MLAX : Leveille wins Tewaaraton as nation’s best player
Mike Leveille added to Syracuse lacrosse’s ever-expanding trophy case Thursday night. The SU senior attack was named the 2008 recipient of the Tewaaraton Trophy, college lacrosse’s version of the Heisman. He was presented with the award at a banquet Thursday in Washington, D.C., held at the National Museum of the American Indian.
Leveille is the second Syracuse player to win the award, which was first presented in 2001. Former SU attack Mikey Powell won the trophy in 2002 and 2004.
‘Mike has been one of the real leaders of this team all year long,’ SU head coach John Desko said in statement released by the Syracuse athletics department. ‘This is a great reward for him, the team and the University for all that he’s accomplished. He was the main cog in our run to the national championship.’
Leveille led the Orange in every major offensive category, including goals (49), assists (34) and points (83). The senior finished his career ninth all-time at Syracuse in goals scored with 132.
Leveille beat out four other finalists: Matt Danowski and Zack Greer of Duke, Paul Rabil of Johns Hopkins and Ben Rubeor of Virginia.
Certainly Leveille’s torrid performance in the NCAA tournament might have had something to do with him earning the award. He was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after tallying 11 goals and eight assists in the Orange’s four playoff wins en route to the its tenth national championship. The most notable of Leveille’s performances came in the national semifinal win over Virginia, when he scored five times to carry the Orange to a 12-11 double-overtime victory.
Leveille added a goal and two assists in Syracuse’s 13-10 win over Johns Hopkins in the national championship game Monday.
Two days later, Leveille was selected third overall in the Major League Lacrosse draft by the New Jersey Pride. He was subsequently traded to the Chicago Machine and will play there this summer along with SU midfielder Steven Brooks, who was picked sixth overall by the Machine.
Syracuse narrowly missed a sweep of the Tewaaraton awards. SU women’s lacrosse attack Katie Rowan led the nation in scoring and was nominated for the women’s award, but lost out Northwestern’s Hannah Nielson.
Published on June 22, 2008 at 12:00 pm
