IRVINE, Calif. — Santa Clara University men's water polo senior attacker Zach Fales was one of 20 student-athletes from across the country named Thursday to the 2024 Cutino Award Watch List, the award given annually to the top NCAA Division I collegiate male and female in water polo.
 
Fales is the Broncos' leading points-getter with 63 total points. He has team highs in goals (37) and assists (26). Fales is also second on the team with 21 steals. The senior from La Jolla, Calif., was the Broncos' lead scorer in 2023 as well with 61 goals, being named first team all-West Coast Conference and an honorable mention All-American by the Association of Collegiate Water Polo Coaches.
 
Fales had a career-high eight goals in the Broncos' 17-10 win over George Washington on Sept. 21 this season. He totaled 11 goals in three games last weekend while leading the Broncos to a perfect showing at the Lancer Joust. Every game he's scored in, he's scored multiple goals. And he's scored in 12 of Santa Clara's 13 contests so far.
 
The Peter J. Cutino Award is presented annually by The Olympic Club of San Francisco to honor the outstanding NCAA Division I collegiate male and female student-athlete in the sport of Water Polo. The watch list was created in 2022 in an effort to help promote the college game, awareness of the honor, and the excellent play of student-athletes around the country. The list is composed of 20 student-athletes in no particular order, as submitted by varsity college coaches around the country.
 
The Peter J. Cutino Award made its debut in 1999.  The award is a symbol of the commitment The Olympic Club has toward athletics and to the great tradition of its Water Polo program.  The namesake of the award is perhaps the greatest name in United States Water Polo—former UC Berkeley and The Olympic Club of San Francisco Water Polo coach, Peter J. Cutino.
 
Fales and the Broncos host Cutino's former program, California, at 5 p.m. Thursday. Fans can purchase tickets and find all live coverage links on SantaClaraBroncos.com.