SALEM, W.Va. — Salem University men's water polo head coach Robert Bullion has announced the program's 2026 schedule, a challenging slate that features nationally recognized competition, two home events at The Bridge Sports Complex, and a full Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) schedule as the Tigers prepare for another season of competition.
The Tigers will open the season Labor Day weekend at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland, where Salem will face four strong opponents over two days. The opening weekend includes matchups against Princeton, Navy, Iona, and Johns Hopkins, providing an early measuring stick against several established collegiate programs.
Salem returns home the following weekend to host the Salem Invitational at The Bridge Sports Complex in Bridgeport, West Virginia. The Tigers will welcome Fresno Pacific, Mercyhurst, Washington & Jefferson, and George Washington for four matches over three days, giving fans their first opportunity to see Salem compete on its home deck during the 2026 campaign.
The road schedule resumes with the Bucknell Invitational on September 19-20, where Salem is slated to take on Bucknell, Wagner, and MIT before traveling to the McKendree Invitational in October. That event features contests against Augustana along with Johns Hopkins, while exhibition matches against Mt. San Antonio College and Saddleback College will provide additional opportunities for competition against top California programs.
Later in October, the Tigers head to the Harvard Invitational for contests against Wheaton (Mass.), LIU, Brown, and Biola before returning to Bridgeport for one of the season's marquee weekends.
Salem will host the WWPA West Virginia Weekend from October 23-25 at The Bridge Sports Complex. The conference weekend features home matches against Gannon, Washington & Jefferson, McKendree, and Mercyhurst as the Tigers battle for positioning heading into postseason play.
The regular season concludes with the WWPA Erie Weekend in Erie, Pennsylvania, on November 7 before the Tigers travel west for the 2026 WWPA Championship, scheduled for November 20 in La Mirada, California.
The 2026 schedule features competition across five states and includes multiple tournaments against nationally competitive programs, providing Salem with a demanding schedule as the Tigers pursue success in WWPA play and a berth in the conference championship.
