April 15, 2009
Washington, D.C. – Notre Dame senior captain Jillian Byers (Northport, N.Y.) is one of 25 nominees for the 2009 Tewaaraton Trophy that is presented annually to the top male and female collegiate lacrosse players in the nation.
The award, the most coveted and prestigious award a varsity lacrosse player can receive is a symbol of excellence in college lacrosse. Nominees were selected by coaches across all three divisions. The list of 25 nominees is one step closer in the pursuit of the Tewaaraton Trophy that will be will be presented on Thursday, May 28, 2008 in Washington, D.C.
For Byers, this is the second time that she has reached the level of being a nominee as she, along with teammate Caitlin McKinney `08, were among the 2008 nominees. She is the first Notre Dame player to be nominated twice and joins McKinney, Crysti Foote `06, a 2006 nominee, and Meredith Simon `04, who was nominated during the 2004 season, as the five Notre Dame nominees. Foote went on to be the first Irish player to become a finalist for the award.
Byers currently leads the Irish in goals and scoring with 53 goals and 66 points through the first 14 games of the season. She leads the BIG EAST in goals and is sixth in the nation with 3.79 goals-per-game. Her 66 points are second in the BIG EAST and sixth in the nation.
Going into this week’s action, Byers is Notre Dame’s all-time leader in goals (232), points (291) and draw controls (139) and is seventh all-time in assists (59). This season she is tied for fourth in ground balls (24), leads the team with 40 draw controls and is second in caused turnovers with 20. With 50 goals this season, the senior Film, Television and Theatre major became the only player in the history of the Notre Dame program with 50 or more goals in all four seasons.
The high-scoring Byers is a three-time unanimous first team all-BIG EAST selection and is a three-time, second-team IWLCA All-American in her first three seasons at Notre Dame.
Byers is one of four BIG EAST players nominated for the Tewaaraton Trophy as she is joined by Georgetown’s Molly Ford and Ashby Kaestner and Syracuse’s Katie Rowan.
The 25 nominees for the Tewaaraton Trophy:
Hilary Bowen, Northwestern Morgan Lathrop, NorthwesternSarah Bullard, Duke Caitlyn McFadden, MarylandJillian Byers, Notre Dame Holly McGarvie, PrincetonCaroline Cryer, Duke Sarah Mollison, MarylandSarah Dalton, Boston University Hannah Nielsen, NorthwesternCarolyn Davis, Duke Rachel Ray, AdelphiAli DeLuca, Pennsylvania Katie Rowan, SyracuseSarah Downing, Vanderbilt Jenn Russel, North CarolinaAmber Falcone, North Carolina Emma Spiro, PennsylvaniaMolly Ford, Georgetown Erin Tochihara, PrincetonKelly Hagerty, Ohio State Julie Wadland, DartmouthKarri Ellen Johnson, Maryland Blair Weymouth, VirginiaAshby Kaestner, Georgetown