﻿{"id":628480,"date":"2025-12-06T13:19:54","date_gmt":"2025-12-06T20:19:54","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=628480"},"modified":"2025-12-06T13:19:54","modified_gmt":"2025-12-06T20:19:54","slug":"ucla-repeat-or-usc-spoil-ncaa-mens-water-polo-stanford-2025","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ucla-repeat-or-usc-spoil-ncaa-mens-water-polo-stanford-2025\/","title":{"rendered":"2025 NCAA Men\u2019s Water Polo This Weekend: Will UCLA Repeat or Will USC Spoil at Stanford?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><em>By Swimming World Staff<br \/>\n<\/em><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"628490\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ucla-repeat-or-usc-spoil-ncaa-mens-water-polo-stanford-2025\/screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11-58-52-am\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM.png\" data-orig-size=\"1668,1038\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-12-06 at 11.58.52\u202fAM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-700x500.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-1024x637.png\" class=\"wp-image-628490 size-medium-small alignnone\" src=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-450x280.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"280\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-450x280.png 450w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-1024x637.png 1024w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-280x174.png 280w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-1536x956.png 1536w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-300x187.png 300w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-1200x747.png 1200w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-1446x900.png 1446w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM-533x332.png 533w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.58.52\u202fAM.png 1668w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"628488\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ucla-repeat-or-usc-spoil-ncaa-mens-water-polo-stanford-2025\/screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11-26-34-am\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM.png\" data-orig-size=\"2302,1552\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-12-06 at 11.26.34\u202fAM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-700x500.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-1024x690.png\" class=\"alignnone size-medium-small wp-image-628488\" src=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-450x303.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"303\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-450x303.png 450w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-1024x690.png 1024w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-280x189.png 280w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-1536x1036.png 1536w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-2048x1381.png 2048w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-300x202.png 300w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-1200x809.png 1200w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-2000x1348.png 2000w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-1335x900.png 1335w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.26.34\u202fAM-533x359.png 533w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/p>\n<h2>UCLA\u2019s Repeat Bid, USC\u2019s Spoiler Role and a Loaded Final Four<\/h2>\n<p>The 2025 NCAA Men\u2019s Water Polo Championship at Stanford has turned into a dream bracket for fans.<br \/>\nDefending champion UCLA is two wins away from going back-to-back. USC looks perfectly positioned to play spoiler.<br \/>\nHost Stanford brings home-pool advantage and a balanced attack, while Fordham is chasing history as the first<br \/>\nnon-California program to break through for the title.<\/p>\n<h3>Championship Schedule &amp; Streaming<\/h3>\n<p><!-- SCHEDULE \/ STREAMING GRAPHIC --><\/p>\n<p>The 2025 NCAA Men\u2019s Water Polo Championship runs from through Sunday, December 7 \u00a0streaming on NCAA.com<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.ncaa.com\/sports\/waterpolo-men\"><strong>Saturday, Dec. 6 \u2013 Semifinals (NCAA.com) \u00a0<\/strong><\/a>2 p.m. PT \u2013 USC vs. Fordham 4p.m. PT\u00a0 UCLA vs. Stanford<\/li>\n<li><a href=\"https:\/\/www.espn.com\/college-sports\/story\/_\/id\/47192587\/how-watch-2025-ncaa-men-water-polo-championship-espnu\"><strong>Sunday, Dec. 7 \u2013 Championship (ESPNU)<\/strong><\/a><br \/>\n3:00 p.m. PT \u2013 NCAA Men\u2019s Water Polo Championship Game (ESPNU &amp; ESPN App)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2>Opening day at Avery Aquatic Center went to form<\/h2>\n<p>USC rolled past Concordia\u2013Irvine, Fordham outlasted San Jose State, UCLA controlled Princeton and Stanford handled UC Davis.<br \/>\nThose results set up a blockbuster semifinal slate \u2014<br \/>\nUSC vs. Fordham and UCLA vs. Stanford \u2014 with Sunday\u2019s national championship on the line.<\/p>\n<p><!-- BRACKET \/ TOURNAMENT GRAPHIC (OPTIONAL) --><\/p>\n<p>Game 1: USC 16, Concordia\u2013Irvine 6<\/p>\n<p><!