Pepperdine University
Rodionoff Invitational
Swim & Dive Set to Host Rodionoff Invitational Oct. 9-10
10/8/2026 12:36:00 PM | Women's Swim/Dive
MALIBU, Calif. — Pepperdine women's swimming and diving is set to open the 2026-27 season playing host to the annual Rodionoff Invitational this Friday and Saturday, Oct. 9-10, with competition beginning at 10 a.m. each day from Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool.
The Waves will welcome 10 visiting programs to Malibu for the two-day event, featuring Biola, Azusa Pacific, California Baptist, Cal Lutheran, Cal State Pueblo, Concordia, The Master's, San Diego, Utah Tech and Westmont. San Diego will compete Saturday only, while Concordia will participate Friday only.Â
The invitational will feature 38 men's and women's events across the two days, including individual swimming events, relays and diving competition.Â
Friday's schedule will feature the women's 3-meter and men's 1-meter diving events, followed by the 200 free relay, 200 IM, 1000 free, 200 back, 100 breast, 100 free and 200 fly. The opening day will conclude with the 400 medley relay.
Saturday's action will open with the women's 1-meter and men's 3-meter diving events. The swimming portion of the schedule will feature the 200 medley relay, 400 IM, 200 free, 100 fly, 200 breast, 100 back, 50 free and 500 free before concluding with the 400 free relay.
All results throughout the meet can be found on MeetMobile (subscription required). Streaming will be available here on the Pepperdine Athletics YouTube.
The Rodionoff Invitational is named in honor of former Pepperdine swimming and diving head coach and Pepperdine Athletics Hall of Famer Nick Rodionoff, who spent more than three decades establishing and leading the program.
Meet Schedule
Friday, Oct. 9 - 10 a.m.
Women's 3-Meter Diving
Men's 1-Meter Diving
Women's 200 Freestyle Relay
Men's 200 Freestyle Relay
Women's 200 IM
Men's 200 IM
Women's 1,000 Freestyle
Men's 1,000 Freestyle
Women's 200 Backstroke
Men's 200 Backstroke
Women's 100 Breaststroke
Men's 100 Breaststroke
Women's 100 Freestyle
Men's 100 Freestyle
Women's 200 Butterfly
Men's 200 Butterfly
Women's 400 Medley Relay
Men's 400 Medley Relay
Saturday, Oct. 10 — 10 a.m.
Women's 1-Meter Diving
Men's 3-Meter Diving
Women's 200 Medley Relay
Men's 200 Medley Relay
Women's 400 IM
Men's 400 IM
Women's 200 Freestyle
Men's 200 Freestyle
Women's 100 Butterfly
Men's 100 Butterfly
Women's 200 Breaststroke
Men's 200 Breaststroke
Women's 100 Backstroke
Men's 100 Backstroke
Women's 50 Freestyle
Men's 50 Freestyle
Women's 500 Freestyle
Men's 500 Freestyle
Women's 400 Freestyle Relay
Men's 400 Freestyle Relay
Pepperdine returns a strong group, including a trio of All-MPSF honorees from this past year in Sophia Blietz, Aliyah Fan and Jackie Johnson. The Waves will return eight swimmers who hold at least one individual or relay program record.
Ansley Halbach holds individual program records in the 1650 free (17:10.61) and 400 IM (4:26.66), while being part of the record-breaking 800 free relay quartet (7:28.85).
Sophia Ware enters the season as the co-program record holder in the 100 fly (54.70) and as a record holder on the 200 medley relay squad (1:41.84) along with Layla Busquets. Busquets is also part of the record-holding 400 medley relay team (3:45.38).
Aliyah Fan holds the program record in the 200 free (1:51.02) and was part of four record-setting relay performances, including the 200 free, 400 free, 800 free and 400 medley relays.
Sophia Blietz owns the school record in the 200 back (2:00.37), while Emma Guglielmello holds the top time in the 1000 free (10:16.35). Maile Sullivan holds the 100 free record (50.88) and was part of three record-setting relay teams (200 free, 400 free and 400 medley), while Paige Easton contributed to the record-setting 400 free relay (3:25.51).
The diving unit returns 2026 NCAA Zones qualifier Jackie Johnson, who holds both the 1-meter (283.80) and 3-meter (289.90) program records, while adding junior transfer Taityn Speier and a pair of freshmen in Miley Cavaness and Bailey Mahoney.
The season marks the first full season with Dan Marella at the helm, after being named head coach in March following a successful 2025-26 season as interim head coach. Marella added three-time NCAA Champion Emma Durham to the staff in the offseason as assistant coach. Monique Demaisip enters her sixth season with the Waves as diving coach.
The Waves will remain home next week to host San Diego State on Oct. 15 before sending athletes to the MPSF Open Water Championships on Oct. 17 in Long Beach.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE SWIM AND DIVE
Pepperdine swimming & diving has a rich history spanning four decades, having posted top-five finishes in its conference in 32 of 39 seasons. The Waves have captured three conference championships in the past four seasons, its first three conference titles, winning its first MPSF Championship in 2025 after joining the conference the season prior. In 38 seasons in the PCSC, the Waves saw 48 individual champions and 20 PCSC Swimmer or Diver of the Year awards. Andreea Trufasu stands as the program's lone Olympian, having competed in the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.
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