STANFORD, Calif. - The Olympic Club of San Francisco has named Sarah Klass one of three finalists for the Peter J. Cutino Award, presented to the most outstanding female and male collegiate water polo players in the United States as voted by Division I coaches.
A senior driver from San Ramon, California, Klass led Stanford to an NCAA semifinal finish in 2021 and established herself as the Cardinal's offensive leader for the second straight season. Named an ACWPC First-Team All-American in 2021, Klass led Stanford and ranked fifth in the MPSF in goals (47), closing out her time on The Farm with 137 career goals. An All-MPSF First-Team honoree, Klass produced a league-best 67 sprint wins in conference play, resulting in an 88.2% win percentage.
Klass concluded her career as a three-time ACWPC All-American, two-time All-MPSF First-Team selection and member of Stanford's 2019 NCAA championship team. Klass also excelled in the classroom, receiving academic recognition from the ACWPC, MPSF and Pac-12 throughout her career.
Six Stanford student-athletes have captured the Cutino Award honor eight times, including seven times since 2011. Makenzie Fischer was the most recent recipient in 2019, joining Kiley Neushul (2015, 2012), Annika Dries (2014, 2011), Melissa Seidemann (2013), Jackie Frank (2003) and Brenda Villa (2002) as Cardinal standouts to earn the award, which was instituted in 1999.
The Cutino Award ceremony will be remotely broadcast live on Sept. 2, courtesy of USA Water Polo starting at 6 p.m. PT. The broadcast, hosted by Greg Mescall, will feature interviews with finalists, athletes, coaches and a preview of the men's college season, plus the Cutino Award ceremony in its entirety.
Established in 1999 by The Olympic Club, the Cutino Award is given annually to the top men's and women's NCAA Division I water polo players as voted on by coaches from across the country. The namesake of the award is a legend in United States water polo history, with eight NCAA titles as head coach at California. 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.
Stanford's Cutino Award History
| Year | Player |
|---|---|
| 2019 | Makenzie Fischer (Winner) |
| 2018 | Makenzie Fischer (Finalist) |
| 2017 | Maggie Steffens (Finalist) |
| 2015 | Kiley Neushul (Winner) |
| 2015 | Maggie Steffens (Finalist) |
| 2014 | Annika Dries (Winner) |
| 2014 | Maggie Steffens (Finalist) |
| 2013 | Melissa Seidemann (Winner) |
| 2013 | Annika Dries (Finalist) |
| 2013 | Maggie Steffens (Finalist) |
| 2012 | Kiley Neushul (Winner) |
| 2011 | Annika Dries (Winner) |
| 2011 | Melissa Seidemann (Finalist) |
| 2010 | Jessica Steffens (Finalist) |
| 2008 | Lauren Silver (Finalist) |
| 2007 | Katie Hansen (Finalist) |
| 2006 | Meridith McColl (Finalist) |
| 2004 | Wendy Watkins (Finalist) |
| 2003 | Jackie Frank (Winner) |
| 2003 | Brenda Villa (Finalist) |
| 2002 | Brenda Villa (Winner) |
| 1999 | Heather Crary (Finalist) |