Tewaaraton Stock Watch: 6 Stars, 5 Finalist Nods Up for Grabs

This week’s additions to the Tewaaraton Award watch list — among them, Cornell attackman Michael Long and Duke attackman Josh Zawada — are worthy players to include in the discussion for college lacrosse’s top individual honor.

The most notable names in the mix, though, remain some familiar ones.

It’s only a month into the season, and it’s hard to say anyone is a truly dominant player. That’s especially true with only five undefeated teams coming into the week.

But plenty of last year’s stars remain in fine shape to contend for the Tewaaraton as the start of conference play nears.

1. Brennan O’Neill, A, Duke (20 G, 13 A)

Last year’s Tewaaraton Award winner doesn’t lead the Blue Devils in points per game (Zawada has two more), but no matter. He’s still the central figure on a loaded offense, and it is telling that ample time was allocated during the broadcast of Duke’s 14-12 loss to Penn about the work Quakers defenseman Brendan Lavelle was doing against O’Neill.

Lavelle was that good, and O’Neill is that important.

The senior star has also never been one to hunt stats, and the attention he draws has helped Zawada, Dyson Williams and others get off to fine starts for the 5-1 Blue Devils.

2. TJ Malone, A, Penn State (10 G, 15 A)

Even when the Nittany Lions dropped their opener to Colgate, Malone collected seven assists. His value has not waned in any of his three subsequent appearances, and he dropped five goals and four assists (including the feed on Jake Morin’s overtime winner) in Saturday’s 15-14 defeat of Yale.

Penn State has scored at least 12 goals in each of its five games (Malone sat out a victory at Stony Brook), and it figures to again be plenty potent as the Nittany Lions chase a return trip to Memorial Day Weekend. Now in his sixth year of college, Malone is a steady, mature presence who will keep his team’s offense running smoothly.

3. Connor Shellenberger, A, Virginia (10 G, 10 A)

The fifth-year senior has averaged six points the last three Saturdays, collecting seven against Richmond, five against Ohio State and six in a loss to Johns Hopkins. He’s one of the most known quantities in the sport thanks to his starring role on one title team (2021) and a resplendent postseason after enduring injuries in the middle of last season.

The Cavaliers have three new offensive starters, but any adjustments haven’t significantly impacted production. Virginia has scored at least 14 goals in every game, and if that keeps up, Shellenberger is going to end up with his fourth consecutive season of at least 76 points.

4. Pat Kavanagh, A, Notre Dame (4 G, 15 A)

It’s been a Kavanagh-esque start to the season, with multiple assists in every game and even four caused turnovers in Sunday’s victory over Maryland. He is, as ever, a relentless player who perfectly reflects the ethos of his program.

But after authoring a 25-goal, 52-assist season on a national championship team and not collecting the hardware last year, does Kavanagh realistically have to win an award that usually rewards players with gaudy goals totals? Perhaps. The case of Ned Crotty (23 goals and 63 assists for Duke in 2010) offers evidence that a table-setter who controls a game with his passing can claim the Tewaaraton.

5. CJ Kirst, A, Cornell (16 G, 4 A)

The Big Red star dropped seven goals on Ohio State last weekend after opening the season with three consecutive hat tricks. A finalist a year ago, Kirst can replicate that accomplishment this spring.

But for Kirst to win it, Cornell probably needs a deep NCAA tournament push. Just one of the last seven Tewaaraton winners didn’t play on the final weekend of the season (Loyola’s Pat Spencer in 2019), and five of them helped their teams reach Memorial Day.

6. Joey Spallina, A, Syracuse (21 G, 26 A)

Spallina more than lived up to the advance billing — and being anointed as the Orange’s New 22 — while piling up 36 goals and 32 assists as a freshman. He’s already had a 10-point game and a pair of nine-point outings in Syracuse’s first seven contests.

If there’s anything to quibble about, it’s a 1-for-12 combined shooting performance in the Orange’s overtime losses to Maryland and Army. Spallina’s track record suggests he’ll figure out how to deal with extra attention from high-end opponents before long. But if a sophomore-season Tewaaraton is to be in the cards, that adjustment will have to happen in the next month or two.

Also in the mix: Michael Long, A, Cornell (9 G, 14 A); Michael Boehm, A, Michigan (17 G, 14 A); Matt Brandau, A, Yale (9 G, 13 A); Michael Gianforcaro, G, Princeton (.580 save percentage); Sam King, A, Harvard (16 G, 17 A); Josh Zawada, A, Duke (15 G, 20 A)