WCC Adds Men's Water Polo

This does not necessarily pertain to Pilot athletics, but I noticed that the WCC is adding men's water polo for this upcoming academic year. Participants will include four WCC regulars (LMU, Pacific, Pepperdine, and Santa Clara) as well as three affiliates (Air Force, Cal Baptist, and San Jose State).

Some fun facts about NCAA water polo: 100% of the men's and women's championships have been won by schools from California. 90% of the men's championships have been won by either Cal (16), UCLA (12), Stanford (11), or USC (10). The other five have been won by UC Irvine (3), UC Santa Barbara (1), and the WCC's very own Pepperdine in 1997. Pacific has actually be national runner up twice with their most recent appearance being 2019.

Pepperdine's pool was actually a venue for Olympic water polo during the 1984 Games in Los Angeles.

This caught my interest as a former water polo myself and being perhaps one of the last active members of the UP water polo club (RIP, I think?). I spent a considerable amount of time in the old Howard Hall 20-yard (not even a proper 25) pool. I was sad to see that pool go (I heard they closed the Columbia Park pool too?), and I was upset when the new Beauchamp Recreation Center did not have plans for a pool (and perhaps I still am?).

https://wccsports.com/news/2022/7/18/general-west-coast-conference-adds-mens-water-polo.aspx

I only stumbled upon this while I was wondering if Stanford's Olympic sports would fit in the WCC should the Pac 12 implode. A stray thought not worth another moment of anyone's time.

Well it’s not like North Portland will be devoid of indoor swimming facilities. The city has just secured $31 million in funding from state lottery money for a $50 million aquatic center at Northgate Park and Fessenden, just a mile and a quarter from the campus.

https://www.opb.org/article/2023/07/04/north-portland-indoor-pool-aquatic-center-northgate-park/

A long term use contract could probably help make up the shortfall.