With just three points seperating first and second place, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps has taken the top spot in the 2026 Men's Water Polo Preseason Poll, as voted on by the league's head coaches. 

The Stags claimed six first-place votes and totaled 78 points to gain an edge on Pomona-Pitzer, who finished with 75 points. The two teams combined for eight of the 10 spots on the First Team All-SCIAC last season. 

Despite graduating Jake Taylor, Thomas Walker, and Luke. "Bear" Weigle, the 2025 National Champion CMS will feature the reigning SCIAC Offensive Athlete of the Year in Nick Kennedy. With 99 goals and 76 assists, the rising senior led the conference in points with 175. His efforts also earned him the ACWPC Division III National Player of the Year award. Additionally, Gavin Netherton and Jeffrey Koretz are set for their senior seasons after posting 65 and 41 points last year, respectively. The Stags lost a closely contested battle to the Sagehens in the 2025 regular season before defeating them in both the SCIAC Championship Match and National Championship Match. 

Pomona-Pitzer is returning all four of its First Team All-SCIAC players from last season in Greg Moore, Darragh Flanders, Zach Whitfield, and Jaden Winters. Notably, Moore was also named the SCIAC Defensive Athlete of the Year for his stellar performance in goal. The San Mateo, Calif., native had a save percentage of .462 and made a SCIAC-best 243 saves. Whitfield further bolstered the defense with 49 steals and 10 field blocks to go along with 59 points. Winters was the Sagehens' leading scorer with 64 goals, good for seventh in the league, in addition to 27 assists. Flanders was also a key contributor for Pomona-Pitzer's offense with 52 goals and four assists. 

Third-place Redlands will be bringing back two of its three All-SCIAC performers from 2025 in Oliver Finley and Ossie Joplin. Finley led the Bulldogs in goals last year with 46 and was followed by Joplin, who racked up 33. Goalkeeper Troy Barker is also returning for his senior year after recording 165 saves with a .327 save percentage last season. Redlands earned a spot in the 2025 SCIAC Tournament before falling to the eventual champion CMS.

2026 SCIAC Men's Water Polo Preseason Poll
1. Claremont-Mudd-Scripps - 78 points (six first-place votes)
2. Pomona-Pitzer - 75 points (three first-place votes)
3. Redlands - 60 points
4. California Lutheran - 49 points
5. Chapman - 41 points
6. Whittier - 39 points
7. Occidental - 30 points
8. La Verne - 24 points
9. Caltech - 9 points