Jesse Smith is the only Pepperdine graduate to appear in five Olympic games, doing so in every rendition from 2004 through 2020, according to Pepperdine Athletics. He won silver in the 2008 Beijing games and has served as captain of the U.S.A. water polo team since 2017 before stepping into a high school coaching role in 2021, according to The Coronado Times.
Former coaches and team members said Smith was one of water polo’s most naturally gifted athletes, making waves in the water since he first started competing. He began playing with the Junior National Team in 1987.