Three teams will receive an automatic invitation by winning their respective conference championships. The fourth team will be chosen on an at-large basis.
Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF): Stanford The 9 MPSF schools, all from the West, will battle it out at University of California, Berkeley.
Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA): University of Massachusetts The CWPA Champion will have to emerge at the top of the 18 teams from the East. Their 8-team tournament will be held at Princeton University.
Western Water Polo Association (WWPA): Loyola Marymount University The WWPA, comprised of 15 schools, will conduct an 8-team championship tournament at Loyola Marymount University.
At-Large Team: UCLA The remaining team will be selected without geographical restrictions. The nations top team that does not win a berth as conference champion will earn a shot at the NCAA title.