MALIBU, Calif. — Pepperdine Athletics has announced a transformational $1 million gift from Robert (Bobby) and Tisha Walton, supporting key athletic department priorities including The Mountain at Mullin Park, the golf clubhouse, and the Waves Excellence Fund.
"I'm incredibly grateful to the Walton family for this remarkable gift supporting multiple top priorities for our athletics department," said Director of Athletics, Tanner Gardner. "From my first conversation with Bobby, his passion for the Waves and desire to advance our department in a meaningful way was evident. Thank you to Bobby, Tisha, Ava, and Charlotte for their tremendous generosity."
In recognition of the gift, the women's basketball locker room in the Mountain at Mullin Park will be named the Ava and Charlotte Walton Women's Basketball Locker Room and a hitting bay in the golf clubhouse will be named the Robert and Tisha Walton Hitting Bay.
"It gives us great joy, in this season of our lives, to contribute to Pepperdine's growth," said Bobby Walton. "The university aligns with our family's core values, education, athletics, and spiritual life. We are proud to support current and future Waves, and most importantly, Pepperdine's greater purpose."
The Walton family's gift represents a significant investment in the future of Pepperdine Athletics, supporting two of the biggest athletic facility enhancements in Pepperdine Athletics history, both currently under construction on campus in Malibu.
The women's basketball locker room in The Mountain provides a modern, elite, designated space for the program as both basketball and indoor volleyball programs transition to the Mountain later this year. The new facility is a cornerstone of elevating performance and enhancing a community of belonging on campus tied in with the athletic programs. The naming will include the Waltons' daughters, Charlotte and Ava, as Ava is currently a freshman at Pepperdine in the Seaver College Sport Administration program.
The Mountain at Mullin Park will become the new home for Pepperdine's basketball and volleyball programs in 2026-27. The 3,600-seat, state-of-the-art competition venue will be complete with a 360-degree high-definition scoreboard, VIP and hospitality spaces, and custom team locker rooms. The facility will elevate the experience for student-athletes and provide fans with one of the premier indoor collegiate environments on the West Coast
In addition to their support of The Mountain, the Waltons' contribution will enhance the golf program through the naming of a hitting bay in the golf clubhouse. Located on Pepperdine's Malibu campus, currently under construction at Firestone Fieldhouse, the 8,000 square-foot clubhouse will feature state-of-the-art indoor practice equipment, locker rooms, meeting spaces, and direct access to existing student-athlete resources in the Runnels Sports and Recreation Village. The hitting bays will serve as a daily training space for golf student-athletes preparing for competition at the highest level. Upon completion, the facility will be one of the premier collegiate golf training facilities in the country, reflecting the success on the course that both golf programs have achieved.
The Walton's gift also advances the Waves Excellence Initiative, which was created in 2025 to support strategic investment in student-athletes in response to the evolving landscape of college athletics. Gifts to the fund help provide institutional NIL opportunities, expanded scholarship support and additional resources that strengthen recruiting, retention and overall competitive success, while reinforcing Pepperdine's commitment to academic excellence, Christian values and holistic student-athlete development. Launched as part of the department's response to new revenue-sharing and scholarship opportunities following the House settlement, the fund allows supporters to directly impact the future of Waves Athletics and help ensure Pepperdine remains competitive within the West Coast Conference and on the national stage.
The Walton Family's gift supports enhancing the future of Pepperdine Athletics through strengthening facilities, elevating programs and creating opportunities that will benefit student-athletes for years to come.
To learn more about investing in the Mountain at Mullin Park, the golf clubhouse, or the Waves Excellence Fund, please contact Jared Green, Associate Athletic Director for Development, via email at jared.d.green@pepperdine.edu.
ABOUT PEPPERDINE ATHLETICS
Pepperdine University boasts one of the most successful athletic programs in the country for a school of its size. The Waves have claimed 10 NCAA Division I team championships and 26 team or individual national championships in their history. Located in scenic Malibu, California, the university overlooks a panoramic view of the Pacific Ocean. Pepperdine is a Christian university committed to the highest standards of academic excellence and Christian values, where students are strengthened for lives of purpose, service, and leadership.
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