Waves Head North for the West Coast Challenge

Friday, March 28

Santa Cruz, Calif.

10:00 a.m. PT

Pepperdine University

Portland

Photo by: Kennedy Duke

3/27/2025 10:22:00 AM | Women's Beach Volleyball

By: By Athletic Communications

MALIBU, Calif. – The Pepperdine beach volleyball team is headed to Santa Cruz, Calif. for the West Coast Challenge this weekend.

DUAL #16 — Pepperdine (8-7) vs. Portland (2-4) | Friday, Mar. 28 | 10 a.m. | Santa Cruz, Calif.

DUAL #17 — Pepperdine vs. Saint Mary's (9-10) | Friday, Mar. 28 | 2 p.m. | Santa Cruz, Calif.

DUAL #18 — Pepperdine vs. TBD | Saturday, Mar. 29 | TBD | Santa Cruz, Calif.

DUAL #19 — Pepperdine vs. TBD | Saturday, Mar. 29 | TBD | Santa Cruz, Calif.

When available, Saturday's matchups can be found on the Pepperdine beach volleyball schedule page on pepperdinewaves.com. The matchups will be determined after the conclusion of the competition on Friday.

PORTLAND — The Waves are a perfect 2-0 all-time against the Pilots, having swept them in 2021 and 2024. This season, Portland is 2-4 with wins coming against Southern Oregon and Bushnell.

SAINT MARY'S — Pepperdine has won five straight matches against Saint Mary's and is 17-2 in the all-time series. On neutral sand, the Waves are 15-2 against the Gaels. This year, Saint Mary's is 9-10 and will head into the West Coast Challenge with a two-game win streak.

LIVE COVERAGE — There will be no live stats or live streams this weekend. When available, results can be found on the Pepperdine beach volleyball X account as well as the beach volleyball schedule page on pepperdinewaves.com.

LAST TIME OUT — Last weekend, Pepperdine went 3-1 at the Asics Classic in Malibu. The Waves swept Vanguard and picked up a pair of 3-2 wins over South Florida on their home sand.

AWARDS — Kate Clermont and McKenna Thomas earned the WCC Pair of the Week on March 17 after going 3-0, clinching two of the three duels for the Waves and both earning their 75th career individual win at the Malibu Invite.

WAVES WEATHER — Friday is forecasted to partly cloudy skies with a high of 60 degrees and wind speeds will be 4-11 mph with gusts up to 21 mph. Saturday's weather will also feature a high of 60 degrees and wind speeds of 2-8 mph, while gusts will be 18 mph. Saturday will have cloudy weather.

WAVE REPORT — Pepperdine returns six players from the 2024 squad, including five Waves who started in the WCC Tournament. Of the familiar faces, the Waves welcome back seniors Kate Clermont, McKenna Thomas and Madison Oriskovich as well as juniors Emma Bubelis, Emi Erickson and Gabriella Perez. New faces will include graduate transfer Ella Foti and Marley Johnson, transfers Bella Avelar, Kenzi McSpadden and Deanie Woodruff and freshman Emma Eden, Tippi Lane and Marta Vildere.

PRESEASON PROJECTIONS — Seniors Kate Clermont and McKenna Thomas as well as junior Gabriella Perez all earned spots on the All-WCC preseason team, while the Waves were picked to finish second in the West Coast Conference preseason poll.

LOOKING AHEAD — Next week, the Waves will head to Tucson, Ariz. for the Big 12 Invitational where Pepperdine will take on TCU, Arizona State, Utah and Arizona.

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 #80 overall on U.S. News and World Report's list of America's best colleges.

FOLLOW — Follow @WavesBeachVB on Facebook and X for immediate updates, results and more. Go to PepperdineWaves.com for all information, releases and schedules. Find the Waves on Instagram @peppbeachvolley.