Friday, February 14
Santa Barbara, Calif.
7:00 p.m. PT
Pepperdine University
at
UC Santa Barbara
Photo by: Morgan Davenport
Waves Head North to Take on UCSB, Then Host the Gauchos This Weekend
2/13/2025 10:36:00 AM | Men's Volleyball
MALIBU, Calif. — Pepperdine will travel for the first time this season to Santa Barbara for a match against the No.16 Gauchos on Friday, before hosting UCSB on Saturday.
The 2005 Pepperdine National Championship team will also be honored during Saturday's match.
MATCH #9 — Friday (Feb. 14) at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif.: #11 Pepperdine (5-3, 0-0 MPSF) vs. #16 UC Santa Barbara (6-4, 0-0 Big West ) at 7 p.m. | ESPN+
MATCH #10 — Saturday (Feb. 15) at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif.: #11 Pepperdine (5-3, 0-0 MPSF) vs. #16 UC Santa Barbara (6-4, 0-0 Big West) at 7 p.m. | 2005 National Championship Anniversary Celebration
COVERAGE – All home and MPSF matches will be streamed on B1G+ all season, links can be found at https://pepperdinewaves.com.
UP NEXT — Pepperdine will host FDU for a match on Feb. 21 in Firestone Fieldhouse.
FOLLOW — Follow the Waves on Facebook and X, @PeppVolleyball, and follow the team on Instagram and TikTok, @peppmvb. Get all the most recent schedules, results and more on www.PepperdineWaves.com.
HARTKE'S HITTING SETS RECORDS — Freshman, Cole Hartke is already making his mark during his first season as a Wave. Against No. 7 Loyola Chicago, Hartke set an MPSF season-high of 27 points and 24 kills, also breaking his previous career record. Earlier in the season, Hartke broke a 20-year longstanding record for the highest hitting percentage in a single match, tabbing a .917 success rate on 11 kills.
OPPONENTS — #16 UC Santa Barbara has began their season going 6-4, after losing a series to #6 BYU last week, getting swept in both matches. The Gauchos have a 1-4 record against ranked opponents, and is averaging 13.4 kills on a .290 hitting percentage, 8.2 digs, and 1.6 aces and blocks per set, respectively.
One of many historic Big West-MPSF match-ups, this is 117th meeting between the two programs. The Gauchos and Waves have played each other every year since 1971--the second year of NCAA men's volleyball. Pepperdine won a five-set thriller here last year, and leads the series all-time, 75-41.
LAST TIME OUT — In a four-set match with the Matadors, an early CSUN lead would stall the Waves, leaving them unable to secure the match, falling in four sets. Ryan Barnett secured 18 kills, hitting a .302 throughout the four-set match, while Cole Hartke had another double-figure kill night, posting 16 on a .444 success rate, also adding three blocks and six digs. James Eadie was captain of the Malibu Roofing Co., securing five blocks, also tabbing 10 kills. Gabe Dyer tallied 43 assists on the night, also assisting on a block and adding six digs.
Pepperdine was able to sweep Dominican New York on Sunday, posting 25-17, 25-11, and 25-14 set scores. As a team, Pepperdine hit their third-best percentage in program history, with a .660. Jose Gomez earned himself a spot in the Pepperdine record books, tying for fifth all-time with a .833 hitting percentage this afternoon, posting 10 kills, an ace, and a block. Ethan Watson swung a perfect seven-for-seven while attacking, also adding two blocks and a dig, while Matt Mazur tabbed eight kills on a .727 success rate, two aces, and two blocks.
ROSTER NUMBERS — The Waves are returning 11 players this season, including five starters, while also adding 15 new faces to the squad. MPSF Freshman of the Year, Ethan Watson, returns for Pepperdine after coming in second on the team for total blocks, posting 74 throughout his 60 sets played. Outside hitter, Ryan Barnett, ranked in the top five in three separate statistical categories for the team last season, including posting 200 kills, 82 digs, and 14 service aces throughout his 80 sets played. Sophomore setter, Ryan Graves, is also returning for his second year after leading the team in assists as the key playmaker for Pepperdine last season. Graves posted 596 assists 18 kills, and five service aces during the 2024 season.
MPSF PRESEASON POLL — In the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's preseason poll, the Waves came in fourth place after a 5-7 overall conference record last season.
FRESH FACES — Pepperdine has 15 newcomers this season, including 11 freshmen and four transfers. Outside hitter, Cole Hartke joins the Waves as a three-time JVA All-American, Volleyball Magazine All-American, member of the U21 Men's National Team, and won gold this season at the Norceca Pan-Am Championship. Outside, Jose Gomez also joins the squad after having international experience playing with Cuba's U19 and U21 National teams, playing in three Norceca Pan-Am Cups. Joining the Waves in January is freshman Grant Lamoureux who served as the captain for the U19 National Indoor Team this summer at the Norceca Continental Championship, helping the team capture a gold medal. He is a two-time AAU All-American and a three-time JVA All-American, and in the sand placed ninth at the Beach 2024 U19 World Championships in China. The Waves' transfer crew includes graduate student brothers George and Gabe Dyer who came to Pepperdine after playing for UC San Diego and USC, respectively. Jacob Reilly joins Pepperdine from Concordia University Irvine, after playing two seasons as a libero for the Golden Eagles.
