BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The University of California-Los Angeles continues at No. 1 in the National Top 20, while Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges edges out previous top-ranked Pomona-Pitzer Colleges in the Division III Top 10 rankings as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) releases the official 2025 Men’s Varsity National Top 20, Division III Top 10, Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) Top Five and Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Top Five Polls for Week 3/September 17.
The defending National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Champion, UCLA remains the unanimous pick at No. 1 in the nation, while CMS moves a point in front of Pomona-Pitzer.
Defending MAWPC champion Fordham University and defending NWPC champion Princeton University retain their status in their leagues’ Top Five rankings.
Voted on by a panel of coaches, the polls are compiled and released on Wednesday during each week of the season through the week following the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship.
2025 Men’s Varsity National Top 20 (Week 3/September 17)
2024 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Champion the University of California-Los Angeles continues to reign over the collegiate water polo ranks as the Bruins retain their status as a unanimous top selection in the Week 3/September 17 2025 National Men’s Varsity Top 20 Poll.
UCLA (100 points) remains five points in front of runner-up the University of Southern California (95 points) and nine points ahead of the University of California (91 points).
Stanford University (84 points), Fordham University (80 points), San Jose State University (76 points), Long Beach State University (70 points) and the University of California-Irvine (61 points) stay at No. 4-to-8, respectively, while University of the Pacific (58 points) and Princeton University (58 points) complete the Top 10 in a tie at No. 9.
The University of California-Davis (53 points) and Pepperdine University (43 points) remain stagnant at No. 11 and 12 with Loyola Marymount University (39 points) breaking a tie with California Baptist University at No. 14 last week to take over No. 13 from the University of California-San Diego. UC-San Diego (37 points) backs up to No. 14, Santa Clara University (29 points) improves to No. 15 and Cal Baptist (28 points) slips to No. 16.
The University of California-Santa Barbara (20 points) rises to No. 17, Brown University (13 points) and George Washington University (9 points) hang on at No. 18 and 19 with Concordia University (4 points) breaking into the Top 20 by acquiring the final berth.
2025 Men’s Varsity Top 20 (Week 3/September 17) |
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| Rank | Team | Week 2 Poll | Points |
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles |
1 | 100 |
| 2 |
University of Southern California |
2 | 95 |
| 3 | University of California | 3 | 91 |
| 4 | Stanford University | 4 | 84 |
| 5 | Fordham University | 5 | 80 |
| 6 |
San Jose State University | 6 | 76 |
| 7 | Long Beach State University | 7 | 70 |
| 8 | University of California-Irvine | 8 | 61 |
| 9 (T) | Princeton University | 10 | 58 |
| 9 (T) | University of the Pacific | 9 | 58 |
| 11 | University of California-Davis | 11 | 53 |
| 12 |
Pepperdine University | 12 | 43 |
| 13 |
Loyola Marymount University | 14 (T) | 39 |
| 14 | University of California-San Diego | 13 | 37 |
| 15 | Santa Clara University | 16 | 29 |
| 16 | California Baptist University | 14 (T) | 28 |
| 17 | University of California-Santa Barbara | 19 (T) | 20 |
| 18 | Brown University | 18 | 13 |
| 19 | George Washington University | 19 (T) | 9 |
| 20 | Concordia University | NR | 4 |
| RV | United States Naval Academy | 17 | 3 |
| RV | Salem University | NR | 2 |
| RV | Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges | NR | 2 |
2025 Men’s Varsity Division III Top 10 (Week 3/September 17)
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges dislodges Pomona-Pitzer Colleges from the lead position in the Week 3/September 17 Men’s Varsity Division III Top 10 Poll.
The Stags (98 points) achieve a narrow one-point lead compared to the Sagehens (97 points) as the Division III rankings experience significant shifts through three weeks of action.
California Lutheran University (86 points) and Chapman University (83 points) move up to No. 3 and 4 with 2024 USA Water Polo Division III Champion the University of Redlands (79 points) backing up to No. 5.
Whittier College (77 points), Johns Hopkins University (72 points) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (66 points) remain at No. 6-to-8 with the University of La Verne (47 points) and Augustana College (37 points) completing the Week 3 rankings.
2025 Men’s Varsity Division III Top 10 (Week 3/September 17) |
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| Rank | Team | Week 2 Poll | Points |
| 1 |
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges | 2 | 98 |
| 2 | Pomona-Pitzer Colleges | 1 | 97 |
| 3 | California Lutheran University | 4 | 86 |
| 4 | Chapman University | 5 | 83 |
| 5 | University of Redlands | 3 | 79 |
| 6 | Whittier College | 6 | 77 |
| 7 | Johns Hopkins University | 7 | 72 |
| 8 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology | 8 | 66 |
| 9 |
University of La Verne | RV | 47 |
| 10 |
Augustana College | 9 | 37 |
| RV |
Occidental College | 10 | 33 |
2025 Men’s Varsity Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference Top 5 (Week 3/September 17)
Four-time (2021, 2022, 2023, 2024) Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) Champion Fordham University continues at No. 1 in the Week 3/September 17 2025 MAWPC Top Five Poll.
A unanimous No. 1 selection, the Rams (100 points) hold a six-point margin compared to runner-up George Washington University (94 points) as the Revolutionaries break a tie with the United States Naval Academy (88 points) to achieve sole custody of the No. 2 slot.
Bucknell University (86 points) and Wagner College (82 points) remain at No 4 and 5.
2025 Men’s Varsity Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference Top 5 (Week 3/September 17) |
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| Rank | Team | Week 2 Poll | Points |
| 1 | Fordham University |
1 |
100 |
| 2 | George Washington University | 2 (T) | 94 |
| 3 | United States Naval Academy | 2 (T) | 88 |
| 4 |
Bucknell University | 4 | 86 |
| 5 | Wagner College | 5 | 82 |
2025 Men’s Varsity Northeast Water Polo Conference Top 5 (Week 3/September 17)
Five-time Northeast Water Polo Conference (NWPC) champion Princeton University maintains its status at No. 1 in the Week 3/September 17 NWPC Top Five Poll.
The 2018, 2021, 2022, 2023 and 2024 NWPC Champion Tigers (100 points) rate as a unanimous No. 1 selection with Brown University (95 points) and three-time (2016, 2017, 2019) NWPC Champion Harvard University (90 points) staying at No. 2 and 3.
Iona University (84 points) and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (81 points) round out the Top Five.
2025 Men’s Varsity Northeast Water Polo Conference Top 5 (Week 3/September 17) |
|||
| Rank | Team | Week 2 Poll | Points |
| 1 | Princeton University | 1 | 100 |
| 2 |
Brown University |
2 |
95 |
| 3 | Harvard University |
3 | 90 |
| 4 | Iona University |
4 (T) | 84 |
| 5 | Massachusetts Institute of Technology |
4 (T) | 81 |
