SANTA CRUZ — Santa Cruz High senior Cutler “Cutty” Bauscher has committed to play NCAA Division I soccer at San Jose State University.
The Spartans went 12-4-4 overall last season and reached the Western Athletic Conference Tournament championship match under Simon Tobin, a Santa Cruz resident who is stepping down as head coach after 12 seasons at the helm.
Bauscher is excited to play for promoted assistant Jesus Sanchez, as he leads the Spartans into a new conference, the Mountain West.
“Local, good soccer team,” Bauscher said. “They play good soccer, so I was just so stoked. I’m just super ecstatic. I’m more excited than anything to get better in so many ways.”
Over the past two seasons, Santa Cruz High’s Cutler Bauscher, left, totaled 19 goals and 32 assists for the Cardinals. (Juan Flores – Special to the Sentinel)
Bauscher, a 5-foot-8, 140-pound attacking midfielder for Los Gatos United Soccer Club, is already pretty good. He finished his third season with Santa Cruz this season and garnered special honors during all-Santa Cruz Coast Athletic League voting for the second straight year. He was named the league’s 2025-26 Midfielder of the Year after being honored as the Defensive Player of the Year as a junior.
Bauscher is a tough defensive assignment for opponents given his speed and ability to work in and out of traffic to create for teammates and himself.
“Even though I’m a smaller player, I’m still quite aggressive,” he said. “I really like to go into things hard. I don’t like to do things half-assed, if that makes sense.”
Over the past two seasons with the Cardinals, Bauscher totaled 19 goals and 32 assists.
“Cutty is an exceptionally skillful and talented player who loves the game of soccer,” Cardinals coach Adam Anapolsky said. “His calmness on the ball and vision under pressure will add a new dimension to San José State University. He has a way of making difficult situations look easy. I would not be surprised if Cutty leads San Jose State in assists next season and makes an immediate impact.”
Bauscher didn’t play for the Cardinals as a freshman due to club commitments. He took up the sport as a 4-year-old and has played for some of the area’s top programs, including the San Jose Earthquakes’ MLS NEXT and Breakers F.C.’s MLS NEXT teams.
Bauscher, who plans to work at his grandpa’s cattle ranch in Woodlake after he graduates college, entered the season with offers from three D-II programs, CSU-Monterey Bay, Fresno Pacific, and Cal Poly Humboldt. He was also looking at D-II Chico State before he reached out to SJSU.
The Spartans scouted Bauscher in a pair of matches against Aptos, but he didn’t hear anything from the Spartans until after Los Gatos United technical director Shaun Tsakiris gave Bauscher a glowing recommendation.
Bauscher took an unofficial visit to SJSU on Feb. 18 and liked everything that he saw.
The Spartans scouted Bauscher again, and saw him go off for a goal and four assists in Los Gatos’ 5-0 win over the River Island Surf on March 15.
Bauscher shined again in a game in Davis on March 27 and piqued interest from a pair of D-I programs, UC Davis and Sacramento State. Bauscher informed SJSU of his newest pursuers and the Spartans responded with an offer three days later.
Bauscher said he wanted to play for the Spartans from Day 1. “They really fit me as a play style because they don’t play super direct,” he said. “They take pride in technique and things like that. That’s another reason I was super big on them. And I really like the coach.”
He plans to continue to work on his fitness and cardio in preparation for the faster, more physical game at the next level.
“I just want to find game time and help the team as much as I can,” Bauscher said.