Photo by: Kelly Nugent
No. 4 Men’s Volleyball Earns At-Large Bid to NCAA Tournament
4/26/2026 1:59:00 PM | Men's Volleyball
MALIBU, Calif. – The No. 4 Pepperdine men's volleyball team (23-6, 13-1 MPSF) were selected as an at-large into the 2026 NCAA Tournament for the first back-to-back appearances under head coach Jonathan Winder.
"We've learned a ton this season and battled even when things haven't been perfect," Winder said. "Really grateful we get to go and have a new life in this new season."
Splitting the regular season title with No. 1 UCLA, sweeping No. 10 BYU in Provo, and taking one off No. 3 Hawaii on the road were all resume boosters to get Pepperdine into the tournament despite not winning the MPSF conference tournament.
Headed to Indianapolis, Indiana, the Waves will play Fort Valley State in the opening round of the NCAA tournament Friday, May 1. Overall, Pepperdine is 1-0 against the Wildcats with a 3-0 sweep in 2024 in Malibu. FVSU earned their way into the tournament by winning the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) both in the regular season and the conference tournament.
If the Waves were to win, they would play Ball State Saturday, May 2. Times will be announced at a later date. The entire bracket can be found here.
The opening matches will be streamed on ESPN+. Live stats will be available at www.pepperdinewaves.com
ABOUT PEPPERDINE MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Pepperdine men's volleyball boasts one of the richest histories in collegiate volleyball, with five NCAA National Championships. Four of those championships came under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy who totaled 612 victories in 34 seasons at the helm. With 19 NCAA Appearances and 63 All-Americans, the program has consistently been a destination for top talent across the country. Under current head coach Jonathan Winder, the Waves reached the NCAA Final Four in his third season at the helm in 2025.
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine men's volleyball news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineMVB_ .
"We've learned a ton this season and battled even when things haven't been perfect," Winder said. "Really grateful we get to go and have a new life in this new season."
Splitting the regular season title with No. 1 UCLA, sweeping No. 10 BYU in Provo, and taking one off No. 3 Hawaii on the road were all resume boosters to get Pepperdine into the tournament despite not winning the MPSF conference tournament.
Headed to Indianapolis, Indiana, the Waves will play Fort Valley State in the opening round of the NCAA tournament Friday, May 1. Overall, Pepperdine is 1-0 against the Wildcats with a 3-0 sweep in 2024 in Malibu. FVSU earned their way into the tournament by winning the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SIAC) both in the regular season and the conference tournament.
If the Waves were to win, they would play Ball State Saturday, May 2. Times will be announced at a later date. The entire bracket can be found here.
The opening matches will be streamed on ESPN+. Live stats will be available at www.pepperdinewaves.com
ABOUT PEPPERDINE MEN'S VOLLEYBALL
Pepperdine men's volleyball boasts one of the richest histories in collegiate volleyball, with five NCAA National Championships. Four of those championships came under the direction of Hall of Fame coach Marv Dunphy who totaled 612 victories in 34 seasons at the helm. With 19 NCAA Appearances and 63 All-Americans, the program has consistently been a destination for top talent across the country. Under current head coach Jonathan Winder, the Waves reached the NCAA Final Four in his third season at the helm in 2025.
FOLLOW
To stay up-to-date on the latest Pepperdine men's volleyball news, follow the Waves on social media @PepperdineMVB_ .
