UCLA Wins the 2025 NCAA Men’s Water Polo Championship Title

UCLA 2025 NCAA Water Polo Champions

UCLA won the 2025 NC men’s water polo tournament, defeating Southern California 11-10, for its 14th title in program history.

The single-elimination tournament began on Friday, December 5, and ended with the national final on Sunday, December 5, at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center.

2025 NC Men’s Water Polo Championship Bracket

NC men’s water polo championship bracket

2025 NC men’s water polo championship selections, tournament schedule

Monday, Nov. 24
- Selections at 12 p.m. ET on NCAA.com
First round:
- Friday, Dec. 5 — on NCAA.com
  - No. 2 UCLA 15, Princeton 11
  - No. 4 Fordham 13, San Jose State 9
  - No. 1 Southern California 16, CUI 6
  - No. 3 Stanford 15, UC Davis 9
Semifinals
- Saturday, Dec. 6 — on NCAA.com
  - No. 1 Southern California 16, No. 4 Fordham 7
  - No. 2 UCLA 9, No. 3 Stanford 7
National championship
- Sunday, Dec. 7 — ESPNU
  - No. 2 UCLA 11, No. 1 Southern California 10

NC men’s water polo championship history

Year	Champion (Record)	Coach	Score	Runner-Up	Site
2025	UCLA (27-2)	Adam Wright	11-10	Southern California	Stanford, Calif.
2024	UCLA (26-2)	Adam Wright	11-8	Southern California	Stanford, Calif.
2023	California (24-5)	Kirk Everist	13-11	UCLA	Los Angeles, Calif.
2022	California (23-2)	Kirk Everist	13-12	Southern California	Berkeley, Calif.
2021	California (22-4)	Kirk Everist	13-12	Southern California	Los Angeles, Calif.
2020	UCLA (9-7)	Adam Wright	7-6	Southern California	Los Angeles, Calif.
2019	Stanford (21-2)	John Vargas	13-8	Pacific	Stockton, Calif.
2018	Southern California (29-3)	Jovan Vavic	14-12	Stanford	Palo Alto, Calif.
2017	UCLA (21-4)	Adam Wright	7-5	Southern California	Los Angeles, Calif.
2016	California (22-4)	Kirk Everist	11-8 (OT)	Southern California	Berkeley, Calif.
2015	UCLA (30-0)	Adam Wright	10-7	Southern California	Los Angeles, Calif.
2014	UCLA (29-3)	Adam Wright	9-8	Southern California	La Jolla, Calif.
2013	Southern California (28-4)	Jovan Vavic	12-11 (2OT)	Pacific	Palo Alto, Calif.
2012	Southern California (29-0)	Jovan Vavic	11-10	UCLA	Los Angeles, Calif.
2011	Southern California (24-3)	Jovan Vavic	7-4	UCLA	California
2010	Southern California (28-2)	Jovan Vavic	12-10 (2OT)	California	California
2009	Southern California (26-2)	Jovan Vavic	7-6	UCLA	Princeton
2008	Southern California (29-0)	Jovan Vavic	7-5	Stanford	Stanford
2007	California (28-4)	Kirk Everist	8-6	Southern California	Stanford
2006	California (31-4)	Kirk Everist	7-6	Southern California	Loyola Marymount
2005	Southern California (26-1)	Jovan Vavic	3-2	Stanford	Bucknell
2004	UCLA (25-3)	Adam Krikorian	10-9 (OT)	Stanford	Stanford
2003	Southern California (24-3)	Jovan Vavic	9-7 (OT)	Stanford	Stanford
2002	Stanford (24-5)	John Vargas	7-6	California	Loyola Marymount
2001	Stanford (22-1)	Dante Dettamanti	8-5	UCLA	Stanford
2000	UCLA (19-7)	Guy Baker/Adam Krikorian	11-2	UC San Diego	Malibu, Calif.
1999	UCLA (22-3)	Guy Baker/Adam Krikorian	6-5	Stanford	La Jolla, Calif.
1998	Southern California (25-3)	John Williams/Jovan Vavic	9-8 (2OT)	Stanford	Newport Beach, Calif.
1997	Pepperdine (25-3)	Terry Schoroeder	8-7 (2OT)	Southern California	Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
1996	UCLA (24-6)	Guy Baker	8-7	Southern California	UC San Diego
1995	UCLA (20-6)	Guy Baker	10-8	California	Stanford
1994	Stanford (27-1)	Dante Dettamanti	14-10	Southern California	Long Beach, Calif.
1993	Stanford (24-6)	Dante Dettamanti	11-9	Southern California	Long Beach, Calif.
1992	California (31-0)	Steve Heaston	12-11 (3OT)	Stanford	Long Beach, Calif.
1991	California (26-1)	Steve Heaston	7-6	UCLA	Long Beach, Calif.
1990	California (29-1)	Steve Heaston	8-7	Stanford	Long Beach, Calif.
1989	UC Irvine (27-6)	Ted Newland	9-8	California	Indianapolis
1988	California (33-3)	Pete Cutino	14-11	UCLA	Long Beach, Calif.
1987	California (27-3)	Pete Cutino	9-8 (OT)	Southern California	Long Beach, Calif.
1986	Stanford (36-0)	Dante Dettamanti	9-6	California	Long Beach, Calif.
1985	Stanford (25-4)	Dante Dettamanti	12-11 (2OT)	UC Irvine	Long Beach, Calif.
1984	California (26-4-1)	Pete Cutino	9-8	Stanford	Long Beach, Calif.
1983	California (29-3-2)	Pete Cutino	10-7	Southern California	Long Beach, Calif.
1982	UC Irvine (30-0)	Ted Newland	7-4	Stanford	Long Beach, Calif.
1981	Stanford (31-0)	Dante Dettamanti	17-6	Long Beach State	Long Beach, Calif.
1980	Stanford (28-2-1)	Dante Dettamanti	8-6	California	Long Beach, Calif.
1979	UC Santa Barbara (27-2-1)	Pete Snyder	11-3	UCLA	Long Beach, Calif.
1978	Stanford (26-1-1)	Dante Dettamanti	7-6 (3OT)	California	Long Beach, Calif.
1977	California (29-3)	Pete Cutino	9-6	UC Irvine	Brown
1976	Stanford (20-2)	Art Lambert	13-12	UCLA	Long Beach, Calif.
1975	California (22-6)	Pete Cutino	9-8	UC Irvine	Long Beach, Calif.
1974	California (25-2)	Pete Cutino	7-6	UC Irvine	Long Beach, Calif.
1973	California (25-1)	Pete Cutino	8-4	UC Irvine	Long Beach, Calif.
1972	UCLA (19-1)	Bob Horn	10-5	UC Irvine	New Mexico
1971	UCLA (18-1)	Bob Horn	5-3	San Jose State	Long Beach, Calif.
1970	UC Irvine (27-2)	Ted Newland	7-6 (3OT)	UCLA	Long Beach, Calif.
1969	UCLA (19-0)	Bob Horn	5-2	California	Long Beach, Calif.