Spirit of Tewaaraton
The Spirit of Tewaaraton is awarded to an individual who embodies the values of the Tewaaraton Award.
“The Spirit and Legends Awards are vital parts of our program: honoring the history and heritage of lacrosse is central to the mission of the Tewaaraton Foundation,” said Andy Phillips, President of the Tewaaraton Foundation.
2024 Honoree
Chris Sailer, Princeton University, Head Coach
Spending 36 seasons as Princeton’s head coach, Chris Sailer won three NCAA championships and 16 Ivy League titles, and led the Tigers to 11 national semifinals. She retired in 2022 as the fifth-winningest coach all-time in women’s lacrosse with 433 wins, and first all-time in wins by a head coach at one Division I program.
Under Sailer’s guidance, the Tigers played in 12 straight NCAA Tournaments from 1998-2009. When Princeton won back-to-back national titles in 2002 and 2003, it became just the second team in NCAA women’s lacrosse history to win consecutive NCAA championships.
In addition to earning three national coach of the year awards as well as the IWLCA’s Diane Geppi-Aikens Memorial Award in 2008, Sailer was inducted into the USA Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2008 and the IWLCA Hall of Fame in 2022. In 2017, USA Lacrosse dedicated the Chris Sailer Trail at its headquarters. She has coached five Tewaaraton finalists, including 2003 Tewaaraton Trophy winner Rachael Becker.
Previous Recipients
2023
Alfred Jacques
2018
Welles Crowther
2015
Chief Oren Lyons
2012
Richie Moran
2005
Sid Jamieson
2022
Bill Belichick
2017
George Boiardi
2014
Brendan Looney
2010
Dick Edell
2003
Diane M. Geppi-Aikens
2019
Ethel “Feffie” Barnhill
2016
Tina Sloan Green
2013
Bob Scott
2009
Roy D. Simmons, Jr.
2003
A.B. “Buzzy” Krongard