-- USC VS CUI IMAGE --><\/p>\n<figure>\n<p><div id=\"attachment_628484\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-628484\" data-attachment-id=\"628484\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ucla-repeat-or-usc-spoil-ncaa-mens-water-polo-stanford-2025\/screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11-22-29-am\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM.png\" data-orig-size=\"1730,1252\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-12-06 at 11.22.29\u202fAM\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;UC Davis Senior Adam Ting guarding vs Stanford Water Polo &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;UC Davis Senior Adam Ting guarding vs Stanford Water Polo &lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-700x500.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-1024x741.png\" class=\"size-medium-small wp-image-628484\" src=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-450x326.png\" alt=\"UC Davis Senior Adam Ting guarding Stanford Water Polo \" width=\"450\" height=\"326\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-450x326.png 450w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-1024x741.png 1024w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-276x200.png 276w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-1536x1112.png 1536w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-300x217.png 300w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-1200x868.png 1200w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-1244x900.png 1244w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM-533x386.png 533w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.22.29\u202fAM.png 1730w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-628484\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">UC Davis Senior Adam Ting guarding vs Stanford Water Polo<\/p><\/div><\/figure>\n<p>Top-seeded USC opened its tournament with the kind of performance you expect from a No. 1 seed.<br \/>\nThe Trojans briefly trailed 3\u20132 early, then clamped down defensively and exploded in transition on the way<br \/>\nto a 16\u20136 win over Concordia\u2013Irvine in the first game of the day.<\/p>\n<p>USC spread the scoring across its lineup, with multiple players finding the net and the Trojans\u2019 centers<br \/>\ndrawing key exclusions that fueled the power-play game. Concordia \u2014 making its first NCAA appearance \u2014<br \/>\nshowed its quality by jumping in front early, but once USC\u2019s press tightened and the counterattack<br \/>\ngot rolling, the top seed never looked back.<\/p>\n<p>The opening-round rout sent a clear message to the rest of the field: if someone is going to stop a<br \/>\nUCLA\u2013USC showdown on Sunday, they\u2019re going to have to slow a Trojan offense that can attack in waves<br \/>\nand a defense that only gets stingier as the game wears on.<\/p>\n<h2>Game 2: Fordham 13, San Jose State 9<\/h2>\n<p><!-- FORDHAM VS SJSU IMAGE --><\/p>\n<p>If USC represents the traditional power, Fordham is the modern disruptor.<br \/>\nThe Rams continued their historic rise with a 13\u20139 win over San Jose State, advancing to the NCAA semifinals<br \/>\nfor the second straight year and securing back-to-back top-three finishes for a non-California program.<\/p>\n<p>Fordham fell behind 3\u20131 early but responded with three straight goals to lead 4\u20133 after the first quarter<br \/>\nand never trailed again. The Rams\u2019 veteran core \u2014 led by standout scorers and a steady presence in goal \u2014<br \/>\ncontrolled the game\u2019s key moments, including a pivotal defensive stand on a six-on-four and a series of<br \/>\nfourth-quarter goals that finally put the Spartans away.<\/p>\n<p>San Jose State fought back to within 11\u20139 late, showing the same resilience that carried the Spartans<br \/>\nthrough the regular season. But Fordham\u2019s composure and balanced scoring proved decisive, sending the Rams<br \/>\ninto a semifinal clash with USC and giving the national bracket a true East Coast threat.<\/p>\n<h2>Game 3: UCLA 15, Princeton 11<\/h2>\n<p><!-- UCLA VS PRINCETON IMAGE --><\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_628494\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><a href=\"https:\/\/usawaterpolo.org\/news\/2025\/10\/22\/general-usa-water-polo-to-present-live-coverage-of-2025-ncaa-mens-water-polo-championship-on-espnu.aspx\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-628494\" data-attachment-id=\"628494\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ucla-repeat-or-usc-spoil-ncaa-mens-water-polo-stanford-2025\/screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11-29-17-am\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM.png\" data-orig-size=\"2356,1342\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-12-06 at 11.29.17\u202fAM\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;NCAA Championship Dec 7 at Stanford&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;NCAA Championship Dec 7 at Stanford&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-700x500.