LA MIRADA, Calif. --- Earlier this week, the Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) Executive Committee unanimously approved Biola Men's Water Polo and Biola Women's Water Polo for membership in the conference beginning in 2021-22. The WWPA was founded in 1981 as a men's water polo conference featuring NCAA Division I and III teams. The women's group was launched in 1999 and began sending teams to the national championships in 2001.

"We are so pleased to gain acceptance to the WWPA for our men's and women's water polo programs," said Dr. Bethany Miller, senior director of athletics. "To be welcomed by unanimous vote is very meaningful to us. Our goal is to be a valuable member of the conference and utilize it's platform to provide memorable experiences for our water polo student-athletes. We look forward to building strong relationships with our peers in this conference and the opportunity to share the love of Christ through the competitive giftings of our students."

Biola Men's Water Polo will be the ninth member of the WWPA, which includes NCAA Division I and NCAA Division II schools all located in the west region. The Eagles join UC Davis, Loyola Marymount, California Baptist, Concordia Irvine, Santa Clara, UC San Diego, Air Force and Fresno Pacific. 

Biola Women's Water Polo will also be the eighth member of the WWPA group. The women's conference makeup is quite different from the men's. It consists of all NCAA Division II schools, with four schools in the west and four schools in the east. The west coast group will consist of Biola, CSU Monterey Bay, CSU East Bay and Fresno Pacific. The east coast contingent has Gannon (Pa.), Mercyhurst (Pa.), Salem (W.V.) and McKendree (Ill.). The eight schools get together once per year for the WWPA Championship Tournament, which alternates between west coast and the SPIRE Institute in Geneva, Ohio. 

"I am excited about adding Biola University as a member of the WWPA in both men's and women's water polo," said Steve Doten, WWPA Commissioner. "I'm sure we all are looking forward to 2021, and now with the addition of Biola things are looking up. Biola has done a great job of establishing a new program for men and women, and the WWPA looks forward to partnering with the university to provide an exceptional college water polo experience."

Both programs are in the final stages of preparation for their inaugural seasons in 2021-22. The teams will practice and compete at SPLASH! Aquatic Center right across the street from Biola. You can follow their growing rosters at the Biola University Commitment page and on their social media (Biola WWP/Biola MWP).

Men's Water Polo is a fall sport and will have its competitive season from the first week of September through the national championship event in early-December. The tournament champion on the men's side earns an automatic berth to the National Collegiate Water Polo Championship tournament. 

UC Davis has won the tournament three of the last four seasons. Each year since 2015 the championship match has been UC Davis vs. UC San Diego. 

"I am very excited to be starting a brand new men's water polo program here at Biola in the fall of 2021. We are thrilled, as a first-year team, to be unanimously accepted into the WWPA," said Head Coach Rick Nordell. "The league is an extremely competitive men's league made up of both DI and DII teams. This will both challenge and push us to raise the level of our play and to make us competitive in this league. Being in the WWPA will give our players the opportunity to compete against some of the top teams and players in the nation. We are looking forward to this opportunity and challenge!"

Women's Water Polo is a spring sport and has its competitive season from the third week of January through the national championship event in mid-May.Just like on the men's side, the women's tournament champion earns and automatic berth to the National Collegiate Water Polo Championship.

UC San Diego has won the tournament each year since 2013, but the women's team for the Tritons has also left the WWPA for the Big West so 2022 will be open for a new champion. Fresno Pacific competed against the Tritons in the most recent WWPA Championship match and should be an exciting rival for both Biola teams.

"Biola Women's Water Polo is very excited to join the WWPA as we make our first appearance ever in the NCAA. We are determined to learn, build, and grow competitively with the other established teams in the conference," said Head Coach Sarah Orozco. "We hope to make an immediate impact and to be worthy opponents for years to come. We are looking forward to being another relentless competitor and to represent a well-known conference with a 20-year women's water polo history in the NCAA."

For more information on the WWPA, please visit their homepage at http://www.thewwpa.com/.

Save-the-date: You can help support the new water polo programs at Biola during our upcoming Biola Athletics Week of Giving in February. Look for more information at athletics.biola.edu in late-January. If you'd like to make a gift to either program now, please visit this link, select "other" and enter either men's water polo or women's water polo.