Courtesy: Collegiate Water Polo
BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Men’s Water Polo Champion the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) concludes the year at No. 1 as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) releases the Week 9/March 24/Final Winter 2021 Men’s Varsity National Top 10 Poll.
Voted on by a panel of coaches from the MAWPC, Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC), Golden Coast Conference, Western Water Polo Association (WWPA), Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF), Southern California Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (SCIAC) and the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), the polls were compiled and released on Wednesdays during the abbreviated Winter 2021 season.
WINTER 2021 MEN’S VARSITY NATIONAL TOP 10 (WEEK 9/FINAL)
It was a long way to the top, but the Bruins of the University of California-Los Angeles reign supreme in the Week 9/March 24/Final National Men’s Varsity Top 10 Poll.
The National Top 10 was a change from the normally released Top 20 due to a decrease in the number of varsity programs competing during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Competing in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California’s Uytengsu’s Aquatics Center, UCLA (100 points) played its way through the field by defeating California Baptist University (19-14) on March 18 prior to upending Stanford University (11-10 W) on March 20 and finally the host Trojans (7-6 W) on March 21 to wrap-up a 9-7 season and the program’s 12th NCAA Men’s Water Polo title.
The results of the NCAA Championship cause a ripple through the final Top 10 poll as USC (95 points) moves up to No. 2, while previously No. 1 and 2 Stanford University (88 points) and the University of California (88 points) stay true to their final standing in the NCAA field and tie for No. 3.
Pepperdine University (80 points), California Baptist (75 points) and Loyola Marymount University (67 points) retain their Week 8 rankings at No. 5-to-7, respectively, while the final three positions in the Top 10 are shared by four teams.
The United States Naval Academy (58 points), the United States Air Force Academy (58 points), San Jose State University (58 points) and Bucknell University (58 points) wrap-up the final poll for the Winter of 2021 as the quartet are knotted at No. 8 in the concluding standings for the season.
WINTER 2021 MEN’S VARSITY TOP 10 (WEEK 9/MARCH 24/FINAL) |
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| Rank | Team | Week 8 Poll | Points |
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles | 3 | 100 |
| 2 | University of Southern California | 4 | 95 |
| 3 (T) | University of California | 2 | 88 |
| 3 (T) | Stanford University | 1 | 88 |
| 5 | Pepperdine University | 5 | 80 |
| 6 | California Baptist University | 6 | 75 |
| 7 | Loyola Marymount University | 7 | 67 |
| 8 (T) | United States Naval Academy | 10 (T) | 58 |
| 8 (T) | United States Air Force Academy | 8 (T) | 58 |
| 8 (T) | San Jose State University | 8 (T) | 58 |
| 8 (T) | Bucknell University | 10 (T) | 58 |
| RV | La Salle University | RV | 40 |
| RV | Fordham University | RV | 40 |
| RV | Santa Clara University | RV | 38 |
| RV | George Washington University | RV | 35 |
| RV | McKendree University | RV | 26 |
| RV | Fresno Pacific University | RV | 19 |
| RV | Mount St. Mary’s University | RV | 15 |
| RV | Gannon University | RV | 12 |
| RV | Iona College | RV | 6 |
| RV | Austin College | RV | 2 |
| RV | Mercyhurst University | RV | 2 |
| RV | Salem University | RV | 2 |