INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) recently published the 2020-21 NCAA Sports Sponsorship & Participation Rates Report.
The NCAA Sports Sponsorship & Participation Rates Report provides statistical information regarding participation and sponsorship in intercollegiate athletics at NCAA member institutions. This information provides a general view of historical trends in participation and sponsorship by gender, sport and division. Much of this information has been collected in detail since the 1981-82 academic year. This information is self-reported retroactively by all NCAA member institutions on an annual basis.
Listed on pages 194-195 of the 2020-21 report, women’s water polo shows a slight in the number of total athletes (1,235) and remains stagnant in squad size (19.0) for all divisions compared to the 2019-20 report totals of 1,232 and 19.0.
In Division I, a total of 35 institutions sponsored women’s water polo in 2020-21 (a total of 10.0% of the 350 Division I schools in the NCAA) with 730 athletes for an average squad size of 20.9 competitors. The numbers indicate an increase in total number of programs (+1) and an eight athlete increase over 2019-20 (722 athletes), but a 0.3 athlete decrease in squad size (21.2 in 2019-20).
Comparatively, a total of 11 Division II schools (3.6% of all 308 Division II schools) sponsor women’s water polo with 231 athletes averaging to a squad size of 21.0 per team. The numbers display a decrease in the total number of Division II teams (-1) and athletes (239 in 2019-20) although the average squad size increases by 1.2 athletes over 2019-20’s 19.9.
In Division III, 19 of 442 institutions (4.3%) sponsor women’s water polo with 274 athletes averaging out to 14.4 athletes per team. The numbers indicate no change in the number of teams compared to a slight increase in athletes (271 in 2019-20) and squad size (14.3 in 2019-2020).
Overall, the number of schools competing in women’s water polo remains constant at a record 65 since reaching the pinnacle during the 2019-20 season. Further, a record 1,235 athletes competed in women’s water polo last year to surpass the previous high of 1,232 established in 2019-20.
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