Pepperdine University Athletics

2024: Saw action in 20 games for the Waves ... Totaled 197 saves with a .503 save-percentage ... Had an 11.20 GAA to go along with 26 steals ... Made 18 saves with five goals allowed in collegiate debut against Westcliff (Sept. 7) ... Logged 11 saves with seven goals allowed to defeat CSU Fullerton (Sept. 8) ... Recorded 13 saves with seven goals allowed to defeat Westcliff (Sept. 19) ... Posted 12 saves with nine goals against to help take down No. 20 Cal Baptist (Sept. 20) ... Added 12 saves with six goals allowed to help beat CSU Fullerton (Oct. 26) ... Had 16 saves with 10 goals against in win over No. 13 San Jose State (Nov. 9).

HIGH SCHOOL: Graduated from Amal Bet High School in 2021.
 
CLUB: Competed for the Hapoel Petah Tikva club team from 2013-2021 … Also played for the Hapoel Qiryat Tivon club program from 2021-2023 ... Won the European Championship in 2024 … Competed in the National Israeli Cup in 2023 … Participated in the World Maccabiah Games in 2022 and earned a Senior European Championship qualification … Helped his U17 team to qualify for the European championship in 2019.
 
PERSONAL: Born in Petah Tikva, Israel ... Son of Yelena and Gennady Smirnov ... Has two siblings: Michael and Anastasia … Chose to attend Pepperdine because “Pepperdine has strong academics in addition to an outstanding water polo team and exceptional coaching staff. The combination of high-quality education and competitive athletics made it the perfect fit for my goals and aspirations.”
 
FAVORITES: Enjoys watching movies, playing sports and hanging out with friends and spending time with family ... Favorites include Cristiano Ronaldo (pro athlete), Real Madrid (pro team), Harry Potter (book), Batman (movie), Game of Thrones (TV show), Eminem (musical artist), hamburgers (food) and soccer (sport other than water polo) ... Favorite thing about water polo is “that it requires intense effort and dedication to excel. The combination of swimming and ball handling makes it both challenging and enjoyable. Additionally, it's an incredible sport played by some genuinely great individuals who bring a positive and competitive spirit to the game.”