Pepperdine Men’s Water Polo attacks the goal against University of Southern California during a 2025 matchup at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool. Pepperdine hosted the Trojans in Malibu on Sept. 7. File photo by Olivia Schneider
After two consecutive trips to the West Coast Conference (WCC) semifinals, the Pepperdine Men’s Water Polo team enters the 2026 season looking to take the next step.
The Waves entered the season ranked No. 8 nationally in the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) preseason poll and were picked third in the WCC Preseason Coaches Poll, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
“Our ultimate goal is winning our conference championship and competing in the NCAA Championship,” Head Coach Merrill Moses said.
Senior utility Jon Carcarey was also selected to the All-WCC Preseason Team, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Pepperdine finished the 2025 season 17-11 with 11 wins over ranked opponents and a final national ranking of No. 9. The season ended with a 13-12 overtime loss to San José State University in the WCC semifinals, the Waves’ second consecutive season ending in the semifinal round, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
“The outcome was not what we wanted,” Carcarey said. “It was a pretty devastating loss for all of us, just seeing the seniors go out that way. It’s not an easy thing to stomach.”
Despite the loss, Carcarey said the Waves ended last season stronger than they began it and carried that momentum into the offseason.
“Overall, we ended the season a lot better than we started,” Carcarey said.
The Waves return with 21 players and added seven newcomers to the roster, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Moses said the added depth may be one of the team’s greatest strengths.
“I’d say this is the most depth we’ve had,” Moses said. “We have the most guys that are capable of playing at a high level.”
Moses said that depth will allow the Waves to rotate players more frequently without sacrificing their level of play in such a physically demanding sport.
Pepperdine Men’s Water Polo races down the pool against Loyola Marymount University during a 2025 matchup at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool. Pepperdine defeated the Lions 15-8 during their Senior Day. File photo by Britreyunna Harper
“Our depth is going to help us a lot this year with the incoming athletes that we have and the returners,” Moses said.
Carcarey will be one of the veterans leading the group. He earned All-WCC Honorable Mention honors last season and helped Team USA earn silver at the 2025 World Aquatics U20 Championships, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
However, Carcarey said Pepperdine’s success this season may depend less on individual recognition and more on the relationships between players.
“I just think we need to bond at a deeper level,” Carcarey said. “The chemistry is something that a lot of other successful teams have.”
For Carcarey, that connection has to extend beyond Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool.
“Just because we practice together all day doesn’t mean we can’t be brothers outside of the pool,” Carcarey said. “We need to be brothers inside and outside of the pool.”
Redshirt senior utility Reed Pantaleon said he has already noticed a difference in the team’s chemistry.
“We’re definitely a lot closer on our team,” Pantaleon said. “We all know each other a lot better.”
Pantaleon, who transferred to Pepperdine after one season at California State University, Long Beach, appeared in 19 games for the Waves last season, recording 13 goals and three assists, according to Pepperdine Athletics.
Now one of Pepperdine’s veteran players, Pantaleon said the program has become noticeably more team-oriented.
“This team now, compared to the team that I was on just two years ago, is so much closer,” Pantaleon said. “There’s a lot less ego on this team, and there’s a lot more love and trust on this team.”
Pantaleon said trust carries directly into competition.
“If you don’t trust your teammate out of the pool, you can’t trust them in,” Pantaleon said. “Especially with the kind of offense and defense that we run, you have to trust the guy next to you.”
The Waves will combine that experienced core with a group of newcomers that Carcarey and Pantaleon said have already stood out during preseason practices.
Carcarey specifically pointed to freshmen Hunter Danko and Tyce di Pretoro as two players who could contribute early.
“Both of them are really, really good players,” Carcarey said. “Both of them are going to fit in well, get a lot of minutes for us, maybe even start some games.”
Pantaleon said this potential extends throughout the newcomer group.
“I’m really impressed with all of our new players,” Pantaleon said. “It’s really rare that a class comes in and they’re all talented enough to start playing at the college level immediately.”
While Pepperdine works to integrate those new players, Moses said one part of the game has been the priority throughout the offseason.
“Defense wins championships,” Moses said. “We’ve been focusing a lot in the spring, summer and preseason on our defense.”
Pantaleon said another challenge will be controlling the emotional swings that can come during close games.
“We get really hyped when we do good,” Pantaleon said. “Then they’ll score, and it’ll just shut down all our energy. We need to do a better job [of] staying in the middle.”
The Waves will have plenty of opportunities to test themselves early.
After ending each of the past two seasons in the conference semifinals, Moses said the destination the Waves are working toward is clear.
“We’ve been to the semifinal the last two years of the WCC Championship tournament,” Moses said. “Our goal is to win the WCC tournament, go to NCAAs and compete for a championship.”
Carcarey shares the same expectation.
“As a team, our goal has always been the same,” Carcarey said. “It’s to win a conference championship and then compete for a national championship.”
For the Waves, getting there may come down to turning a talented roster into the connected team Carcarey and Pantaleon believe it can become.
“The talent is always there for Pepperdine,” Carcarey said. “We have good coaches and everything that we need to be successful.”
Pepperdine Men’s Water Polo comes together on the pool deck during a 2025 matchup against Loyola Marymount University at Raleigh Runnels Memorial Pool. The win marked the Waves’ third consecutive victory over the Lions. File photo by Britreyunna Harper
Pepperdine finished opening weekend 2-2 at the Triton Invite in San Diego, Calif. The Waves defeated McKendree 23-7 and Claremont-Mudd-Scripps 16-9 Aug. 29 before falling to No. 7 Long Beach State 20-18 and No. 12, University of California, San Diego 17-15 in overtime Aug. 30.
The Waves return to Malibu for their home opener Sept. 3 with games against Biola University and University of California, Santa Barbara. WCC play begins Oct. 2 at home against Loyola Marymount University, and the WCC Championships are scheduled for Nov. 20-22 at Santa Clara University.
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Email Grace Boktor: grace.boktor@pepperdine.edu