2024 SEASON — Pepperdine concluded the 2024 campaign ranked #10 in the country. The Waves went 17-11 overall and finished fifth in the MPSF regular season after tallying a 5-7 league record. The Waves faced Stanford in the MPSF Tournament, falling in the first round.
WINDER AT THE HELM — Pepperdine all-time great Jonathan Winder - an NCAA champion and former national player of the year - was hired to lead the Waves in 2023 and will begin his third season in 2025. He is the ninth head coach in the storied history of the Waves' men's volleyball program and debuted with a 16-14 record last season. He most recently served as the head coach of the Fresno State women's indoor volleyball program for the previous four seasons. He had also spent time as an assistant coach for the Washington women's volleyball team, helping lead the Huskies to a 105-21 record in three seasons, back-to-back Pac-12 championships, and consecutive Elite Eight appearances in 2015 and 2016. Winder spent the 2014 season in Malibu as an assistant for the Pepperdine after playing professionally in France, Germany, Greece and Romania and spending 2007-12 as a member of the U.S. National Team.
COACHES — Returning for his fifth season as an associate head coach, Matthew Pollock will rejoin the sidelines for the Waves. With Pollock on the staff, the Waves advanced to the NCAA Tournament and finished with a #5 ranking in both 2021 and 2022. Pollock played for the Waves from 2009-12 and was a starter middle blocker in his final two seasons, earning All-MPSF honors as a senior. He played professionally in Finland, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy and Germany. Luke Reynolds joined the Waves' sideline this summer after serving as a head coach for the University of Charleston's program. He also was recently hired as Team USA's collegiate national men's team assistant coach in 2024. While with the Golden Eagles for three seasons, Reynolds led the team to 44 wins and a .543 winning percentage. He garnered EIVA Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading the program to a 22-7 record with a 14-match winning streak to open the season. That year, the team entered the AVCA national coaches polls for the first time in program history. Will Craft also joined the staff as an assistant in July 2023, bringing a wealth of playing and coaching experience at both the professional and collegiate levels. He most recently served as the head men's coach at Dominican (DIII) and was named Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year. He was an All-American at Carthage before playing with SVG
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 18 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, three times (most recently in 2011-12). 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 #75 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.
The 2005 Pepperdine National Championship team will also be honored during Saturday's match.
MATCH #9 — Friday (Feb. 14) at The Thunderdome in Santa Barbara, Calif.: #11 Pepperdine (5-3, 0-0 MPSF) vs. #16 UC Santa Barbara (6-4, 0-0 Big West ) at 7 p.m. | ESPN+
MATCH #10 — Saturday (Feb. 15) at Firestone Fieldhouse in Malibu, Calif.: #11 Pepperdine (5-3, 0-0 MPSF) vs. #16 UC Santa Barbara (6-4, 0-0 Big West) at 7 p.m. | 2005 National Championship Anniversary Celebration
COVERAGE – All home and MPSF matches will be streamed on B1G+ all season, links can be found at https://pepperdinewaves.com.
UP NEXT — Pepperdine will host FDU for a match on Feb. 21 in Firestone Fieldhouse.
FOLLOW — Follow the Waves on Facebook and X, @PeppVolleyball, and follow the team on Instagram and TikTok, @peppmvb. Get all the most recent schedules, results and more on www.PepperdineWaves.com.
HARTKE'S HITTING SETS RECORDS — Freshman, Cole Hartke is already making his mark during his first season as a Wave. Against No. 7 Loyola Chicago, Hartke set an MPSF season-high of 27 points and 24 kills, also breaking his previous career record. Earlier in the season, Hartke broke a 20-year longstanding record for the highest hitting percentage in a single match, tabbing a .917 success rate on 11 kills.
OPPONENTS — #16 UC Santa Barbara has began their season going 6-4, after losing a series to #6 BYU last week, getting swept in both matches. The Gauchos have a 1-4 record against ranked opponents, and is averaging 13.4 kills on a .290 hitting percentage, 8.2 digs, and 1.6 aces and blocks per set, respectively.
One of many historic Big West-MPSF match-ups, this is 117th meeting between the two programs. The Gauchos and Waves have played each other every year since 1971--the second year of NCAA men's volleyball. Pepperdine won a five-set thriller here last year, and leads the series all-time, 75-41.
