Salem favored to repeat in 2025
Defending Western Water Polo Association titleholder Salem has been picked to repeat as 2025 champion following a preseason vote of conference head coaches.
The Tigers received 28 total points and four first-place votes in the WWPA Preseason Coaches' Poll, narrowly edging Concordia's 27 points and three first-place votes. Biola came in third with 20, while Gannon (13) received its highest preseason ranking.
McKendree (9) and Fresno Pacific (8) rounded out the poll. UC Merced, which will play a conference regular season schedule but remains ineligible for the WWPA and NCAA postseasons, was not included in the poll.
Despite the top billing, 2024 NCAA Division II Coach of the Year Rob Bullion and the Tigers will have their work cut out for them after DII Player of the Year Nikola Krstonosic graduated and joined the coaching staff.
Salem does have experience at its disposal, however.
2024 First Team All-America and First Team All-WWPA Marko Zivojinovic returns for his senior campaign. He ranked second in the conference behind Krstonosic with 102 goals, 70 assists and 172 points. Coach Bullion will also have reigning WWPA Freshman of the Year Danko Kesic in the lineup. He finished third in the conference in goals (90) and points (124) behind Krstonosic and Zivojinovic.
Concordia will be satiating for its first conference crown after finishing runner-up in back-to-back seasons.
Head Coach Justin Johnson returns First Team All-America and First Team All-WWPA Harry Bentham. The Englishman ranked fourth in the WWPA in goals (69) and eighth in points (94). He also ranked in WWPA top-10 in field blocks (13) and steals (33), leading him to WWPA All-Defensive team honors. Sam Diamond, a WWPA Honorable Mention selection, and Kaliq Khan, who was named All-Freshman in 2023, balance the Golden Eagle lineup.
2023 conference champion Biola will have a new look in 2025, as Jens Cole takes the reins from program founder Rick Nordell. Cole and the Eagles graduated some key players, but welcome back All-WWPA Honorable Mention Gavin McKenzie, All-WWPA Championship Caleb Hernandez and Kyle Seifen.
Gannon head coach Zarko Sadikovic has reason to be optimistic this season as the Golden Knights come equipped with considerable experience for the first time in recent memory. Sophomore Nikiforos Liantziris, who earned First Team All-America as a freshman, will pair nicely with 2023 First Team All-America Alexandros Kotskar.
McKendree and Fresno Pacific have new faces leading their programs.
Miguel Figueras and the Bearcats have a young, but experienced squad. All-Freshman Joshua Gibson finished in the WWPA top-10 in numerous defensive categories, and junior Yannick Robertson is coming off an All-America season.
Jon Miller's FPU squad includes back-to-back All-WWPA honoree Forrest Gray as well as junior goalkeeper Chase Hammes and All-Freshman Chris Sandino.
UC Merced also has a new face leading the program as Hannah Ellett returns to her hometown to lead the Bobcats. All-time leading scorer and All-American Camden Peterson comes back, as well as all-time saves leader Matthew Lloyd.
Regular season play gets underway this weekend. Biola and Salem head to Air Force's Rare Air Challenge (Aug. 30-31), Concordia stays close to home with the UC Irvine Invite (Aug. 29-30), UC Merced hosts an Invite in which Fresno Pacific plays a part, and Gannon heads east for the Bruno Classic (Aug 30-31).
McKendree starts its season Sept. 6-7 at the Rare Air Invitational, hosted by Air Force (but not to be confused with the Rare Air Challenge hosted by Air Force).
2025 WWPA Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Salem 28 (4)
2. Concordia 27 (3)
3. Biola 20
4. Gannon 13
5. McKendree 9
6. Fresno Pacific 8
*UC Merced
*UC Merced will play a WWPA conference regular season schedule, but is ineligible for WWPA/NCAA postseason official competition due to NCAA Division II transition.