Waves Open Season at Triton Invitational

Saturday, September 7

La Jolla, Calif.

10:30 a.m. PT

Pepperdine University

Pomona-Pitzer

Photo by: Jerry Harris

9/5/2024 12:48:00 PM | Men's Water Polo

Game Notes

By: By Athletic Communications

MALIBU, Calif. — The #13 Pepperdine men's water polo team begins the 2024 campaign with four games at the Triton Invitational in La Jolla, Calif. this weekend.

The Waves will take on Pomona-Pitzer and Westcliff on Saturday before facing off against the three-time defending national champions #2 California Bears on Sunday afternoon. Pepperdine will then wrap up its opening weekend with a matchup against Fullerton on Sunday evening.

GAME #1 — #13 Pepperdine (0-0) vs. Pomona-Pitzer (0-0) | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 10:30 a.m. PT. | Triton Pool | La Jolla, Calif.

GAME #2 — #13 Pepperdine vs. Westcliff | Saturday, Sept. 7 | 4 p.m. PT | Canyonview Pool | La Jolla, Calif.

GAME #3 — #13 Pepperdine vs. #2 California | Sunday, Sept. 8 | 1:15 p.m. PT | Triton Pool | La Jolla, Calif.

GAME #4 — #13 Pepperdine vs. Fullerton | Sunday, Sept. 8 | 5:15 p.m. PT | Canyonview Pool | La Jolla, Calif.

SOCIAL MEDIA — Follow @PeppWaterPolo on X for updates and check out PepperdineWaves.com and Facebook (/PeppWaterPolo) for releases and more information. Find the Waves on Instagram @peppwaterpolo.

ONLINE — There will be no live stream or live stats available for any of the games this weekend. However, live updates can be found on the Pepperdine water polo X account @PeppWaterPolo, and a recap will be posted each night at PepperdineWaves.com.

POMONA-PITZER — Pepperdine is undefeated all-time against the third-ranked Division III Pomona-Pitzer Sagehens, having collected 20 wins including an 18-8 victory last season.

WESTCLIFF — The Waves have matched up three times against the Warriors, won all three games and posted over 20 goals each time.

#2 CALIFORNIA — Pepperdine is 16-62-1 all-time against California with its last win coming in 2021. The Waves will look to avenge the 2023 overtime loss (10-9) against the three-time defending national champions.

FULLERTON —The Waves are a perfect 18-0 against the Fullerton Titans having won last year's contest 17-10.

MOSES — Merrill Moses, a three-time Olympian, former All-American and national champion water polo player for the Waves, was elevated to head coach in March 2024. This season will be his first year as the head coach and his 13th on staff. Over the past 12 years, the Waves are 179-138 (.565) and have won four conference titles, including a most recent regular season crown last season.

100 CLUB — Adam Csapo and Christian Hosea have both tallied over 100 career goals having found the back of the net 113 and 111 times respectively. Csapo is 37th in all-time goals for the Waves while Hosea is 39th.

WCC HISTORY —Pepperdine won a share of the first regular season WCC Title in 2023, while San Jose State won the inaugural WCC Tournament last year.

ROSTER NUMBERS — The Waves' 28-man roster breakdown is six seniors, five juniors, two redshirt sophomores, three sophomores, four redshirt freshmen and eight freshmen. Pepperdine returns 19 players from last year's roster, including 2023 All-American honorable mention Adam Csapo. The Waves also add 9 newcomers, including a freshman goalie from Israel in Max Smirnov.

SCHEDULE — Pepperdine will host eight non-conference games in September and October including three preseason top-five teams as Princeton, Stanford and top-ranked UCLA are slated to make the trip out to Malibu. The Waves are also set to face off against the other two top-five preseason teams in a road contest against USC and a neutral site battle with California. In conference play, Pepperdine will visit Air Force, Loyola Marymount and Pacific, while playing host to Santa Clara, California Baptist and San Jose State.

WCC POLL — The WCC preseason poll, as decided by the league's coaches, went as follows: Pacific, San Jose State, Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount, California Baptist, Santa Clara, Air Force.

LAST SEASON — Pepperdine went 25-6 in the fall of 2023, won a share of the regular season WCC Championship, and finished ranked tied for seventh in the country in the final CWPA poll of the year. The Waves picked up wins against five top-10 teams last season including #4 Princeton on September 24. Pepperdine also swept the WCC Postseason top honors as Antonio Knez won the Player of the Year, Ryan Brosnan garnered the Newcomer of the Year and Terry Schroeder won the Coach of the Year award. Three Waves earned All-American honors, Brosnan and Knez garnered a spot on the third team, while Adam Csapo picked up an honorable mention nod. Brosnan and Knez also made the All-WCC first team while Csapo and Nico Tierney collected All-WCC second team honors.

WATER POLO HISTORY — Pepperdine won the NCAA title in 1997, which was the last time a school other than California, Stanford, UCLA or USC won the championship. The Waves' exceptional water polo history also includes 13 conference titles, a top-10 ranking in 47 of the last 48 years and a top-five finish 21 times. Pepperdine has had 63 players earn All-American honors a total of 112 times. Three Waves — Mike Grier (1984), Geoffrey Clark (1991) and Alan Herrmann (1997) — were named the national player of the year. Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool hosted the 1984 Olympic water polo competition and the 2000 NCAA Championships.

SEASON TICKETS — Season tickets are now available for all fall sports, including water polo. Additionally, Pepperdine is offering a Fall All-Sport Pass, which grants admission to all fall home sports including women's soccer, women's volleyball and men's water polo - a $525 retail value for just $150. Learn more and access those exclusive season ticket offers here: gowav.es/peppszntix2425.

GROUP OPPORTUNITIES — Interested in bringing your group out to a Pepperdine Athletics event? Unique experiences include anthem buddies, national anthem performances, fan tunnels, halftime performances and more. Group tickets (15+ tickets) and experiences are available, beginning at $5 per person for women's volleyball, men's water polo and women's soccer. Those interested in purchasing group tickets can fill out this form or reach out to the ticket office via e-mail wavestix@pepperdine.edu or phone (866) WAVE-TIX.

JR. WAVES — Register your kid(s) to join Pepperdine's official kids club, "Jr. Waves" for the 2024-2025 academic year. Jr. Waves receive an exclusive t-shirt, membership card and a lanyard that grants free general admission to all Pepperdine ticketed sporting events. Memberships start at $100 per kid.

ABOUT PEPPERDINE UNIVERSITY — Pepperdine boasts a one-of-a-kind athletic department with unprecedented success for a school of its size. The Waves have won NCAA Division I championships in five different men's sports — one of just 20 schools to have accomplished this feat — and 10 overall. Of this elite group, Pepperdine has the smallest undergraduate enrollment, is the only school without football and is the only university that has not been affiliated with a "major" conference. The Waves have won a total of 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Pepperdine has also earned the Division I-AAA All-Sports Trophy, an award based on postseason success that's given to the top non-football school, four times (most recently in 2022-23). Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks the Pacific Ocean and its campus and athletic facilities are regularly voted among the nation's most beautiful. Pepperdine, which is affiliated with the Church of Christ, ranks #76 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.