Steele Stanwick was one of the best team players in college lacrosse this season. But was he the best player? Many would argue Rob Pannell was the best in the league, and we’d tend to agree. Regardless, Stanwick earned the award, and it’s great to see him and Virginia getting rewarded for persevering over the last two seasons in the face of numerous obstacles. And perhaps best of all, Steele was only a junior, so we get to see him play again next season! Congrats to Steele Stanwick (who has one of the best names in lacrosse).
Past Tewaaraton Award Recipients
|
Year |
Player |
School |
Position |
| 2001 | Doug Shanahan | Hofstra University | Midfield |
| 2002 | Mike Powell | Syracuse University | Attack |
| 2003 | Chris Rotelli | University of Virginia | Midfield |
| 2004 | Mike Powell | Syracuse University | Attack |
| 2005 | Kyle Harrison | Johns Hopkins University | Midfield |
| 2006 | Matt Ward | University of Virginia | Attack |
| 2007 | Matt Danowski | Duke University | Attack |
| 2008 | Mike Leveille | Syracuse University | Attack |
| 2009 | Max Seibald | Cornell University | Midfield |
| 2010 | Ned Crotty | Duke University | Attack |
| 2011 | Steele Stanwick | University of Virginia | Attack |
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Virginia junior attackman Steele Stanwick has become the third Cavalier to win the coveted Tewaaraton Trophy, awarded to the top male collegiate lacrosse player, announced by the Greater Washington Alliance on Thursday night inside Washington D.C.’s Warner Theatre.
“This award means a great deal to me,” said Stanwick. “This is something I have been dreaming about since I was young. I am really humbled by the honor and I wouldn’t be here without my teammates.”
Stanwick (Baltimore, Md.) joins Chris Rotelli (2003) and Matt Ward (2006) as Virginia Cavaliers who have won college lacrosse’s top honor. All three of UVa’s Tewaaraton Trophy winners earned the award in a season they led the Cavaliers to a NCAA title.
Of the 11 all-time Tewaaraton Trophy winners, UVa has more first-time winners of any school. Three times a Syracuse player has won the award, but twice it was by Mikey Powell (2002 & 2003), the only two-time winner. Stanwick is the third Tewaaraton winner to win the award not in their final year of eligibility. Powell first won the award as a sophomore, while Duke’s Matt Danowski (2007) was a recipient in his fourth of five seasons at Duke.
Stanwick finished the season No. 3 in the nation with 2.24 assists per game and No. 4 in the nation with 4.12 points per game. The junior tallied 21 points (9 points, 12 assists) in the 2011 NCAA Tournament, leading Virginia to the program’s fifth all-time title. Stanwick was named to the All-NCAA Championship Tournament team. He also was the ACC Player of the Year and earned USILA first-team All-America accolades in 2011.
Stanwick was joined by four other finalists at the Warner Theatre on Thursday night in Washington D.C. The other finalists this season included Army’s Jeremy Boltus, Cornell’s Rob Pannell, and Syracuse’s John Galloway and Joel White.
In 2011 there was an addition of a new element to the awards ceremony called “Tewaaraton Legends.” The award will be presented to one recipient each year who played collegiately prior to 2001 when the first Tewaaraton Award was presented, whose performance during their college years would have earned them a Tewaaraton Award had the award existed when they played. The inaugural Tewaaraton Legend honored this evening was Syracuse’s James “Jim” Brown, former NFL record-setting running back for the Cleveland Browns.
About The Tewaaraton Award: The Tewaaraton Award was founded in 2000 by The University Club of Washington D.C. Honoring the Native American heritage, the Tewaaraton Trophy symbolizes lacrosse’s centuries-old roots in Native American history. Tradition dictates that each year the Tewaaraton Award celebrates one of the six tribal nations of the Iroquois Confederacy: the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and in 2011 the Tuscarora. Today, the Tewaaraton Award is recognized as the pre-eminent lacrosse award honoring the nation’s top male and female collegiate lacrosse player for their extraordinary achievements on the field. For more information on the Tewaaraton Award visit www.tewaaratonaward.org.
Pannell deserved it hands down. This was a crime!
The Tewaaratan does not recognize the best collegiate lacrosse player in the nation. It’s awarded to the best offensive player from a team that has made it to the finals. Pannell was the best collegiate lacrosse player in the nation. Either call the award what it is, or award it to the right player.
That is exactly right! The Tewaaratan shouldn’t have to go to a member of the winning team. Players who have competed against both agree that Pannell was the hands down winner. This is a travesty and makes those who made this mistake look foolish. It’s sad to see the Tewaaratan tarnished.