UCLA’s Ryder Dodd has been named a finalist for the Peter J. Cutino Award, which honors the top men’s and women’s NCAA Division I water polo players each year. The announcement comes after UCLA secured its second consecutive NCAA Championship by defeating USC.
Dodd played a key role in the Bruins’ success, earning recognition as ACWPC Player of the Year and First Team All-American for the second year in a row. He also repeated as MPSF Player of the Year, leading the league with 98 goals and 132 total points during the 2025 season. Dodd finished second in the conference in sprints won with 39, was third on his team and ninth in the MPSF in steals with 32, registered nine field blocks, three saves, and ranked fourth on his squad in drawn exclusions with 32.
Dodd is joined as a finalist by Robert López-Duart and Mihailo Vukazic from USC. The finalists for the women’s award will be announced at the end of their season.
The Cutino Awards ceremony is scheduled for Saturday, June 6 at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. The event will be live-streamed free of charge by USA Water Polo on Overnght.com and will include interviews with finalists, athletes, coaches, and coverage of the full awards presentation.
“The namesake of the award is a legend in United States water polo history, with eight NCAA titles as head coach at Cal,” according to organizers. “The Olympic Club has a long and distinguished competitive water polo history, a tradition that continues today in the pool with some of the best age-group teams in the world.”
The Peter J. Cutino Award was established by The Olympic Club in 1999. Coaches from across the country vote to select recipients each year.
Founded in 1860, The Olympic Club is one of America’s oldest athletic clubs. It currently supports teams across 19 sports and has hosted five U.S. Opens at its Lakeside Clubhouse golf courses. Upcoming events include hosting duties for both the 2028 PGA Championship and 2032 Ryder Cup.
