BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — USA Water Polo and The Olympic Club in conjunction with the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches (ACWPC) announced the 20-member 2025 Cutino Award Watch List.
A total of seven Mid-Atlantic Water Polo Conference (MAWPC) and Northeast Water Polo Conference athletes earned notice on the list as Luca Provenziani (Fordham University), Andras Toth (Fordham University), Kiefer Black (United States Naval Academy) and Laszlo Strasser (Wagner College) of the MAWPC join with Ilias Stothart (Brown University), Jack Burghardt (Harvard University) and Kristóf Kovács (Princeton University) of the NWPC.
A total of 15 institutions placed at least one athlete on the team, while the quartet of the University of Southern California (three), Fordham (two), Stanford University (two) and the University of California-Los Angeles (two) garnered multiple honorees.
The Peter J. Cutino Award, named in honor of the late Hall of Fame coach, recognizes the best player in men’s and women’s college water polo.
The watch list was created in 2022 in an effort to help promote the collegiate game, awareness of the award, and the tremendous play of athletes across the country. Twenty athletes, as submitted by varsity college coaches around the country, are recognized for their outstanding play.
While it is possible the 2026 Cutino Award winner will come from the list of athletes below, the watch list is completely independent from the nomination and voting process for the Cutino Award as that honor will acknowledge the full impact of the 2025 season. A women’s Cutino Award Watch List will be shared in Spring
Athletes are listed in alphabetical order by last name:
- Kiefer Black | United States Naval Academy | Junior | Attacker
- Jack Burghardt | Harvard University | Junior | Utility
- Jon Carcarey | Pepperdine University | Junior | Utility
- Chase Dodd | University of California-Los Angeles | R-Senior | Attacker
- Ryder Dodd | University of California-Los Angeles | Sophomore | Attacker
- Brendon Gyapjas | San Jose State University | Junior | Goalkeeper
- Bernardo Herzer | University of Southern California | R-Junior | Goalkeeper
- Reese Jenican | Santa Clara University | Senior | Center
- Kristóf Kovács | Princeton University | Junior | Goalkeeper
- Luka Krstic | University of California-Irvine | Senior | Attacker
- Tom Leggett | United States Air Force Academy | Sophomore | Utility
- Robert López Duart | University of Southern California | Junior | Attacker
- Alika Naone | Loyola Marymount University | Graduate | Attacker
- Ryan Ohl | Stanford University | Sophomore | Attacker
- Luca Provenziani | Fordham University | Sophomore | Utility
- Will Schneider | Stanford University | Sophomore | Center
- Ilias Stothart | Brown University | Senior | Center
- Laszlo Strasser | Wagner College | Senior | Attacker
- Andras Toth | Fordham University | Sophomore | Attacker
- Mihailo Vukazic | University of Southern California | Senior | Attacker
