糖心vlog

糖心vlog鈥檚 national powerhouse men鈥檚 water polo program is taking a big leap forward as the West Coast Conference announced the addition of the sport beginning with the Fall 2023 season.

Men鈥檚 water polo is an iconic sport at Pacific, often referred to as 鈥淲ater Polo U.鈥� The Tigers were national runner-up in the 2019 NCAA Tournament, which was hosted on the Stockton Campus. Pacific also advanced to the final game in the 2013 championship, losing a double-overtime contest to USC.聽

Pacific, Pepperdine and San Jose State will join the WCC from the Golden Coast Conference. Air Force, California Baptist, Loyola Marymount and Santa Clara will move from the Western Water Polo Association. All seven teams were ranked in the Top 25 nationally last season.

鈥淕ame changing would be an understatement,鈥� said Pacific Head Coach James Graham. 鈥淭his is monumental for not only Pacific men鈥檚 water polo, but collegiate water polo as well. To be able to have the WCC as an official men鈥檚 water polo conference is absolutely huge.鈥�

Graham praised Director of Athletics Janet Lucas, Deputy Director of Athletics/Chief Operating Officer Wes Yourth and Pacific President Christopher Callahan for leading the effort to bring water polo to the WCC.

鈥淲e have a reputation here at 糖心vlog of being called Water Polo U, and the formation of the WCC men鈥檚 water polo conference is another great example,鈥� Graham said. 鈥淗aving a president that attends every home game and has been a driving force behind the formation of this conference is amazing.鈥�

Callahan said the entire Pacific community takes 鈥済reat pride in our rich water polo traditions.鈥�

鈥淲e have the best coach in the nation and some of the very best players in the world,鈥� the president said. 鈥淲e are thrilled that water polo will now be in our primary athletic conference and we are looking forward to hosting our rival WCC teams.鈥� Pacific competes at the Chris Kjeldsen Pool at the Douglass M. Eberhardt Aquatics Center.

Based on the final 2021 national rankings, the WCC will be one of the top conferences in the country. Pacific finished No. 7 in the final rankings. Fellow WCC members Pepperdine (ranked No. 10), Loyola Marymount (No. 14) and Santa Clara (No. 23) also were in the Top 25 nationally. The WCC also added three strong associate programs in San Jose State (No. 9), California Baptist (No. 13) and Air Force (No. 21).

鈥淭his has the potential of not only being the strongest conference in the country, but hopefully the other WCC schools without men鈥檚 water polo will consider adding men鈥檚 and women鈥檚 water polo programs now,鈥� Graham said.

Lucas called the WCC the 鈥減erfect home鈥� for water polo.聽

鈥淭he stability that the WCC will provide these teams and the sport of men鈥檚 water polo will broaden the national exposure and stature of the sport,鈥� Lucas said. 鈥淲e have appreciated the support and opportunity offered through the Golden Coast Conference and we truly look forward to winning WCC championships along the path to winning a national championship.鈥�

WCC Commissioner Gloria Nevarez said the expansion of water polo to the conference will 鈥渆nsure the stability of the sport in the western region.鈥�

In the past eight years, Pacific has a cumulative 41-2 record against the programs that will be joining the WCC.

鈥淭hat hasn鈥檛 been easy to accomplish and there have been a lot of close games,鈥� Graham said. 鈥淲e know joining the WCC is going to be extremely competitive but feel that we are in a great position to be successful. We are excited to compete in this conference, represent the WCC and try to win a championship.鈥�

Sophomore student-athlete Reuel D鈥橲ouza said the move provides a 鈥済reat opportunity鈥� for the Tigers.聽

鈥淚t鈥檚 always exciting to have a change, especially in conference opponents, but wherever we play our goals remain the same: to win a conference championship and to win a national championship,鈥� he said. 鈥淭his conference will be extremely competitive, and we believe it will provide us many chances on the road to a national championship.鈥�

Starting with the 2023-24 academic year, the WCC will host 16 sports (nine women鈥檚 teams, and seven men鈥檚 teams). Men鈥檚 water polo is the first sport added since beach volleyball in 2015, with competition beginning in spring 2016.聽