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The WWPA

The Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) continues to grow as a men's and women's water polo conference competing at the NCAA level.

The league began sending teams to the National Collegiate Water Polo Championships in 1981 on the men's side and in 2001 on the women's side when the NCAA added it as a championship sport. The WWPA includes eight teams on the women's side and seven on the men's side.

WWPA membership includes:

2023-24 WWPA Men: 2023-24 WWPA Women:
Biola University Biola University
Concordia University Cal State East Bay
Fresno Pacific University Cal State Monterey Bay
Gannon University Fresno Pacific University
McKendree University Gannon University
Mercyhurst University McKendree University
Salem University Mercyhurst University
  Salem University

Below is the history of WWPA Membership through the years:

Men's Programs (Began in 1981)
Biola University (Joined 2021-22)
Brigham Young University, Hawaii (Joined 2002, Withdrew 2006)
California Baptist University (Joined 2013, Withdrew 2023)
California Institute of Technology (Joined 1992, Withdrawl Unknown)
California State University, Los Angeles (Charter Member, Withdrew 1991)
California State University, San Bernardino (Joined 1990, Withdrew 1991)
Chaminade University (Charter Member, Withdrew 2006)
Chapman University (Joined 1994, Withdrew 2013)
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (Charter Member, Withdrew 2013)
Concordia University Irvine (Joined 2017-18)
Dominican (Charter Member, Withdrew 1989)
Fresno Pacific University (Joined 2015-16)
Gannon University (Joined 2023-24)
Loyola Marymount University (Joined 1987, Withdrew 2013)
Loyola University – Chicago (Charter Member, Withdrew 1989)
McKendree University (Joined 2023-24)
 Mercyhurst University (Joined 2023-24)
Occidental College (Joined 1988, Withdrew 2013)
Pomona-Pitzer Colleges (Charter Member, Withdrew 2013)
Salem University (W.Va.) (Joined 2023-24)
Santa Clara University (Charter Member, Withdrew 2023)
United States Air Force Academy (Charter Member, Withdrew 2023)
University of Redlands (Charter member, Withdrew 2013)
University of California, Davis (Charter member, Withdrew 2023)
University of California, Riverside (Joined 1988, Withdrew 1994)
University of California, San Diego (Charter Member, Withdrew 2023)
University of California, Santa Cruz (Joined 1997, Withdrew 2009)
University of La Verne (Joined 1998, Withdrew 2013)
University of Utah (Charter Member, Withdrew 1989)
Whittier College (Joined 1992, Withdrew 2013)		 Women's Programs (Began in 1999)
Biola (Joined 2021-22)
California Institute of Technology (Joined 2004, Withdrew 2005)
California Lutheran University (Joined 2004, Withdrew 2005)
California State University, Bakersfield (Charter Member, Withdrew 2013)
California State University, East Bay 
California State University Monterey Bay (Joined 2004-05)
California State University, San Bernardino (Joined 2001, Program Dropped 2014);
Chapman University (Joined 1992, Withdrew 2010)
Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges (Charter Member, Withdrew 2005)
Colorado State University (Joined 2005, Program Dropped 2013)
Fresno Pacific University (Joined 2017-18)
 Gannon University (Joined 2014-15)
Loyola Marymount University (Joined 1987, Withdrew 2014)
McKendree University (Joined 2017-18)
 Mercyhurst University (Joined 2015-16)
Occidental College (Charter Member, Withdrew 2005)
Pomona Pitzer Colleges (Charter Member, Withdrew 2005)
Salem University (W.Va.) (Joined 2018-19)
Santa Clara University (Charter Member, Withdrew 2014)
Sonoma State (Program Dropped 2020)
University of California, Davis (Charter Member, Withdrew 2005)
University of California, San Diego (Charter Member, Withdrew, 2019)
University of California, Santa Cruz (Charter Member, Withdrew 2009)
University of La Verne (Charter Member, Withdrew 2005)
University of Redlands (Charter Member, Withdrew 2005)
Whittier College (Charter Member, Withdrew 2005)

 

The WWPA competes within the NCAA and qualifies for the NCAA's automatic bid to the National Collegiate Water Polo Championships for both the men (fall sport) and women (spring). The WWPA features a championship tournament at the conclusion of both the men's and women's seasons, with the winner earning the league's automatic bid to NCAA's. The men's championship normally runs the third weekend of November while the women's championship takes place the final weekend of April.

The league is governed by the Executive Committee, which includes the Director of Athletics (or a designated representative) from each WWPA Institution. The Executive Committee then elects a President of the Association, which presides as chair for all Executive Committee meetings and supervises the WWPA Commissioner. The Commissioner is then charged with the day-to-day operation of the WWPA.