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BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) releases the 2019 Men’s Collegiate Club Top 20 and Division III Top 10 Preseason Polls.

The rankings mostly mirror the final poll from 2018 as defending National Champions Lindenwood University (National Collegiate Club) and Washington University in St. Louis (Division III Collegiate Club) begin the 2019 season with the moniker of favorite.

Released each week during the season, the Top 20 and Division III Top 10 polls have no bearing on qualifiers for either the National Collegiate Club Championship or the Division III Collegiate Club Championship.

2019 Men’s Collegiate Club National Top 20 (Preseason)

Lindenwood University will start the season where it concluded the 2018 campaign – at No. 1 – as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) releases the 2019 Men’s Collegiate Club National Top 20 Preseason rankings.

A four-time National Collegiate Club Champion (2014, 2015, 2016, 2018) and three-time Division III Club Champion (2006, 2007, 2008), the Lions (100 points) are the unanimous preseason favorite to collect the program’s eighth National Championship crown.  Historically, Lindenwood has a chance to tie the all-time record of five Men’s National Collegiate Club Championships held by California Polytechnic State University (1999, 2001, 2002, 2004, 2007) if the Lions can stay at the head of the pride in 2019.

Looking to dethrone Lindenwood will be a litany of western teams as the University of California (91 points), Cal Poly (90 points) and the University of California-San Diego (82 points) rate at No. 2-to-4, respectively.  The University of Utah (81 points), which fell to Lindenwood in the 2018 National Collegiate Club Championship title game, will start the season at No. 5 with the University of California-Davis (72 points), three-time National Champion (2009, 2010, 2013) the University of California-Los Angeles (72 points), the University of Texas (63 points), 2017 National Champion San Diego State University (63 points) and three-time National Champion (1996, 1998, 2003) the University of Michigan (58 points) completing the Top 10.

The Ohio State University (45 points), the University of Arizona (38 points), Boston College (36 points), the University of Florida (34 points) and California State University-Maritime Academy (29 points) stand at No. 11-to-15 respectively.

The University of California-Irvine (24 points), California State University-Long Beach (23 points), Villanova University (16 points) and three-time National Champion (2000, 2006, 2008) Michigan State University (14 points) hold down No. 16-to-19 with the duo of the United States Naval Academy (9 points) and The Pennsylvania State University (9 points) completing the Top 20 in a tie for the final position.

The 2019 Men’s National Collegiate Club Championship will be decided at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Friday-Sunday, November 15-17.

2019 Men’s Collegiate Club Top 20 (Preseason)

Rank Team Final 2018 Poll Points
1
Lindenwood University
1 100
2 University of California
4 91
3 California Polytechnic State University 3 90
4
University of California-San Diego
6 82
5 University of Utah
2 81
6 University of California-Davis
5 72
7 University of California-Los Angeles
7 67
8 University of Texas
9 63
9 San Diego State University
8 58
10 University of Michigan
11 50
11 The Ohio State University
10 45
12
University of Arizona
15
38
13
Boston College
12
36
14
University of Florida
13 34
15
California State University-Maritime Academy 14 29
16
University of California-Irvine
18
24
17
California State University-Long Beach
NR
23
18
Villanova University
16
16
19
Michigan State University
20 (T)
14
20 (T)
U.S. Naval Academy
17 9
20 (T) Pennsylvania State University
19 9
RV Dartmouth College
NR
8
RV U.S. Military Academy
RV 4
RV University of Southern California
NR
3
RV University of Alabama
RV 2
RV Texas A&M University
NR 1
RV University of Wisconsin NR 1

 

2019 Men’s Division III Collegiate Club National Top 10 (Preseason)

Six-time defending Division III Collegiate Club National Champion Washington University in St. Louis remains the top pick as the Bears are the unanimous No. 1 selection in the 2019 Men’s Division III Collegiate Club National Top 10 Preseason Poll.

The 2011, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 and 2018 Division III Collegiate Club Champion, Washington in St. Louis (100 points) holds a nine-point lead over the runner-up in the preseason rankings, Tufts University (91 points).

New York University (88 points), three-time National Champion (2011, 2013, 2014) the University of California-Santa Cruz (86 points) and Bates College (81 points) complete the Top Five.

The United States Coast Guard Academy (75 points), Carnegie Mellon University (70 points), three-time National Champion (1999, 2004, 2005) Wesleyan University (65 points), Grinnell College (62 points) and Macalester College (33 points) round out the Top 10.

The 2019 Men’s Division III Collegiate Club Championship Men’s Division III Collegiate Club Championship is slated for Saturday-Sunday, October 26-27, at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pa.  Due to scheduling, the possibility of the Division III Club Championship moving to Saturday-Sunday, November 2-3, and/or to another institution remains on the table as teams should check with the league office in September regarding a finalized date and site.

2019 Men’s Collegiate Club Division III Top 10 (Preseason)

Rank Team Final 2018 Poll
Points
1
Washington University in St. Louis
1 100
2 Tufts University
2 (T)
91
3 New York University 4 88
4
University of California-Santa Cruz
2 (T) 86
5 Bates College
5 81
6 U.S. Coast Guard Academy
6 75
7 Carnegie Mellon University
8 70
8 Wesleyan University
7 65
9 Grinnell College
9 62
10 Macalester College
10 33
RV Middlebury College
RV 24
Collegiate Water Polo Association