NEW YORK -- Florida senior midfielder
Nicole Graziano was one of two women's lacrosse players in the nation added to the 2016 Tewaaraton Award Watch List Thursday. Graziano joins teammates
Caroline Fitzgerald and
Mollie Stevens as contenders for lacrosse's highest honor.
Graziano is the three-time reigning BIG EAST Midfielder of the Week and has been a crucial component to No. 2 Florida's early success in 2016. Under Graziano's watch, the Gators are an undefeated 9-0 and will
play host to No. 1 Maryland Saturday at home.
Graziano has played some of her best lacrosse the last two weeks for the Gators through a stretch of three ranked opponents in Stony Brook, Boston College and Towson. Since March 6, the fifth-year senior has led the Gators in goals (10), points (12), draw controls (13) and caused turnovers (8). Graziano tied a University of Florida single-game record with five caused turnovers Monday against No. 17 Towson. She ranks 34th in the country with 26 points this season and 43rd with her 18 goals scored.
Graziano has risen to the occasion in Florida's biggest games this season. Through clashes with six ranked foes so far, Graziano has racked up team highs in goals (13), assists (6), points (19), ground balls (11), draw controls (15) and caused turnovers (11).
The Tewaaraton Award, presented by Under Armour, annually honors the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. The selection committees are made up of premier collegiate coaches and are appointed each year by The Tewaaraton Foundation.
Florida has had at least one Tewaaraton Watch List honoree each of the last six years, while Graziano, Fitzgerald and Stevens mark the Gators' sixth, seventh and eighth players in program history to be in contention for lacrosse's highest honor.
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.
The next round of additions to the
2016 Tewaaraton Watch List will be announced April 7th as the season progresses. On April 28, the field will be narrowed to 25 men's and 25 women's nominees. Nominees can be players on the watch lists or players not on the watch lists, effectively allowing for a third round of additions. Five men's and five women's finalists will be announced on May 12 and invited to the ceremony. The 16th annual Tewaaraton Award Ceremony will be held in Washington, D.C., on June 2.
FLORIDA TEWAARATON AWARD HISTORY |
MARCH 17 ADDITIONS UP NEXTTwo of the nation's unbeaten women's lacrosse teams will face off in Gainesville this Saturday, March 19, at noon when No. 1 Maryland (5-0) visits Gainesville for a clash with the No. 2 Gators (9-0) at Donald R. Dizney Stadium. The Gators have never played a 1 vs. 2 match-up in the program's six-and-a-half year history.
Florida is 2-2 all-time against the No. 1 ranked team in the country, twice defeating Northwestern, while falling short to UNC in 2014 and most recently Maryland in 2015 in College Park. Florida is additionally 4-3 against the defending national champion, having played the previous year's champ five of the last six seasons. The Gators' game with Maryland Saturday marks the sixth time in seven years of UF's program history Florida will meet the defending champ.
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