EDINBURG, Texas – Pepperdine Swim & Dive heads to the Rio Grande Valley for four days of the MPSF Swimming & Diving Championships. The UTRGV-hosted competition begins Feb. 25 in the Pharr-PSJA Natatorium and ends Saturday.
"This is a calm and confident group that has been through a ton of adversity this year," said interim head coach Dan Marella. "This conference also looks a whole lot different than it did a year ago. This program has already done incredibly special things from an athletics perspective. They also achieved the highest GPA in program history last Fall, connected with our local Malibu community through service, and handled a coaching change mid-year seamlessly."
From the onset, the Waves will look to demonstrate the skill and determination that has helped guide them all year. The 1-meter on Wednesday sees entries from Jackie Johnson (the program record holder, 271.20) and Vivian Vallely (the 2024-25 MPSF Diver of the Year). These two should provide Pepperdine with positive performances in what will be a highly-contested event.
The following day is headlined by the 50 free and 200 free relay. Three blue and orange swimmers are seeded in the top-20 in the one-lap sprint. In the relay half of the four legs from the 2024 school record (1:33.09) squad will reprise their place this week.
Friday should provide the Waves with plenty of overall scoring opportunities—five of the team's swimmers are seeded in the top-24.
Emma Guglielmello and record-holder Ansley Halbach (17:10.61) have their eyes set on the final day of competition. The 1650 free final is set for 4 p.m. PST.
Saturday will also see the graduating swimmers and divers recognized by the MPSF. The ceremony is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. PST.
Pepperdine looks to repeat last year's performance at MPSFs. The Waves won the MPSF with 853 points in their second year of membership.
"The most exciting part overall for this weekend, is that we have nothing to lose and everything to gain. That is a recipe for a special meet," said Marella.
Live swimming times will be available on MeetMobile to subscribers, with dive scores posted online here. Game On is streaming each day of competition on their website, which can be purchased for $29.99 here.
The full schedule can be found here.
NEXT UP
The NCAA Diving Zone Qualifiers are set for March 9-11. Jackie Johnson and Vivian Vallely already punched their ticket earlier this season and are likely headed to Zone E in Flagstaff, Ariz.
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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