USC, Whittier & Navy Remain No. 1 in November 4 Men's Varsity Polls

BRIDGEPORT, Pa. -- The University of Southern California, Whittier College and the United States Naval Academy are unanimous selections as the top teams in the nation as the Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) released the November 4 Men's Varsity Top 20, Division III Top 10 and CWPA Top 10 polls.

Voted on by a panel of coaches and administrators from around the country during each week of the season and based on the cumulative results of each team, the Varsity Top 20, Division III Top 10 and Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 10 polls are released each Wednesday during the season until the Wednesday following the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Championship hosted by Princeton University in early December.

Men's Top 20 Varsity Poll

The University of Southern California earned its fourth consecutive week, and sixth overall, as the No. 1 team in the nation as the Trojans were previously ranked in the top spot in the Preseason, September 9, September 16, October 14, October 21 and October 28 polls.

Further, for a second consecutive week the Trojans are a unanimous selection as the nation's best earning 100 points.

All 20 teams ranked in the Top 20 last week remained in the poll, while 15 of the 20 held onto their ranking from the October 28 poll.

Overall, the first 12 positions in the poll remain unchanged from the October 28 balloting as the first changes occurred at positions 13 and 14.  University of the Pacific, which was ranked No. 14 last week, moved past former No. 13 Santa Clara University to take over the 13th position and drop Santa Clara back to No. 14.

The United States Air Force Academy, University of California-Davis and Princeton University held on at No. 15-17, respectively, while the final three positions in the poll experienced a shift with Saint Francis College (N.Y.), California Baptist University and Bucknell University moving to No. 18-20.

Men's Division III Top 10 Varsity Poll 

For only the second time in the last five weeks, a team has remained the No. 1 team in the Division III Poll for longer than a week as Whittier College garnered one more point to become a unanimous selection in the November 4 poll.

Whittier, which recorded 99 points a week ago, leads a poll which experienced a dramatic shift in the Top Six with only the Poets and No. 2 ranked University of Redlands retaining their October 28 positions.

Pomona-Pitzer Colleges moves up one place this week to take over the No. 3 slot, while Johns Hopkins University jumps two spots to No. 4.  Chapman University, which rated third a week ago, slides two places to No. 5 with Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges dropping back a place to No. 6.

California Lutheran University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Occidental College and Washington & Jefferson College round out the poll as the quartet held onto their previously awarded No. 7-10 positions.

2009 Division III Poll (November 4 - Week 9)

Men's Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 10 Poll

The United States Naval Academy garnered 100 points for a third consecutive week to retain its position as a unanimous top selection in the Collegiate Water Polo Association Top 10 Poll.

Navy, which earned 100 points to rate as the consenus No. 1 team in the league on October 21, leads a string of CWPA Southern Division teams which held their rankings in the top half from the October 21 poll as  Princeton University, Bucknell University and Johns Hopkins University continue to rate No. 2-4. 

Brown University also held onto its position from the October 28 poll as the Bears continue to rank No. 5.

Overall, the CWPA poll has seen only two teams rank No. 1 this season as Princeton rated No. 1 in the Preseason, September 9, October 7 and October 14 polls, while Navy previously topped the standings on September 16, September 23, September 30, October 21 and October 28.

The first change in the poll occurs at No. 6 as Fordham University used a victory over Iona College to bump the Gaels back to No. 7.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard University and George Washington University conclude the poll as the Engineers, Crimson and Colonials continue to rank No. 8-10.