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.

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).