No. 2 seed UCLA (24-2, 5-1 MPSF) will have the opportunity to protect the national title starting Friday at Avery Aquatic Center in Palo Alto, California. The Bruins enter the 2025 NCAA Tournament after earning a second-place finish in the MPSF Tournament two weeks prior, when they fell to the No. 1 seed Trojans in a 14-11 affair. However, unlike the conference tournament, UCLA enters the national draw as the defending champions, having captured the 2024 title against USC. But the path to hoisting the championship trophy again begins with a Friday evening matchup against Princeton (23-9, 9-1 NWPC). The Daily Bruin Sports’ men’s water polo beat predicts how UCLA will fare in its final stretch of 2025 games.
Jacob Nguyen
Assistant Sports editor
Prediction: National champions
I said history is not on UCLA’s side going into the MPSF Tournament.
It’s the exact opposite this time around.
[Related: UCLA men’s water polo 2025 MPSF tournament predictions]
As heartbreaking as it is to fall to your crosstown rival in back-to-back conference finals, the Bruins probably sleep better knowing that they can get revenge in the bigger national gauntlet.
They did it last year, and they can do it again in 2025.
Men’s water polo runs through the MPSF. You might as well call it the “MPSF Tournament: Part Two.”
With that being said, I would be shocked if the final match was not a rerun of last season. That is not to discount No. 3 seed Stanford, either, which UCLA will likely face in the second round before trekking into the championship contest. But it is hard to underestimate the Bruins when they are undefeated against all non-Trojan opponents this season.
And I will admit – that recent loss was not pretty.
UCLA gave up a season-high 14 goals and fell by three points after splitting the regular season series with USC, where one goal separated both squads in each game. The Bruins also played from behind all game – something that coach Adam Wright definitely dreads.
But which precedent do I weigh more heavily? Last season’s title run or this season’s rivalry series?
Truth be told, I think it’s the latter.
If this season has shown anything, it is that a minuscule margin separates the Bruins and Trojans.
But UCLA knows how to win championships. Wright has done it five times with the men’s program alone. And they find ways to win, especially on the biggest stage.
And maybe whoever is writing this script just really likes to give UCLA every other win against its crosstown rival.
Kai Dizon
Daily Bruin senior staff
Prediction: National champions
UCLA Athletics better have that “5” plaque ready in the Hall of Fame.
The Bruins’ best news is that the Golden Bears didn’t even make the tournament – California has beaten UCLA in each of their past three NCAA tournament encounters.
For what it’s worth, while Cal is nowhere near its best, I don’t know how you leave out a team with two wins over the tournament’s No. 1 seed, USC.
Regardless, that all but guarantees UCLA its second consecutive national title.
It’s cruel and unusual punishment to invite schools like CUI, Princeton, UC Davis, San Jose State and even No. 4 seed Fordham to these things.
It’ll be Bruins vs. Trojans in the title game Sunday.
At best, it’s a coin toss – though one weighted in UCLA’s direction. USC just doesn’t hold the same NCAA devil magic over UCLA that Cal does – at least it didn’t a year ago.
At worst, UCLA has forgotten to order the “5” plaque, and the UCLA Hall of Fame wall will be stuck boasting about 124 NCAA Championships.
Finn Karish
Daily Bruin contributor
Prediction: National champions
Being on the easy side of the bracket is overrated.
For the Bruins, a tougher path to the final will only make them more ready.
UCLA enters the tournament fresh off a loss in the MPSF Tournament final to USC. Trojan fans will find this eerily similar to last year, when the Bruins eventually bested them in the game that counts – the NCAA Championship.
After their first loss to USC this year, UCLA came out on top in one of its toughest games of the year against Stanford, handily dismantled California and Pacific and then took revenge on the Trojans to close out the regular season. To bring home the national title, the Bruins will similarly need to harness the energy of this MPSF loss as momentum.
Once they get going, this year’s squad is like a runaway freight train.
UCLA’s squad has increased its threat in front of goal – already exceeding its total goal tally of 445 last year with 462 and a likely three more games to play – with sophomore utility Bode Brinkema, junior utility Ben Liechty and redshirt senior attacker Chase Dodd all building on their 2024 scoring totals to back up top-scorer and sophomore attacker Ryder Dodd. Defensively, they have conceded goals at a lower rate thanks to redshirt sophomore goalkeeper Nate Tauscher, who leads the MPSF in saves.
If they can put together complete performances reflective of these trends, UCLA might just be back and better than ever.
With history on their side and revenge on the back of their minds, the Bruins are only three games away from a second consecutive national title.
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