THE BIG WEST EXTENDS RELATIONSHIP WITH KAP7 FOR MEN’S AND WOMEN’S WATER POLO

IRVINE, Calif. (October 5, 2023) – The Big West has announced an extension and enhancements to an agreement with KAP7 International, Inc., the preeminent water polo equipment company, to serve as the official ball of both men’s and women’s water polo for The Big West.  

Since 2017, The Big West has used KAP7 balls at its women’s water polo championship. This new multi-year agreement expands this relationship to include men’s water polo which is currently playing first season in The Big West after the conference agreed in 2022 to reinstitute it as a conference-sponsored sport. The deal also provides Big West squads in both sports with access to ancillary products from KAP7, TURBO, ANTIWAVE and Colorado Time Systems in addition to KAP7’s Hydrogrip water polo balls. 

“We are proud of the long-term partnership we have established with KAP7 and are excited to extend this agreement to include many of KAP7’s best-in-class products,” Big West Commissioner Dan Butterly said. “Our student-athletes in men’s water polo will soon learn what our women’s teams have known for years, that KAP7 provides a premier product for premier athletes.” 

“The Big West adding Men’s Water Polo is fantastic and provides the universities a direct path to the NCAA Championship. We are excited to support The Big West and particularly the student-athletes. The opportunity to expand our relationship and offer our full suite of products to support the universities allows us to continue our mission to expand the sport of water polo and grow the sport around the globe. We are proud our KAP7 Hydrogrip water polo ball continues to be the industry leading choice for athletes worldwide,” said Bradley Schumacher KAP7 President and Founder.   

KAP7 balls will be used during conference play and during both conference championship events. The 2023 Big West Men’s Water Polo Championship will be held Friday, November 17 through Sunday, November 19, 2023, at Canyonview Aquatic Center on the campus of UC San Diego. The 2024 Big West Women’s Water Polo Championship runs Friday, April 26 through Sunday, April 28, 2024, at Schaal Aquatics Center on the campus of UC Davis.   

About The Big West 
The Big West is an NCAA Division I member with 11 members with the shared goal of empowering every student-athlete in competition and in life and uniting its university communities through championship experiences. Formed in 1969, The Big West membership, consists of Cal Poly, Cal State Bakersfield, Cal State Fullerton, CSUN, Hawai‘i, Long Beach State, UC Davis, UC Irvine, UC Riverside, UC San Diego and UC Santa Barbara. The Big West is united in the pursuit of boundless opportunities, enduring integrity, bold activism, fearless innovation and the pacific spirit of freedom, exploration and progress.  
 
The Big West sponsors 19 sports at the NCAA Division I level: baseball, softball, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s volleyball, women’s beach volleyball, men’s and women’s cross country, men’s and women’s golf, men’s and women’s soccer, men’s and women’s tennis, men’s and women’s track and field and men’s and women’s water polo. 

Formore information, visit BigWest.org or follow The Big Weston X @BigWestSports 

About KAP7 International, Inc. 
KAP7 was formed to design and build innovative world-class products for the water polo community. The company's products are "Built by Water Polo Players, For Water Polo Players". KAP7 is committed to growing the sport of water polo around the world. A portion of every sale goes back to the sport. We are club athletes. We were collegiate athletes. We are Olympians. We are fans. We are coaches. We love providing the best products. We love water polo. We are water polo. 
 
Founders: Bradley Schumacher (2 x Olympic Gold Medalist) & Wolf Wigo (3 x Olympian & World Champion) 
 
www.KAP7.com