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"Pepp" Rally Inspires Spirit for Weekend Waves Games

Approximately 200 spirited Pepperdine University students attended a "pepp" rally at the Malibu campus Waves Café Thursday, Jan. 8, to celebrate the start of a new basketball season.

Riptide, the Pepperdine spirit club, donned their orange jumpsuits to teach students the Pepperdine Fight Song and six other popular songs – just in time to cheer on the Waves at the men's and women's basketball games against long-standing rivals Loyola Marymount University Saturday, Jan. 10.

Riptide was joined by Pepperdine mascot, Willie the Wave, the University's cheerleading squad, and the newly reformed band in just their third performance since a triumphant debut at the October 2008 Blue and Orange Madness. The brass and wind band of approximately 20 players accompanied the crowd as they learned the new songs. The highlight came when the crowd was divided into four groups in an informal competition to see which group could perform the Fight Song with the most volume and, of course, spirit.

The Pepperdine Waves Fight Song:
We're gonna fight! Fight! Fight!
For Pepperdine
We're gonna win for the
Orange and the Blue
The mountains and the sea
inspire victory
In the waves of Malibu!
We're gonna fight! Fight! Fight!
For Pepperdine
And show our pride now
for everyone to see
Come on and raise your voice
to show the world your choice
And cheer our team to victory-
VICTORY!

Kevin Borzenski, athletic events coordinator, hopes the presence of a live band at Waves games will inspire a livelier atmosphere during play. "Our collegiate games had an NBA atmosphere before, with canned music that the student couldn't interact with as much," he says. "Now they will be able to properly interact and join in with the revamped fight song."

The women's basketball team will face off against LMU Saturday, Jan. 10, at 5 p.m., in the Malibu campus Firestone Fieldhouse, followed by the men's game at 8 p.m., which will be televised live on ESPN U.

Damin Lopez, assistant men's basketball coach, felt inspired at the pep rally by the vibrant student crowd. "The students were there in force," he says. "I'm an alumnus, so I knew the songs from when I played here in the late '90s, but it's great for the new kids to get a feel for what it's like to be a Wave, with all the commitment and passion."

Of the weekend games, Lopez adds, "We're looking forward to tomorrow, and expecting a good solid turnout. We have a long-standing, fierce rivalry with Loyola. We recruit against them, we are similar schools in many ways – people don't realize that a lot more goes on behind the scenes than just the game itself."

For more information on Pepperdine Athletics and the basketball teams, visit the Pepperdine Athletics Web site.