-5x Olympian in Water Polo (Silver Medalist in 2008)
-2017 inductee into Pepperdine Hall of Fame
-All American at Pepperdine University
Jesse, who was born in Hawai’i, was regarded as one of the nation’s top recruits coming out of Coronado (Calif.) High School in 2001, where he was a two-time San Diego Union-Tribune Player of the Year and a three-time CIF champion.
At Pepperdine University, Smith earned All-American second team honors as a freshman in 2001, then was named to the first team in 2002, 2003 and 2005. He also made the All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation first team all four seasons.
Smith didn’t even wait to get out of college before playing in his first Olympics. After his first three seasons in Malibu, he redshirted in 2004 after making the U.S. squad that went to Athens, Greece. He was one of the top American scorers that year, netting nine goals at the Olympics despite being the team’s youngest player.
Post-Pepperdine, he returned to the Olympics in 2008 (Beijing, China), 2012 (London, U.K.) and 2016 (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). Smith, who scored a total of 16 goals in Olympic competition, earned a silver medal in 2008 on the U.S. team coached by his former Pepperdine mentor, Terry Schroeder. In 2020, Jesse competed in his fifth Olympics, tying the record for most appearances with teammate Tony Azevedo. He was the captain for Team USA.
Jesse began playing with the U.S. Junior National Team in 1987 and he made his senior international debut with the U.S. in 2001. He won gold medals with the U.S. at four Pan American Games (2003, 2007, 2011 and 2015). Silver medals were attained at the 2013 UANA World Aquatic Championships and 2008 FINA World League Super Finals. His international honors included being named the top defensive player at the 2014 FINA World Cup.
Jesse has also played professionally in numerous countries. They included Ethnikos Pireaus and Olympiacos in Greece, Mladost Zagreb in Croatia, Jadran Herceg Novi in Montenegro, Rari Nantes Savona in Italy, Galatasaray in Turkey, Paulistano Sao Paulo in Brazil and Gezira in Egypt. His clubs won national championships in Greece, Croatia, Montenegro, Turkey and Egypt. All of his European teams reached the top 16 in the Champions League, and he made it to the Final Four with Mladost Zagreb and Olympiacos.
