Thursday, April 10
Malibu, Calif.
3:00 p.m. PT
Pepperdine University
vs
Jessup University (Calif.)
Photo by: Jeff Golden
#8 Pepperdine Hosts Last Regular-Season Home Matches This Week
4/9/2025 8:37:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
MATCH #23 — Thurs, Apr. 10 @ 3:00 p.m. | Firestone Fieldhouse | Malibu, Calif. | B1G+
MATCH #24 — Friday, Apr. 11 @ 3:00 p.m. | Firestone Fieldhouse | Malibu, Calif | B1G+
PROMO: The first 50 kids will receive free admission with a paying adult. Simply mention this offer at the ticket tent to claim your tickets.
COVERAGE – All home and MPSF matches will be streamed on B1G+ all season, links can be found at pepperdinewaves.com.
LAST TIME OUT — In their most recent matches, the No. 8 Pepperdine Waves men's volleyball team split a two-game series against No. 3 USC. The Waves began strong, winning the first set 25-23, but ultimately fell to the Trojans in four sets (25-23, 24-26, 22-25, 23-25). Pepperdine posted a .290 hitting percentage with 61 kills, surpassing USC's 57 kills. Defensively, the Waves contributed 8.5 blocks. Individually, Ryan Barnett led with 22 kills and two service aces, while setter Gabe Dyer provided 44 assists and 13 digs. In the rematch at Firestone Fieldhouse, Pepperdine secured a four-set victory (scores not specified in the provided sources), handing USC its first conference loss of the season. The Waves set a new team-high with 17 total blocks and held the Trojans to their lowest scoring output of the season during the third set. This marked Pepperdine's first win over a top-5 opponent in the 2025 season.
POTW x2 –– After two noteworthy performances last week, including an upset of third-ranked and previously unbeaten in conference USC, freshman Cole Hartke and graduate Gabe Dyer were selected as MPSF offensive and defensive players of the week. Hartke's .342 hitting percentage, including 18 kills, helped lead the #8 Waves over the #3 USC Trojans on Saturday afternoon. The Pepperdine win handed USC its first conference loss of the season, largely due to Hartke's efforts in attack. In the two teams' first meeting last Thursday, Hartke hit .220 but averaged .278 on the week as a freshman. He also assisted on seven blocks while recording for 40.5 points of the Waves' total scoring. Hartke finished the week averaging an astonishing 4.13 kills per set. The award is his second such of the season after receiving the honor March 3. Dyer matched his career-high in digs this week at 13 total Thursday against #3 USC. During the rematch on Saturday, Dyer was a single dig shy of meeting that mark again, totaling 12 in the #8 Waves' win over #3 USC. Through both games, Dyer led the team in digs, averaging 3.13 per set. In addition to his defensive output, Dyer averaged 10.75 assists per set while recording .453 setting rate. The award is his first such recognition of the season.
SCOUTING JESSUP — Jessup is off to a strong start in its inaugural 2025 season, holding a 10-4 record. The Warriors opened the season with a 3-1 win over Pacific Union and earned their first home victory Feb. 7 with a 3-1 result against Menlo. Other highlights include a 3-1 road win over UC Merced on Feb. 12 and several sweeps of Simpson University, including one on April 2 during Senior Night. Outside hitter Jan Lopuch leads the team with 177 kills (3.77 per set) and 14 service aces. Outside hitter Carter Depue has added 110 kills (3.06 per set), while setter Taylor Marks has recorded 443 assists (9.63 per set) and 29 aces.
UP NEXT — Pepperdine will travel to Provo to face No. 5 BYU in back-to-back matches starting Friday, April 18.
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.
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.
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.
STAY CONNECTED
Keep up with all things Pepperdine Athletics by following the Waves on X and Instagram and find more on PepperdineWaves.com.
MATCH #24 — Friday, Apr. 11 @ 3:00 p.m. | Firestone Fieldhouse | Malibu, Calif | B1G+
PROMO: The first 50 kids will receive free admission with a paying adult. Simply mention this offer at the ticket tent to claim your tickets.
COVERAGE – All home and MPSF matches will be streamed on B1G+ all season, links can be found at pepperdinewaves.com.
LAST TIME OUT — In their most recent matches, the No. 8 Pepperdine Waves men's volleyball team split a two-game series against No. 3 USC. The Waves began strong, winning the first set 25-23, but ultimately fell to the Trojans in four sets (25-23, 24-26, 22-25, 23-25). Pepperdine posted a .290 hitting percentage with 61 kills, surpassing USC's 57 kills. Defensively, the Waves contributed 8.5 blocks. Individually, Ryan Barnett led with 22 kills and two service aces, while setter Gabe Dyer provided 44 assists and 13 digs. In the rematch at Firestone Fieldhouse, Pepperdine secured a four-set victory (scores not specified in the provided sources), handing USC its first conference loss of the season. The Waves set a new team-high with 17 total blocks and held the Trojans to their lowest scoring output of the season during the third set. This marked Pepperdine's first win over a top-5 opponent in the 2025 season.
POTW x2 –– After two noteworthy performances last week, including an upset of third-ranked and previously unbeaten in conference USC, freshman Cole Hartke and graduate Gabe Dyer were selected as MPSF offensive and defensive players of the week. Hartke's .342 hitting percentage, including 18 kills, helped lead the #8 Waves over the #3 USC Trojans on Saturday afternoon. The Pepperdine win handed USC its first conference loss of the season, largely due to Hartke's efforts in attack. In the two teams' first meeting last Thursday, Hartke hit .220 but averaged .278 on the week as a freshman. He also assisted on seven blocks while recording for 40.5 points of the Waves' total scoring. Hartke finished the week averaging an astonishing 4.13 kills per set. The award is his second such of the season after receiving the honor March 3. Dyer matched his career-high in digs this week at 13 total Thursday against #3 USC. During the rematch on Saturday, Dyer was a single dig shy of meeting that mark again, totaling 12 in the #8 Waves' win over #3 USC. Through both games, Dyer led the team in digs, averaging 3.13 per set. In addition to his defensive output, Dyer averaged 10.75 assists per set while recording .453 setting rate. The award is his first such recognition of the season.
SCOUTING JESSUP — Jessup is off to a strong start in its inaugural 2025 season, holding a 10-4 record. The Warriors opened the season with a 3-1 win over Pacific Union and earned their first home victory Feb. 7 with a 3-1 result against Menlo. Other highlights include a 3-1 road win over UC Merced on Feb. 12 and several sweeps of Simpson University, including one on April 2 during Senior Night. Outside hitter Jan Lopuch leads the team with 177 kills (3.77 per set) and 14 service aces. Outside hitter Carter Depue has added 110 kills (3.06 per set), while setter Taylor Marks has recorded 443 assists (9.63 per set) and 29 aces.
UP NEXT — Pepperdine will travel to Provo to face No. 5 BYU in back-to-back matches starting Friday, April 18.
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.
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.
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.
STAY CONNECTED
Keep up with all things Pepperdine Athletics by following the Waves on X and Instagram and find more on PepperdineWaves.com.
Players Mentioned
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