Courtesy: Navy Sports
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The No. 20 Navy water polo team (14-12, 9-3) are set to host the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference Tournament this weekend at Lejeune Hall in Annapolis, Md. The second-seeded Midshipmen open the tournament on Friday, Nov. 19 at 6:00 p.m. against MAWPC-West champion Gannon (13-8, 3-1). The tournament continues through Sunday, Nov. 21, with the championship game slated for 1:30 p.m.
Tournament Information
The road to the 2021 National Collegiate Athletic Conference (NCAA) Men’s Water Polo Championship will run through Annapolis, Md., as Bucknell, Fordham, Gannon, George Washington, Johns Hopkins, Mount St. Mary’s, Wagner, and host Navy will compete in the 2021 Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Championship on Friday-Sunday, November 19-21, at Lejeune Hall.
The fifth MAWPC Championship since the formation of the league and the Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) from the formerly all-inclusive Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA), the eight teams will take to the water to decide which program is the best-of the-best and qualifies for the NCAA Championship via an automatic bid.
Following a vote of the Governance Council, the MAWPC field is seeded with Gannon assuming the No. 7 seed, while Fordham, Navy, George Washington, Bucknell, Wagner and Johns Hopkins hold the No. 1-to-6 spots and Mount St Mary’s rounds out the field at No. 8.
Competition at the three-day, 12 game championship begins on Friday, November 19, as Fordham faces Mount St. Mary’s (3:00 p.m.), Bucknell battles Wagner (4:30 p.m.), Navy looks to sink Gannon (6:00 p.m.), and George Washington aims to get by Johns Hopkins. On Saturday, November 20, the losers and winners meet prior to the placement games on Sunday, November 21.
For fans unable to make the trip to Annapolis, the league will stream the entirety of the tournament at CWPATV.com at a cost of $10 per game or $25 for a weekend pass to all 12 contests.
Fans attending the MAWPC Championship can pay for either a three-day tournament pass ($25) or a one-day pass ($10). Navy students, faculty and staff with a valid college ID, and senior citizens 65 and older, will be admitted at discounted prices of $10 (tournament pass) and $5 (one-day pass). All children 12 and under are free of charge. All tickets are exclusively available at the door as there will be no presale in advance of the championship.
Accessing the United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy (USNA) is closed to all vehicles without a Department of Defense-approved identification card. All other visitors are encouraged to park downtown and walk through the security gates at Gate 1. When walking on, those ages 18 and over must present a photo identification card (driver’s license) to gain access and those ages 17 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
COVID-19 Policy
Masks must be worn by everyone indoors regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status. Once on the USNA grounds, those who have not been vaccinated must wear a mask at all times and those who have been vaccinated have the option to wear a mask while outdoors but must wear a mask while indoors.
Tournament Schedule
Friday, Nov. 19
Game 1: 3:00 p.m. – (1) Fordham vs. (8) Mount St. Mary’s
Game 2: 4:30 p.m. – (4) Bucknell vs. (5) Wagner
Game 3: 6:00 p.m. – (2) Navy vs. (7) Gannon
Game 4: 7:30 p.m. – (3) George Washington vs. (6) Johns Hopkins
Saturday, Nov. 20
Game 5: 1:30 p.m. – Loser Game 2 vs. Loser Game 1
Game 6: 3:00 p.m. – Loser Game 4 vs. Loser Game 3
Game 7: 4:30 p.m. – Winner Game 1 vs. Winner Game 2
Game 8: 6:00 p.m. – Winner Game 3 vs. Winner Game 4
Sunday, Nov. 21
Game 9: 9:00 a.m. – Loser Game 6 vs. Loser Game 5 (Seventh Place Game)
Game 10: 10:30 a.m. – Winner Game 5 vs. Winner Game 6 (Fifth Place Game)
Game 11: 12:00 p.m. – Loser Game 8 vs. Loser Game 7 (Third Place Game)
Game 12: 1:30 p.m. – Winner Game 7 vs. Winner Game 8 (Championship Game)
Tournament Field
(1) Fordham – 23-6 overall, 11-1 MAWPC-East
(2) Navy – 14-12 overall, 9-3 MAWPC-East
(3) George Washington – 10-13 overall, 7-5 MAWPC-East
(4) Bucknell – 11-11 overall, 6-6 MAWPC-East *
(5) Wagner – 16-15 overall, 6-6 MAWPC-East *
(6) Johns Hopkins – 6-19 overall, 2-10 MAWPC-East
(7) Gannon – 13-8 overall, 3-1 MAWPC-West **
(8) Mount St. Mary’s – 7-21 overall, 1-11 MAWPC-East
* – Bucknell earned the No. 4 seed in the MAWPC-East standings due to goal differential versus Wagner ( +1 differential).
** – By rule, the order of the MAWPC-East teams stays the same and the MAWPC-West Champion is seeded into the field by the league’ Governance Council. Since Gannon beat Mount St. Mary’s, they earned the No. 7 seed.
