CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia attackman McCabe Millon and long-stick midfielder Ben Wayer have been named Tewaaraton Award Watch List honorees, the Tewaaraton Award Foundation announced Thursday (Feb. 6). 

The Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top male and female college lacrosse players in the United States. The selection committees are made up of premier collegiate coaches and are appointed annually by The Tewaaraton Foundation. 

Millon and Wayer are two of 44 men’s watch list candidates nationwide, including 14 ACC players. 

Millon is UVA’s top returning producer in goals, assists and points. As a true freshman, he started on attack in 17 of UVA’s 18 total games in 2024. Millon scored 41 goals and logged 25 assists to lead all Division-I freshmen in both goals and points (66). His 41 goals are a UVA freshman record, while his 66 points stand at No. 2. Millon was dubbed a Second Team Preseason All-American by both Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse, and was ranked No. 16 on IL’s preseason top-50 watch list. 

Wayer was dubbed a Second Team Preseason All-American by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Assocation (USILA), Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse. Last season, he led all Division-I non-faceoff specialists in both ground balls per game (5.44) and total ground balls (98). Wayer also registered at least one point in 11 of his 18 total appearances, finishing the season with seven goals and six assists. He tallied a career-best 10 ground balls and added an assist in UVA’s 11-10 double-overtime win over Johns Hopkins in the NCAA quarterfinals. 

Players not named to this initial list will have opportunities to play their way into a spot as the season progresses. Watch List additions will be announced in March before the field will be narrowed to 25 men’s and 25 women’s nominees in April. Nominees can be players from the Watch Lists or not from the Watch Lists, effectively allowing for a third round of additions. 

Five men’s and five women’s finalists will be announced in early May. The Tewaaraton Award recipients will be chosen after the conclusion of the collegiate lacrosse season. 

No. 5 Virginia (0-0) kicks off its 2025 campaign on Saturday (Feb. 8) at noon, when the Hoos host Colgate (0-1) in their season opener.


2025 Tewaaraton Award Preseason Watch List 

Ty Banks, Georgetown – Soph., Defense 

Ryan Bell, Providence – Sr., Attack 

Aidan Carroll, Georgetown – Grad. Student, Attack 

Emmet Carroll, Penn – 5th year, Goalie 

Richard Checo, Lehigh – Jr., Defense 

Ryan Cohen, Michigan – Sr., Attack 

William Coletti, Army West Point – Sr., Face Off 

Matt Collison, Johns Hopkins – Jr., Midfield 

John DeFazio, Salisbury – Grad. Student, Defense 

Owen Duffy, North Carolina – Soph., Attack 

Billy Dwan, Syracuse – Jr., Defense 

Kevin Ellington, Delaware – Grad. Student, Goalie 

Braden Erksa, Maryland – Jr., Attack 

Jack Fracyon, Penn State – Sr., Goalie 

Jimmy Freehill, Denver – Sr., Defense 

Michael Gianforcaro, North Carolina – Grad. Student, Goalie 

Owen Hiltz, Syracuse – Redshirt Senior, Attack 

Leo Johnson, Yale – Sr., Attack 

Benn Johnston, Duke – Soph., Midfield 

Nate Kabiri, Princeton – Soph., Attack 

Chris Kavanagh, Notre Dame – Sr., Attack 

Hugh Kelleher, Cornell – Sr., Midfield 

Sam King, Harvard – Sr., Attack 

CJ Kirst, Cornell – Sr., Attack 

Brendan Lavelle, Penn – 5th year, Defense 

Matt Licata, Villanova – Grad. Student, Attack 

Michael Long, Cornell – Sr., Attack 

Shawn Lyght, Notre Dame – Soph., Defense 

Chris Lyons, Yale – Sr., Attack 

Coulter Mackesy, Princeton – Sr., Attack 

Aidan Maguire, Duke – Jr., SSDM 

Andrew McAdorey, Duke – Sr., Midfield 

Logan McNaney, Maryland – Grad. Student, Goalie 

McCabe Millon, Virginia – Soph., Attack 

Colin Mulshine, Princeton – Sr., Defense 

AJ Pilate, Army West Point – Sr., Defense 

Evan Plunkett, Army West Point – Jr., Midfield 

Ben Ramsey, Notre Dame – Sr., SSDM 

Dylan Renner, Adelphi – Grad. Student, Goalie 

Brad Sharp, Yale – Sr., Midfield 

Scott Smith, Johns Hopkins – Grad. Student, Defense 

Joey Spallina, Syracuse – Jr., Attack 

Ryan Stines, Utah – Jr., Attack 

Cardin Stoller, Rutgers – Soph., Goalie 

Jake Taylor, Notre Dame – Grad. Student, Attack 

Matt Traynor, Penn State – Sr., Attack 

Levi Verch, St Joes – Sr., Defense 

Ben Wayer, Virginia – Sr., Defense 

Mikey Weisshaar, Towson – Jr., Midfield 

Max Yates, Colgate – Sr., Defense