The NCAA this week announced a number of hosting awards for national championship events through 2026. That includes the men’s and women’s swimming & diving championships (read more here) and the National Collegiate Water Polo Championships.
In NCAA water polo, there is only 1 NCAA-sponsored division, the “National Collegiate Division.” Previously, the NCAA had announced hosts through the 2021-2022 season for college water polo, but the newest list extends that through the 2025-2026 season.
Most of the water polo power in the United States is in California, and so it’s no surprise that 7 of the 8 announced host sites are in California.
The 2020 men’s water polo championship is currently on hold due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic – men’s water polo is a fall season sport.
The women’s championships, however, will leave the state of California for just the 7th time since 2001 when Indiana hosts in 2025 at the IU Natatorium in Indianapolis. The same facility hosted in 2017, with the Indiana Hoosiers playing host on both occasions.
More NCAA Championship events in the Eastern US should help grow the sport in other parts of the country.
The Stanford women are the defending NCAA Champions in water polo, winning their 7th title in the spring of 2019 before the 2020 championship was canceled.
The Stanford men are also the defending champions, winning their 11th title in the fall of 2019.
Future Hosts – National Collegiate Men’s Water Polo Championship
- 2021 – Los Angeles, California (UCLA hosting) (previously announced)
- 2022 – Berkeley, California (Cal hosting)
- 2023 – Los Angeles, California (USC hosting)
- 2024 – San Diego, California (UCSD hosting)
- 2025 – Stanford, California (Stanford hosting)
Future Hosts – National Collegiate Women’s Water Polo Championship
- 2021 – Los Angeles, California (UCLA hosting)(previously announced)
- 2022 – Ann Arbor, Michigan (Michigan hosting)(previously announced)
- 2023 – Stockton, California (University of Pacific hosting)
- 2024 – Berkeley, California (Cal hosting)
- 2025 – Bloomington, Indiana (IUPUI location, Indiana Hoosiers hosting)
- 2026 – San Diego, California (UCSD hosting)