LAST TIME OUT — In a four-set match with the Matadors, an early CSUN lead would stall the Waves, leaving them unable to secure the match, falling in four sets. Ryan Barnett secured 18 kills, hitting a .302 throughout the four-set match, while Cole Hartke had another double-figure kill night, posting 16 on a .444 success rate, also adding three blocks and six digs. James Eadie was captain of the Malibu Roofing Co., securing five blocks, also tabbing 10 kills. Gabe Dyer tallied 43 assists on the night, also assisting on a block and adding six digs.
Pepperdine was able to sweep Dominican New York on Sunday, posting 25-17, 25-11, and 25-14 set scores. As a team, Pepperdine hit their third-best percentage in program history, with a .660. Jose Gomez earned himself a spot in the Pepperdine record books, tying for fifth all-time with a .833 hitting percentage this afternoon, posting 10 kills, an ace, and a block. Ethan Watson swung a perfect seven-for-seven while attacking, also adding two blocks and a dig, while Matt Mazur tabbed eight kills on a .727 success rate, two aces, and two blocks.
ROSTER NUMBERS — The Waves are returning 11 players this season, including five starters, while also adding 15 new faces to the squad. MPSF Freshman of the Year, Ethan Watson, returns for Pepperdine after coming in second on the team for total blocks, posting 74 throughout his 60 sets played. Outside hitter, Ryan Barnett, ranked in the top five in three separate statistical categories for the team last season, including posting 200 kills, 82 digs, and 14 service aces throughout his 80 sets played. Sophomore setter, Ryan Graves, is also returning for his second year after leading the team in assists as the key playmaker for Pepperdine last season. Graves posted 596 assists 18 kills, and five service aces during the 2024 season.
MPSF PRESEASON POLL — In the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation's preseason poll, the Waves came in fourth place after a 5-7 overall conference record last season.
FRESH FACES — Pepperdine has 15 newcomers this season, including 11 freshmen and four transfers. Outside hitter, Cole Hartke joins the Waves as a three-time JVA All-American, Volleyball Magazine All-American, member of the U21 Men's National Team, and won gold this season at the Norceca Pan-Am Championship. Outside, Jose Gomez also joins the squad after having international experience playing with Cuba's U19 and U21 National teams, playing in three Norceca Pan-Am Cups. Joining the Waves in January is freshman Grant Lamoureux who served as the captain for the U19 National Indoor Team this summer at the Norceca Continental Championship, helping the team capture a gold medal. He is a two-time AAU All-American and a three-time JVA All-American, and in the sand placed ninth at the Beach 2024 U19 World Championships in China. The Waves' transfer crew includes graduate student brothers George and Gabe Dyer who came to Pepperdine after playing for UC San Diego and USC, respectively. Jacob Reilly joins Pepperdine from Concordia University Irvine, after playing two seasons as a libero for the Golden Eagles.
2024 SEASON — Pepperdine concluded the 2024 campaign ranked #10 in the country. The Waves went 17-11 overall and finished fifth in the MPSF regular season after tallying a 5-7 league record. The Waves faced Stanford in the MPSF Tournament, falling in the first round.
WINDER AT THE HELM — Pepperdine all-time great Jonathan Winder - an NCAA champion and former national player of the year - was hired to lead the Waves in 2023 and will begin his third season in 2025. He is the ninth head coach in the storied history of the Waves' men's volleyball program and debuted with a 16-14 record last season. He most recently served as the head coach of the Fresno State women's indoor volleyball program for the previous four seasons. He had also spent time as an assistant coach for the Washington women's volleyball team, helping lead the Huskies to a 105-21 record in three seasons, back-to-back Pac-12 championships, and consecutive Elite Eight appearances in 2015 and 2016. Winder spent the 2014 season in Malibu as an assistant for the Pepperdine after playing professionally in France, Germany, Greece and Romania and spending 2007-12 as a member of the U.S. National Team.
COACHES — Returning for his fifth season as an associate head coach, Matthew Pollock will rejoin the sidelines for the Waves. With Pollock on the staff, the Waves advanced to the NCAA Tournament and finished with a #5 ranking in both 2021 and 2022. Pollock played for the Waves from 2009-12 and was a starter middle blocker in his final two seasons, earning All-MPSF honors as a senior. He played professionally in Finland, Switzerland, Portugal, Italy and Germany. Luke Reynolds joined the Waves' sideline this summer after serving as a head coach for the University of Charleston's program. He also was recently hired as Team USA's collegiate national men's team assistant coach in 2024. While with the Golden Eagles for three seasons, Reynolds led the team to 44 wins and a .543 winning percentage. He garnered EIVA Coach of the Year in 2023 after leading the program to a 22-7 record with a 14-match winning streak to open the season. That year, the team entered the AVCA national coaches polls for the first time in program history. Will Craft also joined the staff as an assistant in July 2023, bringing a wealth of playing and coaching experience at both the professional and collegiate levels. He most recently served as the head men's coach at Dominican (DIII) and was named Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Coach of the Year. He was an All-American at Carthage before playing with SVG
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 18 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, three times (most recently in 2011-12). 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 #75 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.
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