Taylor's Takes: The Tewaaraton Award Race

April showers bring May flowers, as well as the yearly discussion surrounding who will be the nation’s top five players represented at the Tewaaraton Award ceremony in May.

For those who are unfamiliar, the Tewaaraton Award is awarded to the top male and female college lacrosse players in the country at the conclusion of every season. The selection committee, comprised of some of the nation’s top collegiate coaches, has difficult decisions to make every spring, and this year is no different.

With so many upsets this season and a constant carousel in the polls from top to bottom, it’s harder than ever to determine frontrunners for both teams and individual players. However, this week I’ll do my best to highlight who I would vote for as the Tewaaraton top five at this point in the season.

Izzy Scane, A, Northwestern

Scane is my (and likely everyone’s) frontrunner for the Tewaaraton this spring. The 2023 winner, Scane has been a force once again for the Wildcats both offensively and on the draw circle. She is an opposing defensive coordinator’s worst nightmare. Scane possesses the dangerous combinations of speed and strength, lacrosse IQ and fearless risk taking, and fundamental skill and flashy creativity making her the hardest player to guard on the field. 

If Northwestern goes far in the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments, I believe we will see Scane earn her second Tewaaraton later this spring.

Erin Coykendall, A, Northwestern

The second member of Northwestern’s dynamic duo, Coykendall has had quite an impressive season of her own. While Scane can be categorized as a dodge-first player, Coykendall tends to feed first, finish with flash second. Her stick work is matched by few, her poise under immense on ball pressure is impressive and her uncanny ability to thread the needle and find teammates’ sticks in a variety of ways adds to her toolbox. 

Coykendall can make teams pay off the dodge, cut and feed and has been an integral part of Northwestern’s success this spring. 

Jackie Wolak, A, Notre Dame

Notre Dame has had an incredible season thus far in large part to the outstanding play of Jackie Wolak. Wolak has been a difference maker for the Irish offense and is often the emotional spark that pushes them to the next level. She has a lightning-quick first step, impeccable shot placement and power, and is one of the smartest players on the field in every game she plays. 

Wolak is often faceguarded by opposing teams, and what impresses me most of all about her is how she makes the most of her limited touches when facing one.

Erin O’Grady, G, Michigan

Defenders and goalies have struggled to make the Tewaaraton top five, and I’d love to see more highlighted for their exceptional play. O’Grady has been a player that has impressed me this season. She is the backbone of an impressive and smothering Wolverine defense, a defense that has also endured one of the hardest schedules this season. Michigan currently has the No. 6 RPI ranking in all of Division I, and O’Grady’s success in cage has kept them in every single game, regardless of the opponent. 

Her quick hands, solid angle play and short memory with mistakes make her a brick wall that’s difficult to get by consistently.

Chase Boyle, M, Loyola

Two-way midfielders are a dying breed in women’s lacrosse, but Chase Boyle gives me hope that they can make a return to our game. Boyle is the do-it-all player and leader for the Greyhounds and impacts every single aspect of the field in a positive way. She’s a tenacious, smart defender, a versatile and effective offensive weapon, and a nightmare to face in the draw circle.

The Greyhounds have had a great season in large part to the play of Boyle all over the field.

MY NEXT FIVE

• Isabella Peterson, A, James Madison
• Emily Sterling, G, Maryland
• Morgan Schwab, A, Virginia
• Sam Thacker, D, Denver
• Eloise Clevenger, A, Maryland