BRIDGEPORT, Pa. –  Two-time defending NCAA champion UCLA men’s water polo begins the 2026 season ranked No. 1 in Collegiate Water Polo Association’s (CWPA) Men’s Varsity Top 20 Poll, which was unveiled Wednesday. CWPA national varsity polls are compiled based upon the votes of a select and informed committee comprised of varsity head coaches and sports information directors.

The Bruins received 99 points. Rounding out the top five are USC (96 points), Stanford (89), California (85) and Fordham (81). This top five reflects the final poll of 2025.

UCLA earned NCAA championship No. 14 in program history and No. 125 among all athletic department programs when it defeated top-ranked USC 11-10 at Stanford’s Avery Aquatic Center. Frederico Jucá Carsalade converted a buzzer-beating to make the difference. The Bruins finished 2025 with a 27-2 record under head coach Adam Wright.

2026 CWPA MEN'S VARSITY TOP 20 (PRESEASON)

Rank	Team	Final 2025 Poll	Points
1	UCLA	1	99
2	USC	2	96
3	Stanford	3	89
4	California	4	85
5	Fordham	5	81
6	UC Davis	7	69
7	Long Beach State	8	68
8	Pepperdine	9 (T)	62
9	San Jose State	6	61
10	Princeton	12	57
11	Pacific	11	51
12	UC San Diego	15	41
13 (T)	UC Irvine	16	33
13 (T)	California Baptist	9 (T)	33
15	UC Santa Barbara	14	30
16	LMU	13	29
17	Harvard	18	22
18	Santa Clara	17	13
19	Navy	RV	12
20 (T)	Brown	19	10
20 (T)	Saint Mary's	NR	10
RV	Wagner	NR	3
RV	George Washington	20	1