Air Force water polo to join WCC in 2023
7/19/2022 11:15:00 AM | Men's Water Polo
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo. – The Air Force water polo team will join West Coast Conference for the 2023 season, as announced today by WCC Commissioner Gloria Nevarez. Nevarez announced the addition of men's water polo as an official conference sport beginning in the 2023-24 academic year.
Air Force will be an affiliate member of the WCC and will join WCC member institutions – Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine and Santa Clara, along with fellow affiliate members California Baptist and San Jose State.
"I would like to thank Commissioner Nevarez because Air Force is thrilled to have our water polo program join the West Coast Conference," Director of Athletics Nathan Pine said. "This is an important move that will align Air Force with high quality water polo programs in the western United States and also some like academic brands."
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."
Air Force enjoyed its best season in many years, finishing with a 17-9 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the Western Water Polo Association in 2021. Air Force's 17 wins are the most under head coach Ryan Brown and the most since the 2012 team won 19. The 17 wins tied as the fifth most by any team in the nation. Air Force was also 9-0 at home, the most wins ever in an undefeated home season. Rising senior Grant Snyder is a two-time All-American and earned first-team all-conference honors last season.
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Air Force will be an affiliate member of the WCC and will join WCC member institutions – Loyola Marymount, Pacific, Pepperdine and Santa Clara, along with fellow affiliate members California Baptist and San Jose State.
"I would like to thank Commissioner Nevarez because Air Force is thrilled to have our water polo program join the West Coast Conference," Director of Athletics Nathan Pine said. "This is an important move that will align Air Force with high quality water polo programs in the western United States and also some like academic brands."
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."
Air Force enjoyed its best season in many years, finishing with a 17-9 overall record and a 5-3 mark in the Western Water Polo Association in 2021. Air Force's 17 wins are the most under head coach Ryan Brown and the most since the 2012 team won 19. The 17 wins tied as the fifth most by any team in the nation. Air Force was also 9-0 at home, the most wins ever in an undefeated home season. Rising senior Grant Snyder is a two-time All-American and earned first-team all-conference honors last season.
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