- Martin de Chavarria: CSC Academic All-District … MPSF All-Academic … MPSF Defensive Player of the Week (3/4).
-- Andersen Fuller: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Ryan Graves: MPSF All-Freshman Team … MPSF Offensive Player of the Week (3/18).
-- Cole Ketrzynski: All-MPSF honorable mention.
-- Alex Mrkalj: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Brendan Read: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Cole Rasic: MPSF All-Academic.
-- Ethan Watson: MPSF Freshman of the Year … MPSF All-Freshman Team.
 
WOMEN'S BEACH VOLLEYBALL (22-16)
-- Reached WCC Championships final for ninth-consecutive season.
-- Kristine Briede: All-WCC first team … WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Kate Clermont: All-WCC first team … WCC All-Academic first team … CSC Academic All-District honors.
-- Emi Erickson: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Maya McNabney: WCC All-Freshman team.
-- Kaydon Meyers: WCC Freshman of the Year
-- Madison Oriskovich: All-WCC first team … WCC All Academic honorable mention
-- Gracie Pedersen: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Gabriella Perez: All-WCC second team.
-- Aubrey Roberts: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Sarlota Svobodova: All-WCC second team … CSC Academic All-District honors.
-- McKenna Thomas: All-WCC first team … WCC All-Academic first team … CSC Academic All-District honors.
 
WOMEN'S INDOOR VOLLEYBALL (19-9, 15-1)
-- Competed in first round of the NCAA Tournament (earned program's 27^th bid all-time).
-- WCC Regular Season Champions for 12^th time in program history and first time since 2011.
-- Scott Wong: WCC Coach of the Year.
-- Emma Ammerman: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Rosemary Archer: Invited to U.S. Women's National Team Open Program.
-- Laine Briggs: WCC All-Freshman Team … Invited to U.S. Women's National Team Open Program.
-- Meg Brown: All-WCC first team.
-- Grace Chillingworth: AVCA All-American honorable mention … AVCA All-Pacific South Region first team … WCC Player of the Year … All-WCC first team … WCC Offensive Player of the Week (10/16, 10/23, 11/6, 11/13) … WCC All-Academic honorable mention … Invited to U.S. Women's National Team Open Program.
-- Emily Hellmuth: All-WCC second team.
-- Birdie Hendrickson: All-WCC first team … Invited to U.S. Women's National Team Open Program.
-- Kenadie Patterson: WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Riley Patterson: AVCA All-Pacific South Region honorable mention … WCC Libero of the Year … All-WCC first team … WCC All-Academic first team.
-- Vanessa Polk: All-WCC honorable mention … CSC Academic All-District first team … WCC All-Academic honorable mention.
-- Isabel Zelaya: AVCA All-Pacific South Region honorable mention … WCC Setter of the Year … All-WCC first team … CSC Academic All-District first team … WCC All-Academic first team.
 
MEN'S WATER POLO (25-6, 5-1)
-- Final national ranking of T-#7 by the CWPA.
-- Competed in the semifinals of the GCC Tournament.
-- Won a share of the WCC regular season title.
-- Highest national ranking since 2008 (#3).
-- Merrill Moses: Elevated to head coach in March, 2024.
-- Terry Schroeder: Earned his 500th career win … WCC Coach of the Year.
-- Ryan Brosnan: ACWPC All-American third team … WCC Newcomer of the Year … All-WCC first team … ACWPC All-Academic Team.
-- Adam Csapo: ACWPC All-American honorable mention … All-WCC second team.
-- Sandor Gal: WCC All-Academic honorable mention … ACWPC All-Academic Team.
-- Christian Hosea: WCC All-Tournament Team.
-- Dane Howell: ACWPC All-Academic Team.
-- Adam Humbert: ACWPC All-Academic Team.
-- Curtis Jarvis: 2X WCC Player of the Week (9/19, 11/14).
-- Antonio Knez: ACWPC All-American third team … WCC Player of the Year … All-WCC first team … WCC Player of the Week (9/12) … ACWPC All-Academic Team.
-- Tanner McCreary: ACWPC All-Academic Team.
-- Nico Tierney: All-WCC second team … WCC Player of the Week (9/26) … WCC All-Academic honorable mention … ACWPC All-Academic Team. 
-- Chase Wilson: ACWPC All-Academic Team.
 
PEPPERDINE STUDENT-ATHLETE AWARDS
The following awards were given during Pepperdine's Student-Athlete Honors Ceremony on April 16.
-- Male Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Johnathan Flint, men's cross country/track
-- Female Scholar-Athlete of the Year: Nikki Redelijk, women's tennis
-- Male "Wave of the Year": Trey Cole, men's volleyball
-- Female "Wave of the Year": Tori Waldeck, women's soccer
-- Maurice Hilliard Award: Ellie Hendren, women's swimming and diving & Johnathan Flint, men's cross country/track