BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) will provide an opportunity for teams which are not in the upper 50% of their division an opportunity to compete for a title as the league announces the launch of the Men’s National Collegiate Challenge. The inaugural event will occur during the weekend of Friday-Sunday, December 4-6, at 2025 Men’s and 2026 Women’s National Collegiate Club Championship site the Carlisle YMCA Aquatic Center in Carlisle, Pa.
An additional opportunity for student-athletes to play additional games and earn a chance at capturing postseason championship, the intent is to host a similar event in women’s collegiate club competition at the conclusion of the Spring 2027.
“For years we have struggled with a tension between serving “All” of our membership and crowning the best teams by virtue of their performance,” stated CWPA Commissioner Dan Sharadin. “While it is great to celebrate greatness among the top teams, many schools find themselves located in divisions where the size of their enrollment or their resources available place them at an insurmountable disadvantage in their efforts to compete against the larger programs to qualify for the national championship.”
“These clubs participate year after year, conceding the fact that they will never have a post season experience. Now that will all change.”
The event – which will feature six-to-12 teams (depending on the availability of competing institutions) will be comprised of men’s collegiate teams which finish outside the top 50 percent of their division membership along with either the champions or runner-ups from the four division (Colonial, Heartland, Liberty, North Atlantic) which do not earn a berth into the 16-team National Collegiate Club Championship. For example, qualifiers are determined by the size of the division and a team’s final placement at the respective division championship tournament:
- Five Team Division – Third Place team and lower
- Six Team Division – Fourth Place team and lower
- Seven Team Division – Fourth Place team and lower
- Eight Team Division – Fifth Place team and lower
- Nine Team Division – Fifth Place team and lower
- 10 Team Division – Sixth Place team and lower
- 11 Team Division – Sixth Place team and lower
- 12 Team Division – Seventh Place team and lower
The field size will be six-teams minimum with a maximum of 12-teams potentially competing for the Men’s National Collegiate Challenge dependent upon the availability of institutions. Currently, the potential format is limited to competition on Saturday-Sunday, December 5-6, but could expand to include games on Friday, December 4, if the number of competing teams and pool time limitations on Saturday-Sunday, December 5-6, cause it to be deemed necessary for the field size.
“I think the creation of this event will be one of the most impactful things we have done in the conference,” noted Sharadin. “For the first time in our history, an entirely new section of our membership will have an opportunity for a post-season experience.”
Additional details on the event will be posted in the coming weeks regarding field size, competing institutions and more following the conclusion of divisional competition around the country.
