1990 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship

The 1990 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship was the 22nd annual NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship to determine the national champion of NCAA men's collegiate water polo. Tournament matches were played at the Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach, California during December 1990.^[1]

1990 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship

Tournament details
Dates	December 1990
Teams	8
Final positions
Champions	California (9th title)
Runners-up	Stanford (9th title game)
Tournament statistics
Matches played	12
Goals scored	239 (19.92 per match)
Attendance	3,185 (265 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)	Lucas Nicolao, Navy. (10)
Awards
Best player	Chris Humbert (California)
← 1989 1991 →

California defeated Stanford in the final, 8–7, to win their ninth national title. Coached by Steve Heaston, the Golden Bears finished the season 29–1.

As of 2024, UC Santa Barbara has not returned to the Water Polo playoffs. They currently have a 34 year drought, the longest of any such team that has won a National Championship.

The Most Outstanding Player of the tournament was Chris Humbert (California). Humbert, along with six other players, was named to the All-Tournament Team.

The tournament's leading scorer, with 10 goals, was Lucas Nicolao from Navy.

Qualification

Since there has only ever been one single national championship for water polo, all NCAA men's water polo programs (whether from Division I, Division II, or Division III) were eligible. A total of 8 teams were invited to contest this championship.

Team	Appearance	Previous
Air Force	6th	1986
Brown	11th	1989
California	17th	1989
UC Santa Barbara	12th	1985
Navy	5th	1988
Pepperdine	8th	1989
Stanford	18th	1989
UCLA	18th	1988

Bracket

• Site: Belmont Plaza Pool, Long Beach, California

	Fifth place					Consolation semifinals					First round					Championship semifinals					Championship
											California		16
											Brown		6
						Brown		6								California		10
						Pepperdine		13								UCLA		8
											UCLA		10
											Pepperdine		9
	Pepperdine		16																		California		8
	Air Force		13																		Stanford		7
											UC Santa Barbara		16
											Navy		9
	Seventh place					Navy		8								UC Santa Barbara		8			Third place
						Air Force		11								Stanford		9
	Brown		6								Stanford		14								UCLA		15
	Navy		7								Air Force		6								UC Santa Barbara		8

All-tournament team

• Chris Humbert, California (Most outstanding player)
• Julian Bailey, California
• Geoffrey Clark, Pepperdine
• Dan Hackett, UCLA
• Colin Keely, Stanford
• Rick McNair, Stanford
• Stefan Pollmann, UCLA

See also

• NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship