Occidental men's water polo celebrates its 80th anniversary this season, having suited up the first Tiger team in 1926. The Tigers won their first men's conference championship in 1953 and since then, Occidental men's teams have won 15 conference crowns, one NAIA District II championship, and gone undefeated in league play seven times.

The women started playing water polo in 1994 as an intercollegiate sport. The Tigers wasted little time clawing their way to the top by fielding consistently competitive teams. Building on Occidental's storied water polo tradition, the lady Tigers have finished in the top 10 nationally among Division III teams for the past 12 years, bringing home a national championship in 2000 while developing a long list of All-American, Academic All-American and All-Conference players.