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Cassese Nominated For Tewaaraton Trophy; Earns Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Award
March 6, 2003
Duke senior midfielder Kevin Cassese is one of 16 nomimations for the Tewaaraton Trophy given annually to the top lacrosse player in the nation. In addition, the Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., native was named the recipient of a Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Award by the Atlantic Coast Conference.
The Tewaaraton Trophy is presented annually following the collegiate season to the top female and male varsity collegiate lacrosse players in the United States. Scholarship money is given to the recipient's college or university general scholarship fund. The Foundation committee honors Native American heritage with the name "Tewaaraton," the name the Mohawk nation gave to their game and the progenitor of present day lacrosse and has received approval from the Mohawk Council of Elders.
Every qualified male and female college varsity player in Divisions I, II and III is eligible for the Award. Nominations are requested from all varsity coaches. A selection committee comprised of coaches for both male and female candidates oversees the voting process. There are five wildcard spots left open for a new candidate(s) who emerges during the season. The five finalists will be announced in May.
The Tewaaraton Trophy Awards Dinner will be presented at The University Club of Washington, D.C., on June 4, 2003, at a banquet honoring the finalists and winners.
Joining Cassese on the nomination list are Ryan Boyle (Princeton), John Christmas (Virginia), Damien Davis (Princeton), Adam Doneger (Johns Hopkins), Michael Howley (Maryland), Tillman Johnson (Virginia), Kevin Leveille (Massachusetts), Ryan McClay (Cornell), Tim McGinnis (Gettysburg), Mike Mollot (Maryland), Michael Peyser (Johns Hopkins), Michael Powell (Syracuse), Chris Rotelli (Virginia), Mike Springer (Syracuse) and Kyle Sweeney (Georgetown).
Four student-athletes -- Cassese, Florida State's Matthew J. Lynch (baseball), North Carolina's David Matthew Crawford (soccer) and Virginia's Mirjana Bosevska (swimming) -- from the ACC received Weaver-James-Corrigan Honorary Awards. These students will be recognized for their outstanding performance both in athletic competition, as well as in the classroom throughout their collegiate careers and who intend to compete in their respective sports at the Olympic or professional level.
The award is named in honor of the late Jim Weaver and Bob James as well as Gene Corrigan, past ACC commissioners. The league's first commissioner, James H. Weaver, served the conference from 1954 to 1970, after a stint as the director of athletics at Wake Forest University. His early leadership and uncompromising integrity is largely responsible for the excellent reputation enjoyed by the ACC today.
Bob James, a former University of Maryland football player, was named commissioner in 1971 and served for 16 years. During his tenure, the league continued to grow in stature and became recognized as a national leader in athletics and academics, winning 23 national championships and maintaining standards of excellence in the classroom.
Eugene F. Corrigan assumed his role as the third full-time commissioner on September 1, 1987 and served until August of 1997. During Corrigan's tenure, ACC schools captured 30 NCAA national championships and two national football titles.
Prior to 1994, the Weaver-James postgraduate scholarships were given as separate honors. The Jim Weaver award, originated in 1970, recognized exceptional achievement on the playing field and in the classroom, while the Bob James award, beginning in 1987, also honored outstanding student-athletes.
Kevin Cassese, Duke
Two-time All-ACC and All-America selection ... 2001 ACC Player of the Year ... Earned second team All-America honors as a sophomore in 1991 and then received first team All-America accolades last year as a junior ... Honored as the National Midfielder of the Year in 2002 ... Last summer, Cassese helped the United States to the gold medal at the 2002 International Lacrosse Federation World Championship in Perth, Australia ... Three-time Academic All-ACC choice who carries a 3.54 cumulative grade point average ... On pace to join Duke's 100-point club ... Two-year team captain for the Blue Devil ... Entered the 2003 season with 83 career points on 55 goals and 28 assists ... Led Duke to back-to-back ACC Championships in 2001 and 2002 and three consecutive NCAA Tournament berths.
