
UCLA men’s water polo smiles for a group picture around the 2025 national championship trophy. (Michael Gallagher/Assistant Photo editor)
Once is an accident.
Twice is a coincidence.
Thrice is a pattern.
But what does it mean when it happens 14 times?
That is the number of national championships UCLA men’s water polo has won, which accounts for over 10% of UCLA’s 125 NCAA titles.

125.
That is how many national champion plaques UCLA now boasts on its storied walls.
And No. 2 seed UCLA men’s water polo (27-2, 5-1 MPSF) has been responsible for the most recent two, capturing the national championship for its second straight season against No.
The Bruins are one win away from the next chapter.
But before the championship bracket opens, the road back to a national title begins with a familiar postseason rhythm: a long layoff, a corrective training stretch and an opening round opponent built to test composure.
This post was updated Nov. 29 at 6:04 p.m.
It was a rematch a year in the making.
The Trojans vanquished the Bruins in last year’s MPSF championship match in a three-point affair.
No. 1 UCLA (22-1, 5-1 MPSF) begins its postseason campaign with the MPSF Championship at Avery Aquatic Center in Stanford, California. The Bruins have been the MPSF’s best regular-season team for three consecutive years but failed to win the tournament title after falling to No.
Perhaps the result reflects what was expected.
Perhaps it was nearly a guarantee, given the circumstances.
And perhaps the focus is on future matches.
Nonetheless, the Bruins rose to the occasion.

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