The stage is set for the 2024 NCAA men’s water polo championship. On Monday, Nov. 25, the league announced the eight teams participating in the single-elimination tournament that will crown this season’s national champions.
The tournament begins on Dec. 6 at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center, when all eight teams will play in the first round. UCLA, the number one seed despite a loss in the MPSF conference final to the USC Trojans, kicks off the action in the first game of the day, playing Salem (West Virginia). Later, Stanford plays Princeton, USC faces California Baptist, and Fordham takes on Long Beach.
Six conferences received automatic qualification to the tournament including the Big West Conference, Collegiate Water Polo Association, Mountain Pacific Sports Federations (MPSF), Northeast Water Polo Conference, West Coast Conference, and the Western Water Polo Association. The remaining two teams were selected at-large regardless of geography.
Last year, the Bruins lost to California-Berkeley in the national championship final 13-11 as the Golden Bears claimed their third-straight title. USC, Stanford, and UCLA have all won championships in the last six years. The national title has not left the state of California in decades, the trophy has been held by a California school since 1967.
All first-round and semifinal matches will stream live on NCAA.com. The championship game will air on ESPNU.
Full NCAA Tournament Schedule
Friday, Dec. 6
- 3 pm ET: #1 UCLA vs. Salem (West Virginia) — NCAA.com
- 5 pm ET: #4 Stanford vs. Princeton — NCAA.com
- 7 pm ET: #2 USC vs. California Baptist — NCAA.com
- 9 pm ET: #3 Fordham vs. Long Beach — NCAA.com
Saturday, Dec. 7
Sunday, Dec. 8
- 6 pm ET: National championship game — ESPNU
