The UC Irvine Anteaters men's water polo program represents the University of California, Irvine in all NCAA Division I men's water polo competitions. Founded in 1965, the Anteaters compete in the Big West Conference.
The Anteaters are coached by Daniel Klatt, who has coached the team since 2022. Daniel Klatt historically only coached the UC Irvine women's water polo team since 2004, and has previously served as an assistant for the U.S. Women's Water Polo Olympic Team in 2012 and 2016. UC Irvine plays their home matches at the Anteater Aquatics Complex.
UC Irvine's men's water polo team won three NCAA Division I national championships in 1970, 1982, and 1989.
UC Irvine's head men's water polo coach for many years was Ted Newland, who died in 2019. As the Anteaters' head coach from 1966-2005, Newland had a lifetime record of 714âÂÂ345âÂÂ5. In his 39 years at the helm the Anteaters won three national championships, and the team was consistently rated among the nation's top 5 programs. Many world-class water polo players have been affiliated with UCI, with more than 70 NCAA All-Americans and 13 Olympians being produced by the program. Four Anteaters were a part of the United States team that won the silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.
In 2023, the Big West, UC Irvine's primary conference, began sponsorship of men's water polo. UC Irvine won the inaugural Big West men's water polo regular season and championship, beating conference rival UC Santa Barbara 11âÂÂ9, and ending a 30-year NCAA playoff drought dating back to 1993.
UC Irvine has appeared in twenty-two NCAA Tournaments. Their combined record is 29âÂÂ19.
Below is a table of the program's yearly records.