Former Maryland women’s lacrosse midfielder Taylor Cummings doesn’t care much about personal accolades, but the award nominations continue to roll in for the sport’s first three-time Tewaaraton Award recipient.
Two weeks after winning her third consecutive Honda Award, given to the top women athletes in 12 NCAA sports, Cummings was named an ESPY nominee for Best Female College Athlete for the third consecutive year, ESPN announced last week. She also joins former Maryland women’s basketball center Malina Howard as a candidate for NCAA Woman of the Year.
Despite the recognition, Cummings’ mantra has remained the same.
“You have to work hard with everything that you do and put your heart and soul into it,” Cummings said after the Tewaaraton Award ceremony in Washington, D.C., on June 2. “When you do that, the awards and the wins and the friendships that you make are so much more rewarding.”
UConn women’s basketball’s Breanna Stewart, Penn State women’s soccer’s Raquel Rodriguez, USC volleyball’s Samantha Bricio and Michigan softball’s Sierra Romero join Cummings as nominees for Best Female College Athlete.
Cummings led the Terps, whose lone loss came against North Carolina in the national championship, in ground balls (62), draw controls (144) and caused turnovers (52) this season.
The Ellicott City native set a new program mark for career draw controls (509) and ended her Maryland career third overall in goals (229), ninth in assists (94) and second in points (323).
Cummings started every game this season, ranking second in goals (60) and assists (19) while helping the team end the regular season undefeated and win its first Big Ten championship. She also guided the Terps to NCAA Tournament wins over Johns Hopkins, Massachusetts and Syracuse.
In addition to playing for the Baltimore Ride, one of four teams in the new professional United Women’s Lacrosse League, Cummings will join six former Terps when she tries out for the 2016-17 U.S. women’s national team.
Attackers Alex Aust and Brooke Griffin, midfielder Katie Schwarzmann and defenders Megan Douty, Alice Mercer and Casey Pepperman were also invited to tryouts, US Lacrosse announced June 23. All seven players are currently on the 2015-16 national squad as well.
Tryouts will be held from Aug. 5-7 at the national team training center at US Lacrosse headquarters in Sparks. After the three-day tryout, about 36 players will be selected to join the U.S. team as it prepares for the 2017 Federation of International Lacrosse Women’s World Cup in Guildford, England.
Eighteen of those players will represent their country with the hopes of winning the squad’s third consecutive title and eighth overall.