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-1024x583.png\" class=\"size-medium-small wp-image-628494\" src=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-450x256.png\" alt=\"NCAA Championship Dec 7 at Stanford\" width=\"450\" height=\"256\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-450x256.png 450w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-1024x583.png 1024w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-280x159.png 280w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-1536x875.png 1536w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-2048x1167.png 2048w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-300x171.png 300w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-1200x684.png 1200w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-2000x1139.png 2000w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-1580x900.png 1580w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.29.17\u202fAM-533x304.png 533w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><\/a><p id=\"caption-attachment-628494\" class=\"wp-caption-text\"><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/usawaterpolo.org\/news\/2025\/10\/22\/general-usa-water-polo-to-present-live-coverage-of-2025-ncaa-mens-water-polo-championship-on-espnu.aspx\">NCAA Championship Dec 7 at Stanford<\/a><\/strong><\/p><\/div>\n<p>Defending champion UCLA began its repeat quest with a 15\u201311 win over Princeton that felt comfortable<br \/>\nfrom the opening sprint. The Bruins bolted to a 5\u20131 lead after one quarter and used their depth to<br \/>\nmanage the game the rest of the way.<\/p>\n<p>UCLA showcased an attack that can score from everywhere in the pool \u2014 on the perimeter, at center and in transition.<br \/>\nMultiple Bruins finished with multi-goal games, and the reigning champs\u2019 extra-man efficiency kept<br \/>\nPrinceton chasing on the scoreboard throughout.<\/p>\n<p>Princeton, making its fifth straight NCAA appearance, mounted a push in the second half and finished<br \/>\nwith a balanced scoring line of its own. But UCLA\u2019s early surge and experience in high-pressure NCAA games<br \/>\nmade the difference. The win put the Bruins two games away from back-to-back national titles and set<br \/>\nup a marquee semifinal against host Stanford.<\/p>\n<h2>Game 4: Stanford 15, UC Davis 9<\/h2>\n<p><!-- STANFORD VS UC DAVIS IMAGE --><\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" data-attachment-id=\"628487\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ucla-repeat-or-usc-spoil-ncaa-mens-water-polo-stanford-2025\/screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11-24-46-am\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM.png\" data-orig-size=\"2032,1338\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-12-06 at 11.24.46\u202fAM\" data-image-description=\"\" data-image-caption=\"\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-700x500.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-1024x674.png\" class=\"size-medium-small wp-image-628487 alignleft\" src=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-450x296.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"450\" height=\"296\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-450x296.png 450w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-1024x674.png 1024w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-280x184.png 280w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-1536x1011.png 1536w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-300x198.png 300w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-1200x790.png 1200w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-2000x1317.png 2000w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-1367x900.png 1367w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM-533x351.png 533w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-11.24.46\u202fAM.png 2032w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/>In the nightcap, Stanford gave the home fans exactly what they wanted: a commanding performance<br \/>\nand a ticket to the semifinals. The Cardinal jumped out early and never allowed UC Davis to find<br \/>\nsustained momentum, rolling to a 15\u20139 victory.<\/p>\n<p>Stanford\u2019s balanced attack was on full display, with five different players scoring multiple goals<br \/>\nand the Cardinal mixing inside power with outside shooting. Defensively, Stanford pressed the perimeter,<br \/>\nlimited second-chance looks and used its counterattack to generate separation on the scoreboard,<br \/>\nturning an 8\u20134 halftime lead into a comfortable margin by the fourth quarter.<\/p>\n<p>Head coach Brian Flacks praised his team\u2019s defensive effort afterward, noting how quickly the<br \/>\nCardinal responded when UC Davis tried to push back late in the second quarter.<br \/>\nThe result: a second straight NCAA semifinal appearance and a high-stakes showdown with UCLA on home water.<\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2>USC vs. Fordham: Can the Rams Delay a UCLA\u2013USC Collision Course?<\/h2>\n<p>The first semifinal today at Avery Aquatic Center comes with a built-in storyline:<br \/>\nif USC advances, it keeps alive the dream of a UCLA\u2013USC championship clash on Sunday.