clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Men's NCAA water polo tournament history

Here is a look at the history of the men's NCAA water polo tournament.

For the first time since the men's NCAA water polo tournament was reduced from eight teams down to four, back in 1995, there are two non-California teams in the field. So, now is as good as any to take a look at the complete history of the men's NCAA water polo tournament. I was unable to find a complete bracket for each year, but I was able to find location, champion and final score.

There are some odd choices for locations through the tournament's 43 year history. First of all, Long Beach State hosted the most NCAA tournaments with 23. The tournament has been played outside of California five times, but the most unique locations have to be the University of New Mexico in 1972, and then Indianapolis in 1998.

If USC wins the NCAA title this year, they will extend their own streak with the most NCAA tournament wins, also if they go undefeated it will be the seventh time a team has gone unscathed.

YEAR CHAMPION (RECORD) COACH SCORE RUNNER-UP SITE
2011 Southern California (24-3) Jovan Vavic 7-4 UCLA California
2010 Southern Caifornial (28-2) Jovan Vavic 12-10 (2ot) California California
2009 Southern California (26-2) Jovan Vavic 7-6 UCLA Princeton
2008 Southern California (29-0) Jovan Vavic 7-5 Stanford Stanford
2007 California (28-4) Kirk Everist 8-6 Southern California Stanford
2006 California (31-4) Kirk Everist 7-6 Southern California Loyola Marymount
2005 Southern California (26-1) Jovan Vavic 3-2 Stanford Bucknell
2004 UCLA (25-3) Adam Krikorian 10-9 (ot) Stanford Stanford
2003 Southern California (24-3) Jovan Vavic 9-7(ot) Stanford Stanford
2002 Stanford (24-5) John Vargas 7-6 California Loyola Marymount
2001 Stanford (22-1) Dante Dettamanti 8-5 UCLA Stanford
2000 UCLA (19-7) Guy Baker/Adam Krikorian 11-2 UC San Diego Malibu, Calif.
1999 UCLA (22-3) Guy Baker/Adam Krikorian 6-5 Stanford La Jolla, Calif.
1998 Southern California (25-3) John Williams/Jovan Vavic 9-8 (2ot) Stanford Newport Beach, Calif.
1997 Pepperdine (25-3) Terry Schoroeder 8-7 (2ot) Southern California Fort Lauderdale, Fla.
1996 UCLA (24-6) Guy Baker 8-7 Southern California UC San Diego
1995 UCLA (20-6) Guy Baker 10-8 California Stanford
1994 Stanford (27-1) Dante Dettamanti 14-10 Southern California Long Beach, Calif.
1993 Stanford (24-6) Dante Dettamanti 11-9 Southern California Long Beach, Calif.
1992 California (31-0) Steve Heaston 12-11 (3ot) Stanford Long Beach, Calif.
1991 California (26-1) Steve Heaston 7-6 UCLA Long Beach, Calif.
1990 California (29-1) Steve Heaston 8-7 Stanford Long Beach, Calif.
1989 UC Irvine (27-6) Ted Newland 9-8 California Indianapolis
1988 California (33-3) Pete Cutino 14-11 UCLA Long Beach, Calif.
1987 California (27-3) Pete Cutino 9-8 (ot) Southern California Long Beach, Calif.
1986 Stanford (36-0) Dante Dettamanti 9-6 California Long Beach, Calif.
1985 Stanford (25-4) Dante Dettamanti 12-11 (2ot) UC Irvine Long Beach, Calif.
1984 Calfornia (26-4-1) Pete Cutino 9-8 Stanford Long Beach, Calif.
1983 California (29-3-2) Pete Cutino 10-7 Southern California Long Beach, Calif.
1982 UC Irvine (30-0) Ted Newland 7-4 Stanford Long Beach, Calif.
1981 Stanford (31-0) Dante Dettamanti 17-6 Long Beach State Long Beach, Calif.
1980 Stanford (28-2-1) Dante Dettamanti 8-6 California Long Beach, Calif.
1979 UC Santa Barbara (27-2-1) Pete Snyder 11-3 UCLA Long Beach, Calif.
1978 Stanford (26-1-1) Dante Dettamanti 7-6 (3ot) California Long Beach, Calif.
1977 California (29-3) Pete Cutino 9-6 UC Irvine Brown
1976 Stanford (20-2) Art Lambert 13-12 UCLA Long Beach, Calif.
1975 California (22-6) Pete Cutino 9-8 UC Irvine Long Beach, Calif.
1974 California (25-2) Pete Cutino 7-6 UC Irvine Long Beach, Calif.
1973 California (25-1) Pete Cutino 8-4 UC Irvine Long Beach, Calif.
1972 UCLA (19-1) Bob Horn 10-5 UC Irvine New Mexico
1971 UCLA (18-1) Bob Horn 5-3 San Jose State Long Beach, Calif.
1970 UC Irvine (27-2) Ted Newland 7-6 (3ot) UCLA Long Beach, Calif.
1969 UCLA (19-0) Bob Horn 5-2 California Long Beach, Calif.