Maryland women’s lacrosse midfielder Taylor Cummings won her third Tewaaraton Award, given to the nation’s best men’s and women’s lacrosse players, in Washington, D.C. on Thursday night.
Cummings became the first three-time Tewaaraton winner, as she was honored the past two seasons. She was first recognized as a sophomore in 2014, becoming the youngest female winner in the trophy’s history.
“I’m so incredibly honored to win the Tewaaraton for a third time,” Cummings said in a statement. “Our season didn’t end the way we wanted, but I’m so proud to call every one of those women my teammates. I’m proud to forever call myself a Terp. This award is for everyone on my team and my coaches who helped me get here.”
Former Terps midfielder Katie Schwarzmann, who was the winner in 2012 and 2013 is the only other Maryland player to win Tewaaraton Award more than once.
Cummings started each of Maryland’s 23 contests this season, helping the team end the regular season without a loss and win its first Big Ten championship in program history. She also guided the Terps to NCAA Tournament wins over Johns Hopkins, Massachusetts and Syracuse.
Cummings, the team’s second-leading scorer (60), led Maryland in ground balls (62), draw controls (144) and caused turnovers (52). Her 19 assists rank second behind attacker Caroline Wannen.
While the Terps have won a national title in each of Cummings’ first two Tewaaraton Award winning seasons, they fell to North Carolina, 13-7, in the championship game Sunday afternoon. Cummings was held to only one goal.
“This award is for [the team], this award isn’t for me,” Cummings said in her acceptance speech. “Our season didn’t end the way that we wanted it to, but I would lose again to get 60 more minutes with you.”
Cummings was named an IWLCA first-team All-American for the fourth time and was an All-Big Ten selection for the second consecutive season. She set a new program mark in career draw controls (509) and ended her Maryland career third overall in goals (229), ninth in assists (94) and second in points (323).
“Taylor was an amazing person and player for our program,” coach Cathy Reese said in a statement. “She worked so hard to help out this team, and we are so proud of her for earning this honor. It’s so incredible that she has won this award three times, and we have truly been amazed by her tenacity and ability during her time as a Terp.”
A Maryland women’s lacrosse player has now won the Tewaaraton the past five seasons and six of the last seven. The other Terps to win the award were attacker Jen Adams in 2001 and midfielder Caitlyn McFadden won in 2010.
