Good morning. Here’s the latest from around the lacrosse world:
1. The Tewaaraton Foundation named Yale senior attackman Ben Reeves and Boston College junior attacker Sam Apuzzo winners of the Tewaaraton Award last night during its 18th annual awards ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Reeves represented the favorite among remaining finalists Trevor Baptiste of Denver, Justin Guterding of Duke, Connor Kelly of Maryland and Pat Spencer of Loyola, having led the Bulldogs to their first NCAA championship and already having won the USILA’s Enners Award as that association’s player of the year. The USILA first-team All-American led the nation and set a program record with 115 points on team highs of 62 goals and 53 assists in leading Yale to its first undefeated Ivy League season, for which that conference named him its player of the year.
Apuzzo emerged from a finalist field that included Kristen Gaudian of James Madison, Marie McCool of North Carolina, Kylie Ohlmiller of Stony Brook and Megan Whittle of Maryland thanks in part to leading the Eagles back to the NCAA final after their first undefeated regular season. The ACC’s attacker of the year led that conference with 129 points and set program records with 163 draw controls and 88 goals. She finished in the top three in the nation in those categories and paced her team with 41 assists and 31 caused turnovers, helping it win 19 consecutive games.
Previously announced but also honored last night were recipients of several other awards, including a posthumous honor to Welles Crowther. Crowther played at Boston College and is credited with saving many lives in the World Trade Center during the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. He lost his life while rescuing others. The Tewaaration Foundation presented members of his family, above, with the Spirit of Tewaaraton Award.
Tewaaraton Legends honorees were former Johns Hopkins goalie Larry Quinn and former Temple midfielder Amanda Moore O’Leary, both members of the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame. The Tewaaraton Native American Scholarships, presented by US Lacrosse, were awarded to Ivy Santana, Seneca Nation of Indians, Wolf Clan and Lyle Warrior, Seneca Nation of Indians.
2. Toran Maronic and his parents credit lacrosse for saving his life — perhaps not literally, but in giving the high school senior motivation to overcome a traumatic brain injury that doctors said likely would leave him in a vegetative state and certainly would prohibit resumption of sports.
Maronic sustained what one neurologist called one of the worst brain injuries he had ever seen during a non-contact drill at a football camp prior to his senior year at Bear River (Calif.) High School. His recovery represents a story of hope, faith, resilience, struggle and more. He’ll graduate June 8 after having returned to the field to lead the Gold Country Lacrosse Club high school team to the Northern California Junior Lacrosse Association championship and a No. 1 seed in a state tournament for club-varsity teams.
3. The final editions of the Nike/US Lacrosse Division III Top 20 rankings were released yesterday, topped by national champions Wesleyan on the men’s side and Gettysburg on the women’s side.
4. The Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association released its final coaches polls yesterday, topped by champions Michigan State in Division I and North Dakota State in Division II.
5. The Women's Professional Lacrosse League will play its first regular season games this weekend.
Not one but TWO WPLL games take place THIS SATURDAY! Which teams are you rooting for?
— WPLL (@prowomenslax) May 31, 2018
Baltimore vs. Philly, Naval Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, MD: https://t.co/B8ehcSkB0h
New England vs. New York, @thinklaxtourney's Impulse in Olney, MD: https://t.co/rbMsEKVidt pic.twitter.com/BWILbD5CaM