Ben Reeves is getting used to having a trophy in his grasp. Reeves, Yale’s star for a better part of the last three seasons, has claimed lacrosse’s two of lacrosse’s most coveted awards — one for a team achievement and the other a tribute to his own career.
Just three days removed from celebrating the Bulldogs first national championship, a victory over Duke at Gillette Stadium, Reeves was in the limelight once again — and his teammates weren’t far away. Reeves joined Trevor Baptiste, Connor Kelly, Justin Guterding and Pat Spencer for the Tewaaraton Award ceremony Thursday night at the National Museum of the American Indian. Every time his name was announced, a chorus of Yale fans erupted just left of the stage. It was Reeves’ moment, as after three tries, the Tewaaraton was his to keep.
“The third time is a charm,” teammate Joey Sessa joked. “It only took him three times. If he didn't win that, I would have been pretty upset.”
And it’s hard to argue. Reeves led the nation with 115 points on 62 goals and 53 assists, helping fuel Yale to an Ivy League regular season title. He finished the NCAA tournament with 11 goals and 14 assists, including a goal and three assists to help the Bulldogs capture their first NCAA title and first national title since 1883.
He’ll go down as the best that Yale has ever had — he owns school records in points (316) and goals (174). The national championship was the achievement of which Reeves, the 2018 team captain, will be most proud, but he’ll take a Tewaaraton to go with it.
“It’s pretty surreal,” Reeves said of the past few days. “I’m still trying to recover from the national title. This is just a little icing on the cake.”
Not only is it the topper for Reeves, but a Yale program experiencing unprecedented success under coach Andy Shay. The Bulldogs’ star player played a large role in exercising Yale’s NCAA tournament first-round demons and giving Shay’s program the breakout it had been looking for since he started in 2003.
“I’m just super proud of him,” Shay said of Reeves, whom he recruited to Yale from Macedon, N.Y. “Ben is humble, a team guy first. He’d say it’s a team award and I think it is, but his teammates really look up to him and appreciate what he’s done for them. We’re all psyched. We’re probably more psyched than he is.”
Reeves, understated in nature, still had the sights of Yale’s triumph in his head on Thursday night.
“It’s hard to think of something else outside of a national championship,” he said.
He showcased his quick wit at the beginning of his acceptance speech, whipping out his phone for a list of people to thank.
“Off the phone?” asked emcee, Joe Beninati.
“Yeah, I was going to do it on paper, but then I remembered I had, a phone,” Reeves answered to laughter in the crowd.
He thanked his parents, his high school coaches (Joe Hill and Scott Welch), Shay and the Yale coaching staff, among others. He made sure not to forget to acknowledge one name specifically — outgoing Yale Director of Athletics Thomas Beckett.
Beckett, who retired from his position after 24 years at the helm, had built a relationship with Reeves over the course of his career. Reeves remembered Beckett inviting him into his office during his sophomore season.
“The things he’s done for me are incredible,” Reeves said. “He pulled me into his office two years ago just to talk to me. I was at the time just a lowly sophomore, so thank you so much, Mr. Beckett.”