<br \/>\nFordham, however, has zero interest in being a supporting character.<br \/>\nThe Rams have already busted one stereotype by becoming a consistent national contender from outside California;<br \/>\nnow they\u2019re aiming to knock out the top seed.<\/p>\n<p>This is a rematch of last season\u2019s NCAA semifinal \u2014 an overtime thriller that went USC\u2019s way.<br \/>\nFordham returns more seasoned and battle-tested, while USC\u2019s depth and speed may be even better than a year ago.<br \/>\nThe matchup feels like a test of whether a deep, tradition-rich power can outlast a hungry, ascending challenger<br \/>\nover four quarters.<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_628492\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-628492\" data-attachment-id=\"628492\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ucla-repeat-or-usc-spoil-ncaa-mens-water-polo-stanford-2025\/screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12-00-34-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM.png\" data-orig-size=\"1378,842\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"USC Water Polo\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;Top Ranked USC has sites set on NCAA Championships&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;Top Ranked USC has sites set on Championships&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM-700x500.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM-1024x626.png\" class=\"size-medium-small wp-image-628492\" src=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM-450x275.png\" alt=\"Top Ranked USC has sites set on Championships\" width=\"450\" height=\"275\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM-450x275.png 450w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM-1024x626.png 1024w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM-280x171.png 280w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM-300x183.png 300w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM-1200x733.png 1200w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM-533x326.png 533w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.00.34\u202fPM.png 1378w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-628492\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Top Ranked USC has sites set on Championships<\/p><\/div>\n<p>For Fordham, the key is pace and possession. The Rams\u2019 stars must continue to produce, but just as importantly,<br \/>\nthey have to limit live-ball turnovers that fuel USC\u2019s counterattack and avoid long stretches of exclusion trouble.<br \/>\nIf Fordham can keep this game in the half court and win enough six-on-five battles, an upset is very much in play.<\/p>\n<p>For USC, the formula looks familiar: roll two solid lines, press defensively, counter hard and trust<br \/>\nthat the sheer volume of high-quality chances will eventually break the game open.<br \/>\nIf the Trojans seize control at center, own the counter lanes and execute on the power play,<br \/>\nthey\u2019ll be favorites to take the first step toward spoiling UCLA\u2019s repeat bid.<\/p>\n<h2>UCLA vs. Stanford: Can the Cardinal Stop the Bruins\u2019 Repeat Bid?<\/h2>\n<p>The second semifinal is an MPSF rivalry game with championship-level stakes.<br \/>\nUCLA is two wins away from a repeat title; Stanford, playing in front of a home crowd,<br \/>\nhas a chance to stop the Bruins\u2019 run cold and open the door for a Cardinal championship storyline of its own.<\/p>\n<p>If UCLA advances, the narrative everyone circles is obvious: Bruins vs. Trojans for the 2025 NCAA crown.<br \/>\nBut Stanford\u2019s 15\u20139 dismantling of UC Davis showed just how dangerous the Cardinal can be when all cylinders<br \/>\nare firing. They have the scoring depth to match UCLA goal-for-goal and the physical defense to make<br \/>\nevery Bruin possession uncomfortable.<\/p>\n<p>UCLA will lean on its proven stars and big-game experience.<br \/>\nIf the Bruins can start fast again, win the front-court matchups and generate early exclusions,<br \/>\nthey can force Stanford to chase from behind \u2014 never an easy task in an NCAA semifinal.<\/p>\n<p>Stanford, meanwhile, will try to turn the game into a grind.<br \/>\nWith multiple shooters capable of multi-goal nights and a defense that feeds off the energy<br \/>\nof the Avery crowd, the Cardinal are built to drag even elite offenses into deep water.<br \/>\nIf they can slow UCLA\u2019s perimeter threats and limit high-percentage looks on the power play,<br \/>\nStanford has every chance to flip the script and send the defending champs home early.<\/p>\n<h2>What\u2019s at Stake in Palo Alto?<\/h2>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ncaa-mens-water-polo-championship-to-air-live-on-espnu\/\">By Sunday afternoon, the storyline will be settled.<\/a><br \/>\nEither UCLA will complete a repeat run, USC will spoil its rival\u2019s bid and add another trophy to its legacy,<br \/>\nStanford will ride home water to a title, or Fordham will finish off one of the most remarkable<br \/>\nnon-California climbs the sport has seen.