Fitzgerald, Graziano Among The Tewaaraton Award Top-25 Nominees
Caroline Fitzgerald and Nicole Graziano are two of The Tewaaraton Award's top-25 nominees, announced Friday.
Photo By: Andy Mead
Friday, April 29, 2016

Fitzgerald, Graziano Among The Tewaaraton Award Top-25 Nominees

Florida's Caroline Fitzgerald and Nicole Graziano are two of 25 student-athletes in contention for The Tewaaraton Award, lacrosse's highest honor.
WASHINGTON -- Florida redshirt senior midfielder Nicole Graziano and junior defender Caroline Fitzgerald are two of 25 women's student-athletes still in contention for the 2016 Tewaaraton Award, presented by Under Armour. The nominees for lacrosse's highest honor were narrowed Friday to a list of 25 and announced at halftime of the first ACC Tournament men's semifinal game Friday evening on ESPNU.
 
The Tewaaraton Award is given annually by The Tewaaraton Foundation to the most outstanding men's and women's American college lacrosse player. The 16th annual Tewaaraton Award Ceremony will be held June 2, 2016, at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian.
 
READ: Grandma Graziano Delivers Clutch Senior Day Performance (Scott Carter)
 
Thanks to the leadership of Graziano and Fitzgerald, the No. 2 Gators head into postseason play 16-1 overall on the season after running the table in the BIG EAST for the program's sixth consecutive conference title, second straight in the BIG EAST. Florida heads to Washington, DC, May 5-7 for the four-team league tournament at Georgetown's Cooper Field.
 
Five men's and five women's finalists will be announced on May 12 and invited to the ceremony. Most recently former Gator great, Team USA and Team STX member Shannon Gilroy was a two-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Award in 2014 and 2015. Brittany Dashiell was Florida's first finalist for the Orange and Blue in 2012, while Mikey Meagher followed in 2013. Florida has had eight players recognized on at least The Tewaaraton Award Watch List since the program's inception.
 
HIGHLIGHTING NICOLE GRAZIANO
  • 2016 Tewaaraton Award Top-25 Nominee
  • Five-time 2016 BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week
  • Marked Taylor Cummings vs. No. 1 Maryland (held to one goal)
  • Became just the sixth player in Florida history to hit 100 career goals (4/24)
  • Has scored in 16 straight games and has led UF against ranked opponents in goals (14), points (20), ground balls (12), draw controls (18) and caused turnovers (12) this season
  • Tied a UF single-game record with five CT vs. No. 17 Towson
  • Has already had a career year in goals (37), points (51), GB (26) & CT (19) – all of which lead the Gators (second in CT)
  • 2016 Team Captain
HIGHLIGHTING CAROLINE FITZGERALD
  • 2016 Tewaaraton Award Top-25 Nominee
  • Leads Florida with a career high 39 ground balls, ranks third with 20 draw controls and 15 caused turnovers on the season overall
  • Paced the Gators in BIG EAST play with team-high 17 ground balls
  • Has three goals this season on fast breaks to contribute to eight goals scored by UF defenders in 2016
  • Marked Jackie Froccaro, Villanova's leading goal and point scorer, held her to one goal in a 14-4 Gators win
  • Marked Georgetown's Kelsey Perselay, second-leading draw control leader, held her to zero goals and two draw controls
2016 Tewaaraton Award Top-25 Finalists
Nina Corcoran, Penn - Sr., Attack
Maddie Crutchfield, Duke - Soph., Midfield
Taylor Cummings, Maryland - Sr., Midfield
Madison Cyr, Penn State - Sr., Midfield
Ellie DeGarmo, Princeton - Jr., Goalie
Dene DiMartino, Hopkins - Sr., Midfield
Kelsey Duryea, Duke - Sr., Goalie
Caroline Fitzgerald, Florida - Jr., Defense
Cortney Fortunato, Notre Dame - Jr., Attack
Nicole Graziano, Florida - Sr., Midfield
Nadine Hadnagy, Maryland - Jr., Defense
Molly Henrick, UNC - Jr., Attack/Midfield
Olivia Hompe, Princeton - Jr., Attack
Sarah Mannelly, Boston College - Sr., Midfield
Marie McCool, UNC - Soph., Midfield
Alice Mercer, Maryland - Sr., Defense
Michaela Michael, USC - Jr., Attack
Kay Morissette, Louisville - Sr., Midfield
Courtney Murphy, Stony Brook - Jr., Attack
Kylie Ohmiller, Stony Brook - Soph., Attack
Zoe Stukenburg, Maryland - Jr., Midfield
Barbara Sullivan, Notre Dame - Grad., Defense
Courtney Tarleton, USC - Sr., Defense
Kayla Treanor, Syracuse - Sr., Attack
Megan Whittle, Maryland - Soph., Attack

UP NEXT
The Orange and Blue will enjoy a short break before competition in the BIG EAST Tournament May 5-7 at Georgetown's Cooper Field. The Gators secured the No. 1 overall seed in the BIG EAST Tournament and solidified a spot in the first semifinal Thursday, May 5, in Washington, D.C.

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