BRIDGEPORT, Pa. — The Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) is looking back at the Top 10 videos from 2017.
In the third video of the 10-day countdown, the league looks back at a congratulatory video commemorating the selection of Princeton University goalie Ashleigh Johnson as the 2017 Cutino Award winner.
The inaugural athlete from an institution other than either the University of Southern California, the University of California-Los Angeles or Stanford University to capture the women’s Cutino Award, Johnson was one of two athletes honored as McQuin Baron of USC was recognized with the men’s award.
Voting for the award that honors the most outstanding female and male collegiate water polo players, is completed by coaches of Division I schools.
The 2016 Women’s Sports Foundation Team Athlete of the Year and the third women’s player from an East Coast school named a Cutino Award finalist as she joins University of Michigan and USA National Team goalie predecessor/Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Hall of Fame inductee Betsey Armstrong (2005) and University of Massachusetts field player/CWPA Hall of Fame inductee Katie Grogan (2000), Johnson finished her senior season with a 22-4 record, 300 saves and a .693 save percentage in leading the Tigers to a runner-up finish at the CWPA Championship. Further, she led the team with 54 steals and added 16 assists. She earned honors such as Collegiate Water Polo Association (CWPA) Championships All-Tournament First Team, CWPA All-Conference First Team, four-time CWPA Defensive Player of the Week. She finished her career as the Princeton’s all-time leader in saves (1,362), 100 career victories and as 19-time CWPA Defensive Player of the Week accolades. Overall, she received 25 weekly awards from the league office.
She concluded a five-year tenure at Princeton in 2017 due to taking a year off to anchor the United States Olympic Team to a Gold Medal at the 2016 game with 1,362 saves, 59 assists, 191 steals and a 100-17 record.
About the Peter J. Cutino Award:
The Cutino Award is given annually in honor of the late Peter J. Cutino, the former University of California-Berkeley and The Olympic Club coach, who passed away in September 2004. A member of USA Water Polo Hall of Fame, he won “Water Polo Coach of the Year” 17 times and led California to eight National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) National Championships. In his career, Mr. Cutino also coached in the Pan American Games, the Water Polo World Championships and the World University Games.
The Peter J. Cutino Award made its debut in 1999. This award is a symbol of the commitment The Olympic Club has toward athletics and to the great tradition of its Water Polo program.
The Olympic Club’s rich tradition of excellence in the sport of water polo began in the 1930’s and continues today. It is this tradition combined with one of the greatest names in the sport that will form the legacy that will secure the Peter J. Cutino Award a place in history as a symbol of athletic excellence.
Administration of the award is the responsibility of the awards Executive Director, The Olympic Club’s standing Athletic Director. A five person Board of Trustees works with the Executive Director of the award to advise in areas of the awards tradition and integrity. The Cutino Award Trustees serve no more than three years. One Trustee is a member of the Athletic Committee; one Trustee is from the Board of Directors; and the remaining two Trustees are from The Olympic Club’s Water Polo program or the Water Polo community outside The Olympic Club.
Past Recipients:
- 1999 Bernice Orwig, (USC) & Sean Kern, (UCLA)
- 2000 Aniko Pelle, (USC) & Sean Kern, (UCLA)
- 2001 Coralie Simmons, (UCLA) & Tony Azevedo, (Stanford)
- 2002 Brenda Villa, (Stanford) & Tony Azevedo, (Stanford)
- 2003 Jackie Frank, (Stanford) & Tony Azevedo, (Stanford)
- 2004 Moriah Van Norman, (USC) & Tony Azevedo, (Stanford)
- 2005 Natalie Golda, (UCLA) & Juraj Zatovic, (USC)
- 2006 Lauren Wenger, (USC) & John Mann (UC Berkeley)
- 2007 Kelly Rulon, (UCLA) & Tim Hutten (UC Irvine)
- 2008 Courtney Mathewson (UCLA) & J.W. Krumpholz (USC)
- 2009 Kami Craig, (USC) & J.W. Krumpholz, (USC)
- 2010 Kami Craig, (USC) & Ivan Rackov (UC Berkeley)
- 2011 Annika Dries, (Stanford) & Joel Dennerly, (USC)
- 2012 Kiley Neushul, (Stanford) & Balazs Erdelyi, (UOP)
- 2013 Melissa Seidemann, (Stanford) & Balazas Erdelyi, (UOP)
- 2014 Anika Dries, (Stanford) & Kostas Genidounias, (USC)
- 2015 Kiley Neushul, (Stanford) & Garrett Danner (UCLA)
- 2016 Stephania Haralabidis (USC) & McQuin Baron (USC)
- 2017 Ashleigh Johnson (Princeton) & McQuin Baron (USC)
