CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia attackmen Payton Cormier and Connor Shellenberger have been named two of 25 total men’s Tewaaraton Award Nominees, the Tewaaraton Foundation announced on Thursday (April 20). The Tewaaraton Award is recognized as the pre-eminent lacrosse award, annually honoring the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. The selection committees are comprised of premier college coaches and are appointed annually by the Tewaaraton Foundation.

Upon the conclusion of the regular season, the list will be trimmed to five finalists on May 11. Virginia was one of seven programs nationally to have multiple nominees.

Cormier currently leads the ACC and is second in the nation in goals per game (4.22). He is also fifth nationally in points per game (5.22), good for second in the ACC. The Oakville, Ontario native has registered a hat trick in eight of his nine appearances so far this season. His career high of seven goals against Ohio State (Feb. 25) tied for No. 2 all-time in UVA single-game history. He also recorded six goals in the Cavaliers’ first of two regular-season games against Duke (March 31). With 145 career goals, Cormier is currently second all-time on Virginia’s career goals list. His 2.96 goals-per-game average currently stands at No. 1 all-time in program history.

A 2022 Tewaaraton Award Finalist, Shellenberger is currently second in the nation in assists per game (3.60) and ninth in points per game (5.10). The Charlottesville, Virginia native tallied a career-high 10 points with three goals and seven assists against Harvard (Feb. 18). His 10 points are tied for third-most nationally by an individual in a single game this season. In UVA’s 15-10 victory at then-No. 1 Notre Dame (March 25), Shellenberger dished out five assists, the most by a Fighting Irish individual opponent in Arlotta Stadium history. Shellenberger was named a first team preseason All-American by the USILA, Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse Magazine and tabbed Inside Lacrosse’s No. 1 overall returning player prior to the start of the 2023 season.

“The Tewaaraton Nominees are an extraordinary group of athletes,” said Andy Phillips, President of the Tewaaraton Foundation. “Their talent is taking the excitement of college lacrosse to a new level, and we are eager to watch the Nominees and their teammates perform over the closing stretch of the 2023 season.”

Additionally, UVA women’s lacrosse player Ashlyn McGovern was named one of 25 women’s finalists.


Men’s Tewaaraton Award Nominees
Gavin Adler, Cornell – Sr., Defense
Will Bowen, Georgetown – Grad. Student, Defense
Matt Brandau, Yale – Jr., Attack
Kenny Brower, Duke – Sr., Defense
Matt Campbell, Villanova – Grad. Student, Midfield
Zach Cole, St. Joe’s – Grad. Student, Face Off
Payton Cormier, Virginia – Sr., Attack
Tucker Dordevic, Georgetown – Grad. Student, Attack
Liam Entenmann, Notre Dame – Sr., Goalie
Sam Handley, Penn – 5th Year, Midfield
Pat Kavanagh, Notre Dame – Sr., Attack
Chris Kavanagh, Notre Dame – Soph., Attack
CJ Kirst, Cornell – Jr., Attack
Shane Knobloch, Rutgers – Jr., Midfield
Tye Kurtz, Delaware – Sr., Attack
Coulter Mackesy, Princeton – Soph., Attack
Brett Makar, Maryland – Grad. Student, Defense
TJ Malone, Penn State – Grad. Student, Attack
Will Mark, Syracuse – Jr., Goalie
Brennan O’Neill, Duke – Jr., Attack
Ross Scott, Rutgers – Sr., Attack
Connor Shellenberger, Virginia – Sr., Attack
Mike Sisselberger, Lehigh – Grad. Student, Face Off
Luke Wierman, Maryland – Sr., Face Off
Josh Zawada, Michigan – Sr., Attack