<\/p>\n<p>What began as a chalk day for the top four seeds has set up a weekend showcase for men\u2019s college water polo<br \/>\nat its highest level \u2014 and a simple, compelling question:<br \/>\n<strong>will UCLA repeat, or will USC (or someone else) rewrite the script at Stanford?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Final 2025 Rankings<\/p>\n<div id=\"attachment_628491\" style=\"width: 460px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-628491\" data-attachment-id=\"628491\" data-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/ucla-repeat-or-usc-spoil-ncaa-mens-water-polo-stanford-2025\/screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12-01-29-pm\/\" data-orig-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM.png\" data-orig-size=\"1678,1972\" data-comments-opened=\"1\" data-image-meta=\"{&quot;aperture&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;credit&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;camera&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;caption&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;created_timestamp&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;copyright&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;focal_length&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;iso&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;shutter_speed&quot;:&quot;0&quot;,&quot;title&quot;:&quot;&quot;,&quot;orientation&quot;:&quot;0&quot;}\" data-image-title=\"Screenshot 2025-12-06 at 12.01.29\u202fPM\" data-image-description=\"&lt;p&gt;2025 NCAA Water Polo Final Rankings&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-image-caption=\"&lt;p&gt;2025 NCAA Water Polo Final Rankings&lt;\/p&gt;\n\" data-medium-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-700x500.png\" data-large-file=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-871x1024.png\" class=\"size-medium-small wp-image-628491\" src=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-450x529.png\" alt=\"2025 NCAA Water Polo Final Rankings\" width=\"450\" height=\"529\" srcset=\"https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-450x529.png 450w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-871x1024.png 871w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-170x200.png 170w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-1307x1536.png 1307w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-300x353.png 300w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-1200x1410.png 1200w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-766x900.png 766w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM-533x626.png 533w, https:\/\/vmrw8k5h.tinifycdn.com\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-06-at-12.01.29\u202fPM.png 1678w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 450px) 100vw, 450px\" \/><p id=\"caption-attachment-628491\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">2025 NCAA Water Polo Final Rankings<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>References<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>NCAA.com \u2013 \u201c2025 NC men\u2019s water polo championship: Bracket, schedule, scores\u201d<\/li>\n<li>USC vs. Concordia\u2013Irvine game coverage \u2013 USC and Concordia Irvine box scores and recaps for the Dec. 5 NCAA quarterfinal at Avery Aquatic Center.<\/li>\n<li>Fordham vs. San Jose State quarterfinal \u2013 Fordham Athletics and Collegiate Water Polo Association recaps of Fordham\u2019s 13\u20139 win over San Jose State, plus San Jose State\u2019s tournament wrap<\/li>\n<li>UCLA vs. Princeton quarterfinal \u2013 UCLA Athletics, Princeton Athletics and Daily Bruin stories on UCLA\u2019s 15\u201311 win over Princeton in the first round.<\/li>\n<li>Stanford vs. UC Davis quarterfinal \u2013 Stanford Athletics \u201cNCAA Semifinal Bound Cardinal\u201d recap and Big West Conference story on UC Davis\u2019 15\u20139 loss to the host Cardinal.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By Swimming World Staff UCLA\u2019s Repeat Bid, USC\u2019s Spoiler Role and a Loaded Final Four The 2025 NCAA Men\u2019s Water Polo Championship at Stanford has turned into a dream bracket<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":106669,"featured_media":628485,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"dois","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[3,6,12],"tags":[9894,106972,30208,251,70415,3025,63384,24693,327,107185,61,62,3613,328,54416],"class_list":["post-628480","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-college","category-water-polo","tag-avery-aquatic-center","tag-concordia-irvine","tag-fordham","tag-ncaa","tag-ncaa-mens-water-polo","tag-princeton","tag-san-jose-state","tag-sports","tag-stanford","tag-uc-davis","tag-ucla","tag-united-states","tag-usa-water-polo","tag-usc","tag-water-polo"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v24.3 (Yoast SEO v24.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\r\n<title>UCLA or USC? 2025 NCAA Men\u2019s Water Polo at Stanford<\/title>\r\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Will UCLA repeat or will USC spoil the 2025 NCAA men\u2019s water polo championship at Stanford? 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