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USA Today has partnered with NCSA, a recruiting organization, to help rank the best colleges for water polo in the United States. Utilizing an array of sophisticated qualitative and quantitative methodologies the partnership has produced a shocking result: USC is the best school for men’s water polo – followed by Stanford, UCLA, and Cal.
Who knew?
The University of Southern California is a private research university with a reputation of offering top academic programs. USC also has one of the strongest men’s water polo programs in the U.S. The team is consistently competitive in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation along with national competition. USC men’s water polo has earned a total of nine national championships, including six straight from 2008-13. This highly competitive program is the top choice for outstanding athletes looking for the chance to play among the best.
The list’s resemblance to nearly any CWPA varsity men’s ranking of the past several years is clear and pretty easily explained: “Athletic Competitiveness” and “Overall College Quality” are listed as the most important variables in the NCSA’s model. All four top choices boast fine academic reputations and, more importantly, fill the top four slots in varsity men’s water polo polls far more often than not.
Perhaps without even knowing it, USA Today has inserted itself firmly in the simmering debate over water polo’s “Big Four.”
Source: Best U.S. colleges for men’s water polo | USA TODAY College
