University Southern California Trojans
Johansen and Michael Named to Tewaaraton Watch List
February 23, 2016 | Women's Lacrosse
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Feb. 23, 2016
NEW YORK -- All-American USC women's lacrosse junior attacker Michaela Michael (Hillsborough, Calif./Menlo School) and senior midfielder Amanda Johansen (Glen Head, N.Y./North Shore HS) are two of the 50 women's players named to the official 2016 Tewaaraton Award watch list as announced by The Tewaaraton Foundation on Tuesday, Feb. 23. They are the first-ever Trojan players to make the watch list.
The watch lists, announced for both men's and women's NCAA lacrosse, includes the top players across all three divisions and highlights the early contenders for the prestigious honor presented by Under Armour. The MPSF was represented with four players including seniors Adrienne Anderson and Lucy Dikeou of Stanford. Michael was one of 15 non-seniors to be named to the list, which has nine juniors and six sophomores in total.
Michael was the 2015 MPSF Player of the Year and became the Trojans' first-ever IWLCA All-American with her selection to the third team a year ago. She is the conference's record holder for draw controls in a game (15) and in a single season (123), and has twice been chosen for MPSF Offensive Player of the Week honors; once as the MPSF Rookie of the Week in 2013. Michael has been a prolific scorer for the Trojans and led USC with 76 points (63g, 13a) in 2015.
Johansen was the 2013 MPSF Rookie of the Year and is a three-time All-MPSF selection. She set the previous single-season mark for draw controls in the league (100 in 2013) and still sits ahead of Michael on USC's career charts. In her career, Johansen has scored 103 goals to go with 40 assists (143 pts) and nabbed 215 draw controls.
Among the 2016 watch list returnees are four out of five 2015 women's finalists including 2014 and 2015 winner Taylor Cummings of Maryland, Sarah Mannelly of Boston College, Barbara Sullivan of Notre Dame, and Kayla Treanor of Syracuse.
"The national reach of quality players is evident in this list, with players from all regions of the country, along with a strong group of six former winners and finalists," said Jeff Harvey, chairman of The Tewaaraton Foundation. "As the season unfolds, we are excited for another deserving group of Tewaaraton Award candidates to emerge and we look forward to welcoming them to Washington, D.C. in early June."
The Tewaaraton Award presented by Under Armour annually honors the top male and female lacrosse players in the United States. The selection committees are made up of premier collegiate coaches and are appointed annually by the Tewaaraton Foundation.
Players not named to the initial list have several opportunities to play their way into a spot as the season progresses. Watch list additions, if applicable, will be announced on March 17 and April 7. 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.
The 12th-ranked Women of Troy (2-0) will have a bye this week before they host Michigan (March 4, 3 p.m.) and Vermont (March 6, noon) at McAlister Field for the first two of a three-game home stand.
For more information on the Tewaaraton Foundation or to attend this exciting event, visit tewaaraton.com. Like and follow The Tewaaraton Foundation at facebook.com/tewaaraton, twitter.com/tewaaraton and instagram.com/tewaaraton.
For more information on the USC women's lacrosse team, please visit USCTrojans.com. Fans of the Women of Troy can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @USCTrojansLax.
About The Tewaaraton Foundation
Founded at the University Club of Washington DC and first presented in 2001, the Tewaaraton Award is recognized as the preeminent lacrosse award, annually honoring the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. Endorsed by the Mohawk Nation Council of Elders and U.S. Lacrosse, the Tewaaraton Award symbolizes lacrosse's centuries-old roots in Native American heritage. The Tewaaraton Foundation ensures the integrity and advances the mission of this award. Each year, the Tewaaraton Award celebrates one of the six tribal nations of the Iroquois Confederacy -- the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora -- and presents two scholarships to students of Native American descent. To learn more about The Tewaaraton Foundation, please visit www.tewaaraton.com.
About Under Armour, Inc.
Under Armour (NYSE: UA), the originator of performance footwear, apparel and equipment, revolutionized how athletes across the world dress. Designed to make all athletes better, the brand's innovative products are sold worldwide to athletes at all levels. The Under Armour Connected FitnessTM platform powers the world's largest digital health and fitness community through a suite of applications: UA Record, MapMyFitness, Endomondo and MyFitnessPal. The Under Armour global headquarters is in Baltimore, Md. For further information, please visit the company's website at www.uabiz.com.
