National Collegiate Men's Water Polo Championship

Dates and site: Stanford will host the championship December 4-5 at the Avery Aquatic Center.

Field: Four teams.

Selection date: November 28.

2003 champion: UCLA.

Top contenders: Among the top teams listed in a November 10 Men's Collegiate Coaches Water Polo poll were UCLA, Stanford, Southern California, California and UC Irvine.

Championship notes: UCLA and Stanford have appeared in the tournament 26 times in the last 35 years. In those appearances, the Cardinal have won 10 national titles, including the 2002 crown, and the Bruins have eight, including the 2000 trophy ... Going into a November 13 game against Southern California, UCLA had a 14-game winning streak, its longest in eight years, and a 19-2 record overall. The Bruins' victories include a 8-7 double overtime win over second-ranked Stanford in early October and another