IRVINE, Calif. – Ryder Dodd and Ben Liechty of UCLA men’s water polo were named to the 20-person Peter J. Cutino Award Watch List Monday, it was announced by USA Water Polo and The Olympic Club. Named in honor of the late Hall of Fame coach, the award recognizes the best player in men's and women's college water polo.

Dodd won the Cutino Award to finish each of his first two seasons. Bruins Nicolas Saveljic (2020), Garrett Danner (2015) and Sean Kern (1999, 2000) have also been selected winners. Since the inaugural award was handed out in 1999, just two players have won it more than twice: Nikolaos Papanikolaou of California (2021-23) and Tony Azevedo of Stanford (2001-04).

Dodd tops UCLA with 31 goals and 12 sprint wins while ranking among the team leaders in assists (21, third), steals (seven, tied for third) and earned exclusions (seven, fifth). He has three four-goal games, including one in the Bruins’ decision over previously unbeaten and fourth-ranked Fordham (Sept. 25). Dodd also had an Overnght MPSF Invitational to remember, collecting four goals, seven assists and four earned exclusions across narrow semifinal and championship game wins against California (Sept. 19) and Stanford (Sept. 20).

Liechty paces the MPSF with 59 total points, scoring 21 goals and dishing out a league-leading 38 assists. At the Overnght MPSF Invitational, Liechty became UCLA’s career leader in assists (since they started being tracked in 2009). He logged at least three goals in each of the Bruins’ first three games and totaled 14 across the initial five. Liechty then registered five assists in each of the next three games.

This 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. It was determined through voting by collegiate coaches. 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 2026 season. A women's Cutino Award Watch List will be shared in Spring 2027.