Biola athletics has recently announced the addition of men’s and women’s water polo to the growing sports program. After running the proposal by the President’s Cabinet and Board of Trustees, both a men’s and women’s team will be added to the Eagles community. According to Biola’s Athletics page, the two teams will play their matches across the street at SPLASH! Aquatic Center. While this sport will not be instated until 2021, the student body is eager for the coming years.

Senior director of athletics Bethany Miller made the following statement in an email, “There is strong student interest that has been shared from within our student body as well as great local high school and community college competition in the region. With our upcoming facility renovations, this is an exciting time to expand our student-athlete population and invest in two new teams.”

Athletics at Biola have grown in recent years. According to assistant athletic director Neil Morgan, the addition of water polo will aid Biola sports transition into NCAA.

“Adding between 40-50 additional student-athletes will help us continue to grow our Biola Athletics family as we usher in the NCAA Division II era,” Morgan said via email.

According to Athletics, Biola plans to hire two full-time coaches for both men’s and women’s teams and they will recruit student athletes for a full year before they begin competition.

Men’s and women’s water polo will bring Biola to 18 total varsity sports and around 350 total athletes.