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LOS ANGELES – For the second-straight year, UCLA has finished on top of the MPSF Men's Water Polo Preseason Coaches' poll, collecting the maximum possible 16 points and four first-place votes.
The Bruins are the back-to-back defending NCAA Champions, entering 2016 with win streaks of 33 games overall (second-longest in school history) and 24-straight in the MPSF. The Bruins return seven All-Americans, led by conference and national player of the year goalkeeper Garrett Danner (MPSF-best 6.05 goals-against average). Also back are fellow first-team All-Americans Gordon Marshall and Ryder Roberts (57 goals), along with additional All-Americans Max Irving, Patrick Fellner, Chancellor Ramirez, and United States Olympian Alex Roelse.
Taking second in this year's poll is USC with 13 points and one first-place vote. National runners-up the last two years, the Trojans have reached the NCAA Championship game the last 11 seasons, winning seven titles in that span. They return their top seven scorers from last year, including All-Americans Blake Edwards (68 goals; No. 3 MPSF), Grant Stein, Lachlan Edwards, and Matteo Morelli. Olympians Thomas Dunstan (newcomer) and goalkeeper McQuin Baron are also on the roster.
Finishing in the middle of the poll was California with 10 points, coming off a third-place finish at the NCAA Championship in 2015. U.S. Olympian Luca Cupido returns for the Bears, named first-team All-American and NCAA All-Tournament last year. Also back is the reigning MPSF Newcomer of the Year Johnny Hooper (74 goals; No. 2 MPSF), as well as all-conference performers Odysseas Masmanidis (66 goals) and goalkeeper Lazar Andric.
Stanford placed fourth in the poll with seven points. Back is All-American Goalkeeper Drew Holland. He enters 2016 with 742 career saves, two away from the school record and 12 away from breaking into the MPSF's all-time top-10. While three of its top-four scorers have graduated (including MPSF all-time leading scorer Bret Bonanni), the Cardinal welcome back Reid Chase (38 goals), Cody Smith, and Connor Stapleton, along with U.S. Olympian Ben Hallock as part of a six-member incoming class.
Rounding out the poll of the five-team conference is first-year member Penn State Behrend. The Lions will solely compete in the MPSF Championship Tournament, not in the MPSF's regular season conference schedule. They return All-American Grant Garcia along with Troy Valkusky, and bring in top newcomers Andre Sardaryzadeh, Isaak Hatopp, and Greg Levet. Located in Erie, Pa., NCAA Division III Penn State Behrend comes to the MPSF from the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA).
First sprint to the 2016 season is September 3, before the first of six total MPSF Conference games kicks-off September 17 when USC visits Stanford. UCLA is this year's site of the MPSF Championship Tournament, November 18-20, where all five teams will compete for entry to the NCAA Tournament. California will host NCAA's December 3-4. Since its inaugural season of 1992, the MPSF has captured all 24 NCAA titles in men's water polo.
| Rank | Team | Points (First-Place) | 2015 Records | 2015 MPSF Finish/Postseason |
| 1 | UCLA | 16 (4) | 30-0 Overall, 9-0 MPSF | No. 1/NCAA Champion |
| 2 | USC | 13 (1) | 22-7 Overall, 6-3 MPSF | No. 4/NCAA Runners-up |
| 3 | California | 10 | 24-7 Overall, 7-2 MPSF | No. 3/NCAA Third Place |
| 4 | Stanford | 7 | 22-8 Overall, 5-4 MPSF | No. 5 |
| 5 | Penn State Behrend | 4 | 0-22 Overall, N/A | N/A |