CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – University of Virginia Men’s Lacrosse defenseman Eli Petty has been awarded the prestigious T. Rodney Crowley Scholarship for 2026-2027.
Awarded to an accomplished student who demonstrates leadership, sportsmanship, character and integrity, the Crowley Scholarship provides the equivalent of full in-state tuition for the recipient’s undergraduate fourth year.
A student in the McIntire School of Commerce, with concentrations in Finance and IT, with tracks in Entrepreneurship, Business Analytics and AI, Petty is a Dean’s List student and has been named to the ACC Athletics Academic Honor Roll.
During his time at UVA, in addition to academics and playing lacrosse, Petty has a strong record of community involvement at the University and in the Charlottesville area. He has served as professional chair of the Phi Chi Theta Business fraternity and as a facilitator with the One Love organization, where he has been trained to guide groups through sensitive conversations concerning relationships and dating. He has also been an integral member of community outreach efforts including the Special Olympics 10k run and the Will Barrow (’08) memorial Flag Football Tournament.
Petty graduated from The Collegiate School in Richmond, Virginia, where he was a two-year team captain, a two-time USA Lacrosse All-American and the 2023 recipient of the USA Lacrosse Bob Scott Award.
Men’s Lacrosse Coach Lars Tiffany commented: “Eli is a man of the highest level of empathy and servitude. He has balanced the demands of the University of Virginia academic curriculum and our lacrosse program, and he has transcended daily life and served others. Eli is the quintessential UVA student-athlete – he is a warm, selfless person with a great sense of respect for others. I could think of no one better than Eli to carry on the exceptional torch of the Crowley legacy.”
