Team History
The WSU polo team was started by Pat Dix in 1963. Pat Dix first attended Cornell University and won a national championship with the Cornell polo team under the coaching expertise of Dr. Stephen J. Roberts. Dr. Roberts was very well known in the science community and in the world of polo. He himself also played polo for Cornell, captaining the first national championship polo team in 1937.
In the mid 1980’s interest in polo was rekindled at WSU. Dr. Hal Schott, who had some previous polo experience, got the team going again. He served as the polo team’s advisor for several years, before going to Michigan State University to teach and do equine research. By 1990 the team was more competitive, and they began playing against other intercollegiate teams again. Since the reviving of polo at WSU, the men’s team has made it to nationals in 1999, 2001, 2002, and 2006.
The WSU women have had some of their own successes, but have been somewhat overshadowed by the men. The women’s team gained strength in 1995 when they placed at western regionals for the first time. They have made appearances at western regionals nearly every year since, but have yet to make an appearance at nationals.