DIVISION I MEN'S NATIONAL INTERCOLLEGIATE CHAMPIONSHIP
TOURNAMENT HISTORY
The USPA Division I Men’s National Intercollegiate Championship (NIC) is part of the United States Polo Association's Intercollegiate/Interscholastic (I/I) polo program, which is dedicated to growing the sport by providing maximum exposure, recruiting collegiate and scholastic institutions, coordinating activities and organizing competition. Supporting this mission, the I/I program has experienced tremendous growth in recent years, including the development of Division I and Division II polo, which increases the number of emerging teams competing in competitive games at every level.
Division assignments are based on the strength of teams as determined by rosters, a team's regular season scores and the strength of their schedule. Men's and women's teams from the same school are not required to play in the same division, allowing teams to participate at an appropriate level. Teams are able to move back and forth between the divisions from year to year to accommodate for student matriculation and annual roster changes.
A longstanding tradition, the first National Intercollegiate Championship for the John R. Townsend men's intercollegiate polo trophy was won by Princeton University in 1922. Celebrating its 100 year anniversary in 2022, the NIC provides an opportunity for collegiate players from all corners of the United States to come together and compete for the historic trophy.
Spanning decades of excellence, Yale University currently holds the record for the most NIC victories, collecting 19 titles from 1923 to 1986. University of California Davis (UC Davis) dominated competition in the 80s, earning nine victories in fifteen years, including five consecutive (1981-1985) championships. Notable titleholders also include University of Virginia (UVA), earning 12 victories spanning from 1987 to 2022, with Cornell University and Texas A&M University (TAMU) close behind with 11 wins each.
In 2019, the men and women of Texas A&M University (TAMU) became the second team in history since the University of California Davis (UC Davis) in the 80s to complete a rare "double-double," back-to-back victories from both the Division I teams. In 2022, the men and women of the University of Virginia (UVA) also earned double awards on home turf at Virginia Polo Inc. in Charlottesville, Virginia.
In 2024, a Texas showdown pitted defending champions University of North Texas (Niklaus Felhaber, John Dencker, Vance Miller III, Mosiah Gravesande) against Southern Methodist University (Landen Eckbo Daniels, Clark Mayer, Shane Metternick, August Schneekloth). Taking charge early on, UNT clinched a solid 17-8 win to secure the John R. Townsend Trophy for a second consecutive year. Read article here.
Returning to the Lone Star State for the first time since 2014, this year's edition of the Division I Men's National Intercollegiate Championship will be hosted by the DFW Polo Association, with all games played at Prestonwood Polo & Country Club in Oak Point, Texas. Established in 2023, the DFW Polo Association brings together several Dallas-area polo clubs that have banded together to enhance the polo experience, increase participation and promote competition in the Dallas/Fort Worth areas.
The Division I Men's qualifying tournament will take place on Wednesday, March 26, between Southern Methodist University (SMU) and the University of Connecticut (UCONN) to determine who will advance to the Championship tournament semifinals.
Defending champions UNT will attempt to earn an impressive three-peat, a feat last accomplished by UVA from 2002 to 2004. Seeking to add to its illustrious history, UVA will vie for a thirteen title, while TAMU seeks a return to the podium for the first time since 2019. SMU is in pursuit of its first national title and UCONN hopes to reach the podium for the first time since 1974.
Photo: 2024 Division I Men's National Intercollegiate Championship Winner: University of North Texas - Niklaus Felhaber, John Dencker, Vance Miller III, Mosiah Gravesande. ©Oana Moore
