2023 Winners

The Tewaaraton Foundation has announced Northwestern attacker Izzy Scane and Duke attackman Brennan O’Neill as the women’s and men’s winners of the 2023 Tewaaraton Award, given annually to the top female and top male college lacrosse players in the United States.

The NCAA Tournament MVP for national champion Northwestern, Scane finished her impressive comeback season as the Wildcats’ single-season record-holder with 99 goals and sitting atop Division I with 4.95 goals and 6.7 points per game. The Big 10 Attacker of the Year and 2021 Tewaaraton Finalist (before sitting out 2022 with an injury) averaged eight points per game over NU’s final three games of the playoffs. The grad student from Clarkston, Michigan (Cranbrook Kingswood) is the fourth Tewaaraton winner from Northwestern, joining Kristen Kjellman (2006, 2007), Hannah Nielsen (2008, 2009), and Shannon Smith (2011). 

Scane was joined by fellow 2023 Tewaaraton Finalists, grad student Jenn Medjid (Boston College), senior Erin Coykendall (Northwestern), junior Isabella Peterson (James Madison), and grad student Meaghan Tyrrell (Syracuse). 

On the men’s side, O’Neill, the 2023 ACC Offensive Player of the Year, led the Blue Devils to the NCAA Final with a career-high 95 points, good for first in Division I. O’Neill was named the USILA Lt. Raymond Enners Award winner after placing second nationally with 5.28 points per game, 16th with 3.00 goals per game and 14th with 2.28 assists per game. The junior from Bay Shore, N.Y. (St. Anthony’s) is the third Blue Devil to win the Tewaaraton Award, joining current Duke assistant coach Matt Danowski (2007) and Ned Crotty (2010). 

O’Neill was joined by fellow 2023 Tewaaraton Finalists, grad student Tucker Dordevic (Georgetown), senior Pat Kavanagh (Notre Dame), junior C.J. Kirst (Cornell), and Virginia senior Connor Shellenberger (Cornell). 

“This was an electrifying season of college lacrosse marked by the great skill, athleticism, and grit of the student-athletes, and we’re so proud to honor the two judged by our Selection Committees to be the best among them – Izzy Scane and Brennan O’Neill,” said Tewaaraton Foundation President Andy Phillips. “The talent and determination they displayed in leading their teams this season – Izzy leading Northwestern to the national title and Brennan helping take Duke to the NCAA Final – was inspiring, and we congratulate them on truly special seasons.”

The selection committees are composed of 16 men’s and 18 women’s current college coaches, and are chaired by US Lacrosse National Lacrosse Hall of Fame coaches Jack Emmer (men’s) and Alicia Groveston (women’s). 

Guidelines for finalists and recipient selections are as follows:

  • Finalists will be the best five players chosen, without regard to institution.
  • Finalists will be selected based on individual performance and a player’s contribution to the success of their team.
  • Finalists are chosen based on the current year’s regular-season performance (date of selection is at the conclusion of the regular season, before the playoffs).
  • Recipients are chosen based on the current year’s regular season and playoff performance.
  • Sportsmanship can play a role in the selection process, and it is important that the recipient upholds the mission and values of the Tewaaraton Award.

The 2023 Tewaaraton Watch Lists were first unveiled Feb. 10, with additions announced March 9 and  March 30 and the nominees announced April 20. The five men’s and five women’s finalists were announced May 11.

Men’s Recipients

YearWinnerPositionSchool
2022Logan WisnauskasAttackUniversity of Maryland
2021Jared BernhardtAttackUniversity of Maryland
2019Patrick SpencerAttackLoyola University
2018Ben ReevesAttackYale University
2017Matt RamboAttackUniversity of Maryland
2016Dylan MolloyAttackBrown University
2015Lyle ThompsonAttackUniversity at Albany
2014Lyle Thompson and Miles ThompsonAttackUniversity at Albany
2013Rob PannellAttackCornell University
2012Peter BaumAttackColgate University
2011Steele StanwickAttackUniversity of Virginia
2010Ned CrottyMidfieldDuke University
2009Max SeibaldAttackCornell University
2008Mike LeveilleAttackSyracuse University
2007Matt DanowskiAttackDuke University
2006Matt WardAttackUniversity of Virginia
2005Kyle HarrisonMidfieldJohns Hopkins University
2004Michael PowellAttackSyracuse University
2003Chris RotelliMidfieldUniversity of Virginia
2002Michael PowellAttackSyracuse University
2001Doug ShanahanMidfieldHofstra University


Women’s Recipients

YearWinnerPositionSchool
2022Charlotte NorthAttackBoston College
2021Charlotte NorthAttackBoston College
2019Megan TaylorGoalieUniversity of Maryland
2018Sam ApuzzoAttackBoston College
2017Zoe StukenbergMidfieldUniversity of Maryland
2016Taylor CummingsMidfieldUniversity of Maryland
2015Taylor CummingsMidfieldUniversity of Maryland
2014Taylor CummingsMidfieldUniversity of Maryland
2013Katie SchwarzmannMidfieldUniversity of Maryland
2012Katie SchwarzmannMidfieldUniversity of Maryland
2011Shannon SmithAttackNorthwestern University
2010Caitlyn McFaddenMidfieldUniversity of Maryland
2009Hannah NielsenMidfieldNorthwestern University
2008Hannah NielsenMidfieldNorthwestern University
2007Kristen KjellmanMidfieldNorthwestern University
2006Kristen KjellmanMidfieldNorthwestern University
2005Katie ChrestAttackDuke University
2004Amy AppeltMidfieldUniversity of Virginia
2003Rachael BeckerDefensePrinceton University
2002Erin ElbeAttackGeorgetown University
2001Jen AdamsAttackUniversity of Maryland