| NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship | |
| Year: | 1980 |
| Dates: | December 1980 |
| Num Teams: | 8 |
| Winners: | Stanford (3rd title) |
| Second: | California (7th title game) |
| Third: | UC Irvine |
| Fourth: | Pepperdine |
| Matches: | 12 |
| Goals: | 214 |
| Attendance: | 2401 |
| Scoring Leader: | Kevin Robertson, California & Scott Schulte, Bucknell (11) |
| Award: | John Gansel, Stanford & Kevin Robertson, California |
| Prev Season: | 1979 |
| Next Season: | 1981 |
The 1980 NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship was the 12th annual NCAA Men's Water Polo Championship to determine the national champion of NCAA men's college water polo. Tournament matches were played at the Belmont Plaza Pool in Long Beach, California during December 1980.[1]
Stanford defeated California in the final, 8–6, to win their third national title.
John Gansel (Stanford) and Kevin Robertson (California) were named the Co-Most Outstanding Players of the tournament. An All-Tournament Team, consisting of nine players, was also named.
Robertson and Scott Schulte (Bucknell) were the tournament's leading scorers (12 goals). Schulte is the only men's water polo player to be the leading scorer in four consecutive tournaments (1977–1980).
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bucknell | 4th | 1979 | |
| California | 8th | 1979 | |
| Loyola–Chicago | 6th | 1979 | |
| Pepperdine | 3rd | 1978 | |
| USC | 5th | 1973 | |
| Stanford | 8th | 1979 | |
| UC Irvine | 11th | 1978 | |
| UC Santa Barbara | 8th | 1979 |