Division I · West Coast Conference
Pepperdine University Men's Water Polo
Malibu, CA · the Waves · Pepperdine University overview
29
Roster
5 over the D-I cap of 24
$1.4M
Team budget
93rd percentile in Division I
$46,656
Per roster spot
median $23,364
4
Coaches
1 head · 3 assistant
991
APR
98% of players retained
50%
Admitted
top quarter for selectivity
Pepperdine University fields a men's water polo team in the West Coast Conference (NCAA Division I). In 2024–25 the roster carried 29 players, above the median of 26, with 1 head coach and 3 assistants. Team expenses were $1,353,045, well above the median of $638k — $46,656 per roster spot, top quarter of Division I men's water polo programs. Under the Division I roster cap of 24 in force from 2025-26, that is 5 over — cuts or attrition are likely, though players already on the roster may stay (17 of 29 Division I programs carried more than the cap). The team's multi-year Academic Progress Rate is 991, about the median of 985, with 98% of players retained year to year. The school gave $4,830,068 in athletic aid across its men's teams, about $28,922 per roster spot.
Among Division I men's water polo programs
Where this program sits against its 29 peers (percentile; the tick is the median).
#3Team budgetof 29 · Division I#4Spend per playerof 29 · Division I#3Roster sizeof 29 · Division I#10APRof 29 · Division I
Team budgets across the division
this programevery Division I men's water polo program
Roster sizes (cap 24)
this programevery Division I roster
The program
- Roster29 2024–25 season
- Division I roster cap24 5 over last season
- Coaching staff1 head, 3 assistant
- Team expenses$1,353,045 for the year
- Operating expenses$242,563 game-day and travel
- Spend per roster spot$46,656 division median $23,364
- Academic Progress Rate991 multi-year; 1000 latest
- Players retained98% year to year
- Eligible100% of player-terms
- Athletic aid, men's teams$4,830,068 school-wide
- Aid per roster spot$28,922 across men's teams
- Recruiting spend, men's$302,502 school-wide
Coaching staff
| Name | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Merrill Moses head coach | Head Coach | On file · sign in |
| Mike Tragitt | Associate Head Coach | On file · sign in |
| Spencer Hamby | Assistant Coach | On file · sign in |
Put Pepperdine University on a target list, address the whole staff at once, and send each email yourself from Gmail — nothing goes out without you pressing Send.Start your board
Recruiting timing
- Coaches may first contact youJune 15 after sophomore year
- Your own emailsAny time the rule limits what coaches send back
- High-school water polo players21,756 2024-25
- Division I roster spots676 29 programs
- Odds of a spot1 in 32 3.1% of high-school players hold a Division I roster spot
General NCAA rule for Division I; the men's water polo recruiting guide has the date for each grad year, the eligibility checklist and what to put in a first email.
About the school
What an athlete asks first — each panel opens the full picture.Campus
Full picture →3,629undergraduates · 9,545 students in all
Women 67% Men 33%
- Setting
- Suburb
- Type
- Private · Doctoral/professional university
- Affiliation
- Churches of Christ
Getting in
Full picture →50%admitted · of 12,457 applicants
SAT middle 50%1250 – 1450
ACT middle 50%26 – 32
- Test scores
- Test-optional
- Graduate in 6 yrs
- 85%
Men's Water Polo
Full picture →29on the roster · 2024–25 season
Roster vs the D-I cap of 2429
5 over — players already on the roster may stay
Academic Progress Rate991
98% of players kept year to year
- Team expenses
- $1,353,045 $46,657 per roster spot · top 10% of Division I
- Coaches
- 1 head · 3 assistant
- Athletic aid, men's teams
- $4,830,068
- Recruiting spend, men's
- $302,502
Cost
Full picture →$52,216net price · after grants, aided first-years
Net price by family income
- Tuition & fees
- $66,742
Campus safety
Full picture →1.86violent offences per 1,000 · students a year, 2022–2024
- In residence halls
- 3 burglaries · 41 sex offences over 2022–2024
- Residence-hall fires
- 2 over 2022–2024
Majors
Full picture →29%of bachelor's degrees in business · 17 fields · Bachelor's, Doctorate, Master's
Research Pepperdine University
School pages built around what an athlete needs to know — the program's money and roster room, admissions fit, what a family really pays, majors, campus life and safety.
Men's Water Polo program29 on the rosterPeers, percentiles, nearby programs, comparisonsRankingsWhere it standsEvery list this school is on, nationally and in its divisionAdmissions50% admittedSAT/ACT ladders, test policy, graduationCost & aid$52,216 net priceSticker vs net price by family income, athletic aidMajorsBusiness · 29%Every field and program with degrees awardedCampusSuburb · 3,629Setting, who is on campus, housing costs, servicesCampus safety1.86 violent / 1,000Three years of reported offences against the divisionAthleticsEvery teamThe whole department: every team, staff and aid
Men's Water Polo programs within 150 miles
| School | Miles | Roster | Budget | APR | Admitted | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of California, Los Angeles Division I · Mountain Pacific Sports Federation - Men's Water Polo | 15 | 28 | $1.5M | 994 | 9% | |
| California Lutheran University Division III · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conf. | 16 | 28 | $111k | — | 89% | |
| Loyola Marymount University Division I · West Coast Conference | 17 | 25 | $970k | 1000 | 40% | |
| University of Southern California Division I · Mountain Pacific Sports Federation - Men's Water Polo | 24 | 26 | $1.3M | 981 | 10% | |
| Occidental College Division III · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conf. | 29 | 22 | $109k | — | 40% | |
| California Institute of Technology Division III · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conf. | 34 | 14 | $117k | — | 3% | |
| Long Beach State University Division I · Big West Conference | 38 | 28 | $605k | 990 | 47% | |
| Whittier College Division III · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conf. | 39 | 19 | $73k | — | 85% | |
| Biola University Division II · Western Water Polo Association Men | 41 | 26 | $459k | — | 60% | |
| California State University, Fullerton Division I · Big West Conference | 48 | 22 | $495k | — | 87% | |
| Chapman University Division III · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conf. | 52 | 27 | $169k | — | 56% | |
| University of La Verne Division III · Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conf. | 54 | 17 | $93k | — | 48% |
Other men's water polo programs in the West Coast Conference
| School | Roster | Budget | Per player | APR | Compare | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pepperdine University 5 over cap | 29 | $1.4M | $46,656 | 991 | vs | |
| Loyola Marymount University 1 over cap | 25 | $970k | $38,816 | 1000 | vs | |
| University of the Pacific 12 over cap | 36 | $783k | $21,746 | 983 | vs | |
| Santa Clara University 3 over cap | 27 | $638k | $23,635 | 987 | vs | |
| University of California, Davis 5 over cap | 29 | $569k | $19,624 | 967 | vs | |
| San Jose State University 2 over cap | 26 | $488k | $18,758 | 933 | vs | |
| Saint Mary's College of California | — | — | — | — | vs | |
| U.S. Air Force Academy | — | — | — | 977 | vs |
Every West Coast Conference men's water polo program · Men's Water Polo budgets ranked