Men's Water Polo To Join WCC For 2023 Season

SAN MATEO, Calif.—The San José State men's water polo program will change conferences for the 2023-24 academic year as the Spartans will join the West Coast Conference to compete, as WCC Commissioner Gloria Nevarez announced the addition of the sport to the conference.
 
The Spartans currently compete in the Golden Coast Conference and will do so for the 2022 season before becoming an affiliate member of the WCC for men's water polo.
 
"We are really excited to be part of the WCC, and the addition of a new conference is great for intercollegiate men's water polo," said Spartan head coach Bruce Watson. "This is good for San José State men's water polo and creates a new avenue for the future development and growth of our sport! The WCC will be extremely competitive immediately and will be one of the best men's water polo conferences in the country!"
 
Men's water polo will become the 16th WCC-sponsored sport, when competition begins in the fall of 2023. The seven-team conference will consist of four WCC member institutions – LMU, Pacific, Pepperdine and Santa Clara – currently fielding men's water polo programs, and three affiliate members – Air Force, California Baptist and San José State.
 
The WCC Presidents' Council supported the addition of men's water polo as a WCC sport, and the Conference secured the three affiliate members to make up the seven-team league.
 
"I am very excited for the addition of men's water polo in the West Coast Conference," Nevarez said. "We were presented with an opportunity to explore additional opportunities for our men's water polo student-athletes.  Our membership felt strongly it was time to add men's water polo to ensure the stability of the sport in the western region.  The four Conference member institutions fielding programs, coupled with three very strong affiliate members, provides a great deal of excitement as we prepare for the inaugural season of WCC men's water polo in 2023."
  
Last season, competing in the Western Water Polo Association, California Baptist advanced to the championship game in the 2021 WWPA Tournament, while LMU defeated UC San Diego to claim third place. Pacific and Pepperdine played in the Golden Coast Conference, and the Tigers reached the GCC Tournament final. Pacific was the NCAA runner-up in 2019, hosting the NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship at Chris Kjeldsen Pool on their campus that season.
 
ABOUT THE WEST COAST CONFERENCE
The West Coast Conference was formed in 1952 and has evolved and grown to become a nationally recognized and competitive force in Division I intercollegiate athletics. The WCC is characterized by the stability of its membership and its unique emphasis on combining excellence in athletics with excellence in academics. For more information, visit WCCsports.com and follow the West Coast Conference on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @WCCsports.
 
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