by Photo Gallery – 2015 Tewaaraton Ceremony (UAlbany Athletics)
WASHINGTON – In the year where the Onondaga Nation is recognized, one of its own, Lyle Thompson, made history on Thursday night, being named the recipient of the 2015 Tewaaraton Trophy for the top player in men’s lacrosse.
He is the first ever male lacrosse player to earn a part of Tewaaraton Trophy in two consecutive seasons, sharing the award with brother Miles Thompson in 2014. That season, the Thompsons made history as the first Native Americans to be honored with the Tewaaraton Trophy. Lyle Thompson is one of two players to earn a piece of the Tewaaraton twice, with Syracuse’s Mike Powell getting the award in 2002 and 2004.
“It feels good, I am proud of my team, proud of everything they have helped me with these four years, and everything we have accomplished at UAlbany,” said Thompson. “That is what matters to me, is that the name 2015 UAlbany lacrosse team is on the trophy.”
Each year since 2010, the Tewaaraton Foundation celebrates one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois Confederacy. 2015 is the Year of the Onondaga; Thompson hails from the Onondaga Nation in New York.
Lyle Thompson received the award at the annual Tewaaraton ceremony at the National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington D.C. The Thompson family, the UAlbany coaching staff and many supporters were on-hand to see Thompson being named the men’s Tewaaraton recipient.
“What a fitting way to end one of the most outstanding careers ever,” said UAlbany coach Scott Marr. “He will go down as one of the best players to ever play, and we are looking forward to seeing him play in the professional and national levels.”
In 2015, Thompson led the NCAA in points per game for the third-straight year with 6.37 a contest and assists per game at 3.63 a contest. He finished with an NCAA Division I best 121 points, the second-highest single season tally in DI history, and 69 assists, adding 52 goals. He scored multiple points in all 19 UAlbany games, including 12 with at least five. He led UAlbany to a third-consecutive America East regular season and tournament title, using a nine-point performance against Cornell to help the Great Danes earn a berth into the NCAA quarterfinal round.
This achievement caps the career of one of the greatest men’s lacrosse players of all-time. Thompson finishes his career as the all-time Division I points and assists leader, concluding with 400 points off 175 goals and 225 assists from 2012-15 with UAlbany. In his career he played in 70 games, scoring in 68 of them. He earned multiple points in each of his last 44 games, including all contests in 2014 and 2015.
Thompson adds the Tewaaraton Trophy to his numerous honors in 2015, including USILA DI Player of the Year, USILA First Team All-American, America East Player of the Year and America East All-Conference First Team among others.
Earlier in the ceremony, UAlbany men’s lacrosse commit Chaunce Hill received the Tewaaraton Native American Scholarship as the male recipient. Hill is the second then-future UAlbany student-athlete to earn this honor, with women’s lacrosse player Alie Jimerson being the female recipient in 2014.
“It is amazing, a dream come true,” said Hill. “I’ve been working hard, and it is a dream to play for UAlbany.”
Thompson was one of five finalists this season along with Denver’s Wesley Berg, Duke’s Myles Jones, Syracuse’s Kevin Rice and Notre Dame’s Matt Kavanagh.
On the women’s side, Maryland junior midfielder Taylor Cummings repeated as the Tewaaraton Trophy recipient after leading the Terrapins to a second-consecutive NCAA title.
Thompson continues his lacrosse career in the professional ranks. He made his debut with the Florida Launch in Major League Lacrosse last weekend.
