Ausmus & Dodd Win Cutino Award
2026 Cutino Awards: First Timer Emily Ausmus, Two-Time Winner Ryder Dodd
College water polo’s biggest individual honors went to sophomore USC standout Emily Ausmus and for the second year in a row UCLA’s Ryder Dodd. The 2026 Peter J. Cutino Awards were presented at The Olympic Club Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of water polo luminaries, current and former Olympians, USA Team and NCAA Coaches, The Cutino Family, and High School State and National Champions from Miramonte High School, among others.
The annual ceremony honors the top men’s and women’s NCAA Division I water polo players and brings together many of the sport’s leading athletes, coaches and supporters. Swimming World was on site to capture video from the awards and provide coverage from one of water polo’s signature evenings.
The 2026 women’s finalists included Stanford All-Americans Juliette Dhalluin and Jenna Flynn. On the men’s side, USC’s Robert López-Duart and Mihailo Vukazic made the selection committee’s decision a challenge.
Dodd Adds Another Major Honor
Dodd’s selection continued a remarkable run for one of the most prominent young players in American water polo.
The UCLA standout was chosen from a men’s finalist group that also included USC’s Robert López-Duart and Pacific’s Mihailo Vukazic. Dodd entered the evening with a résumé already packed with national-stage accomplishments, and his latest Cutino honor further cements his place among the top players of his generation.
Dodd has become a central figure in UCLA’s recent success, combining scoring ability, international experience and poise in decisive moments. His recognition Friday night reflected not only individual production, but the influence he has had on the college game during one of the strongest stretches of his career.
Ausmus Caps USC Championship Season
On the women’s side, Ausmus earned the Cutino Award after leading USC through a championship season.
Ausmus was selected from a finalist field that also included Stanford’s Juliette Dhalluin and Jenna Flynn. Her selection gave USC another defining moment from a season that ended with the Trojans back on top of the NCAA women’s water polo landscape.
Ausmus served as a driving force for USC throughout the season and postseason. Her combination of scoring, leadership and two-way presence helped separate the Trojans in a loaded national field. The Cutino Award adds the sport’s highest individual honor to a season already marked by team achievement.
A Ceremony Rooted in Water Polo History
The setting added weight to the evening.
The Olympic Club’s water polo history dates back to 1924, making the ceremony more than a simple awards presentation. It served as a connection between the sport’s past and its current leaders, with Dodd and Ausmus representing the next wave of elite American water polo talent.
That history has helped make the Cutino Awards one of the sport’s most meaningful nights. The event brings together the college season’s top performers while honoring the tradition of a game that has deep roots in California and across the American aquatics community.
College Water Polo’s Premier Individual Award
The 2026 awards reflected two different but equally compelling championship stories.
Dodd’s honor reinforced UCLA’s place at the center of the men’s college game and highlighted one of the country’s most dynamic young players. Ausmus’ award capped a USC season defined by national-title performance and postseason excellence.
Together, their selections gave the Cutino Awards a fitting conclusion to another high-level college water polo season.
Swimming World will update this story with additional remarks and official ceremony details when they become available.
About The Cutino Awards
Named for legendary Cal coach Peter J. Cutino, the award carries special weight in American water polo. Cutino won eight NCAA titles as head coach at California and remains one of the defining figures in the sport’s history. Since its establishment by The Olympic Club in 1999, the Cutino Award has become the highest individual honor in college water polo, selected through voting by coaches from across the country.
The Olympic Club is a fitting home for the ceremony. Founded in 1860, the club has long been part of the athletic fabric of San Francisco and has a deep water polo tradition of its own. The Cutino Awards are more than a trophy presentation. They serve as an annual gathering place for the sport, linking today’s college stars with water polo’s Olympic, club and coaching history.
