UCLA and USC Sit Atop Preseason Men’s Water Polo Rankings
UCLA and USC, which met for last year’s NCAA championship, sit atop the Collegiate Water Polo Association preseason rankings. UCLA occupies the top spot and tallied 100 points in voting, with Southern Cal following in the No. 2 spot with 95 points. UCLA defeated USC in last year’s NCAA title game, 11-8, as four players netted a pair of goals. The Bruins wrapped up their championship season with a 26-2 record.
The Dodd brothers, Chase and Ryder, return to lead the Bruins in their quest for a repeat. A sophomore, Ryder Dodd was named the Cutino Award winner as the best player in the country. He scored twice in the championship again. Goalie Nate Tauscher is also back for UCLA.
There was a three-way tie for third in the preseason rankings between California, Fordham and Stanford. Fordham and Stanford appeared in last year’s Final Four. Sixth through ninth in the rankings are Long Beach State, Pepperdine, Cal-Irvine and Pacific, while Princeton and San Jose State tied for 10th.
2025 Men’s Varsity Top 20 (Preseason) |
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| Rank | Team | Final 2024 Poll | Points |
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles | 1 | 100 |
| 2 | University of Southern California | 2 | 95 |
| 3 (T) | University of California | 6 (T) | 85 |
| 3 (T) | Fordham University | 3 (T) | 85 |
| 3 (T) | Stanford University | 3 (T) | 85 |
| 6 | Long Beach State University | 6 (T) | 75 |
| 7 (T) | Pepperdine University | 13 | 61 |
| 7 (T) | University of California-Irvine | 10 (T) | 61 |
| 9 | University of the Pacific | 6 (T) | 57 |
| 10 (T) | Princeton University | 5 | 56 |
| 10 (T) | San Jose State University | 10 (T) | 56 |
| 12 | University of California-San Diego | 12 | 45 |
| 13 | California Baptist University | 9 | 39 |
| 14 | University of California-Davis | 14 | 38 |
| 15 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 15 | 32 |
| 16 | Loyola Marymount University | 19 (T) | 25 |
| 17 | Brown University | 16 | 17 |
| 18 (T) | Santa Clara University | 17 (T) | 16 |
| 18 (T) | Harvard University | 17 (T) | 16 |
| 20 | United States Naval Academy | 19 (T) | 10 |
| RV | United States Air Force Academy | NR | 2 |
