The Tewaaraton Award is presented annually to the nation’s top men’s and women’s collegiate lacrosse players. While the lacrosse community is well aware of the honor, outsiders may not, so you often refer to the award as “Lacrosse’s Heisman.”
It makes sense to include it in the description because it is an easy way to describe Tevaaraton. The award has been presented since 2001 (compared to the Heisman, which has been awarded annually since 1935).
So, if you don’t know Tewaaraton, Here’s what you need to know about the highest individual honors in college lacrosse:
Why is it called Tewaaraton?
Lacrosse is one of the oldest sports in North America, originally played by Native Americans.
“It’s a game where Native Americans honor their creator in times of war and peace,” said Taylor Cummings of Maryland, who won the Tewaaraton award three times from 2014-16.
When the University of Washington Club chose a name for the award, it was only natural to connect the trophy to its heritage.
Tewaaraton (pronounced deh-wa-al-la-don or teh-war-a-ton) is the Mohawk word for “lacrosse.” The Iroquois Nation is considered the founder of this sport.
“[The members of the club] It’s the multi-source approach that led them to call it Tewaaraton,” said Geoffrey Harvey, head of the Tewaaraton Foundation.
He explained that he would have to get approval from the Mohawk Nation Council before officially adopting the name.
Winner of Tewaaraton
Along with establishing the criteria for the award, the foundation also forms a committee of top lacrosse coaches who ultimately decide the award winner.
“We think it’s been a special process because the coaches care about getting it right,” Harvey said.
| Women recipients | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | Position | School |
| The year 2025 | Chloe Humphrey | Attack | North Carolina |
| The year 2024 | Izzy Scan | Attack | Northwest |
| The year 2023 | Izzy Scan | Attack | Northwest |
| The year 2022 | Charlotte North | Attack | Boston College |
| 2021 | Charlotte North | Attack | Boston College |
| 2020 | No | No | No |
| 2019 | Megan Taylor | Gatekeeper | Maryland |
| 2018 | Sam Apuzzo | Attack | Boston College |
| 2017 | Zoe Stuckenberg | Midfield | Maryland |
| 2016 | Taylor Cummings | Midfield | Maryland |
| 2015 | Taylor Cummings | Midfield | Maryland |
| 2014 | Taylor Cummings | Midfield | Maryland |
| 2013 | Cathy Schwartzman | Midfield | Maryland |
| 2012 | Cathy Schwartzman | Midfield | Maryland |
| 2011 | Shannon Smith | Attack | Northwest |
| 2010 | Caitlin McFadden | Midfield | Maryland |
| 2009 | Hannah Nielsen | Midfield | Northwest |
| 2008 | Hannah Nielsen | Midfield | Northwest |
| 2007 | Kristen Kjellman | Midfield | Northwest |
| 2006 | Kristen Kjellman | Midfield | Northwest |
| 2005 | Kathy Christ | Attack | Duke University |
| 2004 | Amy Appelt | Midfield | Virginia |
| 2003 | Rachel Becker | Protection | Princeton |
| 2002 | Erin Elbe | Attack | Georgetown |
| 2001 | Gene Adams | Attack | Maryland |
Michael Powell of Syracuse became the first player to win the Tewaarathon twice. Northwestern’s Kristen Kjellman was the first woman to win the award twice and the first player for both genders to win back-to-back years.
“It was a great feeling when I was announced as the winner. Most of my goals were set as a team, so it was a great addition and a surprise reception,” Kjellman said.
He and Cummings said the award helped spread the game through clinics and careers during their college years, another goal of the foundation.
| Men’s receivers | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Winner | Position | School |
| The year 2025 | CJ Kirst | Attack | Cornell |
| The year 2024 | Pat Kavanagh | Attack | Notre Dame |
| The year 2023 | Brennan O’Neill | Attack | Duke |
| The year 2022 | Logan Wisnauskas | Attack | Maryland |
| 2021 | Jared Bernhardt | Attack | Maryland |
| 2020 | No | No | No |
| 2019 | Patrick Spencer | Attack | Loyola University |
| 2018 | Ben Reeves | Attack | Yale |
| 2017 | Matt Rambo | Attack | Maryland |
| 2016 | Dylan Molloy | Attack | Brown |
| 2015 | Lyle Thompson | Attack | Albany |
| 2014 | Lyle Thompson and Miles Thompson | Attack | Albany |
| 2013 | Rob Pannell | Attack | Cornell |
| 2012 | Peter Baum | Attack | Colgate |
| 2011 | Steele Stanwyck | Attack | Virginia |
| 2010 | Ned Crotty | Attack | Duke |
| 2009 | Max Seibald | Midfield | Cornell |
| 2008 | Mike Leveille | Attack | Syracuse |
| 2007 | Matt Danowski | Attack | Duke |
| 2006 | Matt Ward | Attack | Virginia |
| 2005 | Kyle Harrison | Midfield | Johns Hopkins |
| 2004 | Michael Powell | Attack | Syracuse |
| 2003 | Chris Rotelli | Midfield | Virginia |
| 2002 | Michael Powell | Attack | Syracuse |
| 2001 | Doug Shanahan | Midfield | Hofstra |
For the first time in 2014, a Native American player won this award. It was also the first and only year that two players shared the trophy.
Brothers Lyle and Miles Thompson, who both played at the University at Albany, took the stage to be honored after both broke the long-standing NCAA single-season scoring record (Lyle had 128 points, Miles 119). They were (and still are) one of the most prolific offensive units in the history of the sport and are also part of the Onondaga Nation, one of the Six Nations that make up the Iroquois Confederacy.
“It was a tough decision between me and Miles that year,” Lyle Thompson said. “If anything, we wanted the other one to win, but [both of us winning] It was really unexpected.”
Lyle said one of his fondest memories since winning in 2014 was sharing it with his brother. And in 2015, Lyle received the honor for the second time.
Tewaaraton Trophy model
One of the foundation’s goals is to celebrate the honor and legacy of the sport of lacrosse, and sought a trophy that reflected that. Frederick Kyle, of Mohawk descent, designed and created a bronze statue of a single, anonymous Mohawk player on a hexagonal granite slab. The hexagon represents the six nations of the Iroquois Confederacy.
“The meaning behind the award makes it even more special,” Cummings said.
The first castings of the trophy were displayed at the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in Maryland. Copies are awarded to winners each year.
Tewaaraton ceremony
“The Tewaaraton Awards are a must-attend event for every lacrosse fan,” said Harvey.
Each year, the ceremony is held at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC.
“This is one of the most amazing parts of the award,” said Lyle Thompson. “Honor where the game comes from.”
Anyone can buy a ticket and participate. Past winners said being with their coaches, family, friends and teammates made the moment even more special.
“It’s a team award with an individual name,” Cummings said.
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