LA MIRADA --- Year four of the Biola Men's Water Polo program is set to begin on Saturday. The excitement around the Eagles is at an all time high, following steady improvement year-over-year for the team. 

Under the direction of Head Coach Rick Nordell, the BU squad went from its inaugural season to a conference title and an appearance at the national tournament by the end of year three. The team has high hopes and goals following a seriously successful 2023 campaign.

The 2024 season starts on Saturday with the Navy Open in Annapolis, Maryland. The challenge on the east coast features bouts against NCAA DI squads beginning with No. 5 Princeton. 

Over the length of the 2024 year, the Eagles are set to face 10 opponents who are ranked in the CWPA Preseason Poll.

BU's recruiting class of 2024 comes from a variety of locations throughout California and also a pair from Texas. There are seven incoming freshmen and one community college transfer.

"This group of young men are not only a good fit for Biola and will add to the vibrant Christian community we find here at our university, but will help to carry on and build on the successes our team has had in our first three seasons," said Nordell. "As we wrapped up our training camp prior to the start of school, these new recruits have already earned the respect of our returning players and us coaches. We look forward to integrating their skills, abilities, talents and character into our team this season."

2024 Newcomers

Cole Brown
Coach Nordell - Cole comes to us from Northern California and was a big contributor to his Del Oro High School water polo team. Cole brings a combination of speed, determination, fierce competitiveness and fun energy to our team. He has already shown himself to have the ability to make the jump to the collegiate level and make our team more competitive. 

Jake Burns 
Coach Nordell - Jake finished up two successful seasons at Cuesta College where he helped his team capture a 3rd place finish at the State Tournament. Jake is a lefty who will be a great addition to the team and strengthen up our 4-5 side of the pool. He is eager to incorporate his skills and abilities into our team play. 

Owen Curtiss
Coach Nordell - Owen comes to us from Ripon High School in the Central Valley. Owen helped his high school team to a section championship and a 2nd place finish at States. Owen adds to our defensive side of the game and will be another strong center defender on our team. His combination of size, speed and athleticism makes him an impressive addition to our team. 

Jacob DeJong 
Coach Nordell - Jacob is another member of the Del Oro High School water polo team. Jacob played a big role in helping lead his team to a section semi-final game. Jacob is a versatile player who knows how to use his size and speed to his advantage and will no doubt contribute to our team's success for years to come. 

Brandt McBride
Coach Nordell - Brandt comes to us from the Lone Star state and brings with him a big passion for the game of water polo. He has been on our radar for a while and has shown incredible improvement over the past couple of seasons. He is now very ready to take his game to the next level. Brandt's explosiveness in counter attacks will add to our team's transitional game. 

Kevin Slack
Coach Nordell - Kevin is a SoCal native who comes to us with a variety of water polo experiences. Kevin has not only led his high school team, but has played on some of the top-tier club teams in the area as well as being involved in the 6-8 Academy and learned from the greats like 5-time US Olympian Tony Azevedo. Even in just a couple weeks of practice, Kevin has already shown himself to be a great addition to the team.

Cooper Smith
Coach Nordell - Cooper is another import from the great state of Texas. Cooper's size, agility, and focus is what makes him a goalie who caught our attention. He comes into Biola to add to our defense in the cage, which has been one of our strong points in our first three seasons of Biola MWP. Cooper is a strong presence in the cage and is extremely coachable. We look forward to seeing what he does during his time here at Biola. 

Koen Vos 
Coach Nordell - Koen comes to us from Shingle Springs and Ponderosa High School. Koen will be one of the few double-sport athletes here at Biola, not only playing water polo but also competing for the Biola swim team. Koen has already proven himself as one of our fastest players up & down the pool. Koen's speed, as well as knowing how and when to best utilize it will be a huge asset to our team this season.