LA JOLLA, Calif. – UC San Diego has been selected to host a pair of NCAA water polo national championships in the coming years. UC San Diego will play host to the 2024 men's national championship and the 2026 women's national championship at Canyonview Aquatic Center. On Wednesday, the NCAA announced future sites for a number of championships from 2023 through 2026.
 
"We are extremely honored and excited to host the NCAA men's water polo championship in 2024 and the women's water polo championship in 2026," said Earl W. Edwards, UC San Diego Director of Athletics. "What better way to showcase our top notch facilities, our warm Triton hospitality and that beautiful San Diego weather than to host the top student-athletes in the sport as they compete for a national championship?"

"UC San Diego hosting the 2024 NCAA National Championships is amazing news for the University, Athletic Department and our Men's Water Polo program," said long-time head coach Denny Harper. "There was a lot of work done on behalf of the men's and women's program, as well as the athletic department. These bids are not awarded easily, and assistant athletic director Corey Robinson did a fantastic job of working with the NCAA to showcase our beautiful campus and facilities. The last time UC San Diego hosted the men's championships in 2014, it was an awesome Final Four. We are confident that all water polo fans will be excited to return to La Jolla and the campus of UC San Diego for another incredible National Championships."

"We obviously feel that the Canyonview Aquatic Center is one of the top venues in the country. This lets us once again showcase it to the entire world," added UC San Diego women's head coach Brad Kreutzkamp. "We are beyond excited not only to host this event, but to play in it too!"
 
Canyonview Aquatic Center serves as the home for the Tritons water polo and swimming & diving programs.
 
For only the third time in its history, the NCAA undertook a site selection process where most of its championships were put out for bid at the same time. The Association made more than 450 selections of host sites for preliminary rounds and final sites of predetermined championships in Divisions I, II and III, with most to be held from 2022-23 through 2025-26.
 
The NCAA received more than 3,000 bid submissions from NCAA member schools, conferences, sports commissions and cities vying to host predetermined rounds for 86 of the NCAA's 90 championships. The sites were selected by the respective NCAA sports committees and approved by the divisional competition oversight and championships committees.
 
"The response of our membership, host cities and local organizing committees to this process was tremendous," said Joni Comstock, NCAA senior vice president of championships. "Thanks to their commitment, we are excited that our student-athletes will play in some of the top locations and venues in the United States."
 
Forty-three states plus the District of Columbia were selected to host at least one NCAA championship event, with California garnering the most, with 34. Texas was second with 30, while North Carolina totaled 28, followed by Pennsylvania with 27 and Ohio with 25.
 
The NCAA sports committees made the nearly 450 selections of host sites based on criteria that included the ability to create an outstanding experience for student-athletes, along with adherence to NCAA sport-specific bid specifications. Specifications can include, but are not limited to, providing optimal facilities; ease of travel to the location and ample lodging; and adherence to NCAA principles, which include providing an atmosphere that is safe and respects the dignity of all attendees.
 
For the complete list of NCAA championship sites, click here.
 
About UC San Diego Athletics
After two decades as one of the most successful programs in NCAA Division II, the UC San Diego intercollegiate athletics program begins a new era in 2020 as a member of the Big West Conference in NCAA Division I.  The 23-sport Tritons earned 30 team and nearly 150 individual national championships during its time in Divisions III and II and helped guide more than 1,300 scholar-athletes to All-America honors.  A total of 83 Tritons have earned Academic All-America honors, while 37 have earned prestigious NCAA Post Graduate Scholarships.  UC San Diego scholar-athletes exemplify the academic ideals of one of the world's preeminent institutions, graduating at an average rate of 91 percent, one of the highest rates among institutions at all divisions.