Howell Earns Spot on Tewaaraton Watch List
WASHINGTON, DC – Peyton Howell has been named to the 2026 Tewaaraton Award Watch List. Howell is the first player in program history to earn a spot on the Watch List.
Last season, Howell racked up a list of accolades, including being named the IWLCA Player and Attacker of the Year, the Sunshine State Conference Athlete of the Year, and an IWLCA First Team All-American. USA Lacrosse Magazine tabbed the senior from Towson, Md., as the Preseason Player and Attacker of the Year for the second consecutive year. Howell is also the only player from Division II on this year's Watch List.
The Tewaaraton Foundation is pleased to announce the Men's and Women's Watch Lists for the 2026 Tewaaraton Award Presented by Stifel. The lists include the top players in college lacrosse and highlight the early contenders for the 2026 Tewaaraton Award.
Founded in 2001, The Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top male and female college lacrosse players in the United States. The selection committees are made up of premier collegiate coaches and are appointed annually by The Tewaaraton Foundation.
The 2026 Watch Lists include returning 2025 Tewaaraton Trophy winner Chloe Humphrey (North Carolina), 2024 and 2025 Tewaaraton Finalist Madison Taylor (Northwestern), and 2025 Tewaaraton Finalist Shea Dolce (Boston College). Syracuse and Maryland lead the men's list with four players each among 26 schools represented, while North Carolina leads the women's list with five players across 27 schools represented.
"It's an honor to support the Tewaaraton Foundation and shine a spotlight on this year's top men's and women's college lacrosse players," said Ron Kruszewski, Chairman and CEO of Stifel Financial, presenting sponsor of the Tewaaraton Award. "These athletes are setting the standard for success on and off the field, and we're excited to be part of celebrating their performance, discipline, and leadership throughout the season."
The initial 2026 Tewaaraton Award Watch List candidates, with school, year, and position noted:
2026 WOMEN'S WATCH LIST
Madison Alaimo, Virginia - Jr., Attack
Dylan Allen, Princeton - Sr., Defense
Ava Angello, Johns Hopkins - Sr., Attack
Ava Arceri, Stanford - Jr., Attack
Shea Baker, Boston College - Sr., Defense
Theresa Bragg, Florida - Sr., Defense
Grace Callahan, Michigan - Sr., Defense
Isabella Caporuscio, Stony Brook - Jr., Midfield
Alyssa Chung, Navy - Soph., Attack
Ava Class, Michigan - Grad. Student, Midfield
Lydia Colasante, Boston College - Jr., Defense
Jenika Cuocco, Northwestern - Grad. Student, Goalie
Kaitlyn Davies, Florida - Sr., Midfield
Shea Dolce, Boston College - Sr., Goalie
Haven Dora, Princeton - Sr., Attack
Brigid Duffy, Army West Point - Sr., Midfield
Kori Edmondson, Maryland - Sr., Midfield
Madison Epke, Northwestern - Sr., Attack
Sam Forrest, North Carolina - Grad. Student, Defense
Kate Galica, Virginia - Jr., Midfield
Kayla Gilmore, Maryland - Soph., Midfield
Bella Goodwin, Duke - Jr., Attack
Frannie Hahn, Florida - Redshirt Soph., Attack
Erika Ho, Penn State - Sr., Attack
Peyton Howell, Tampa - Sr., Attack
Chloe Humphrey, North Carolina - Soph., Attack
Maya Kendall, Dartmouth - Sr., Draw Specialist
Jami MacDonald, Princeton - Sr., Attack
Kayla MacLeod, Clemson - Jr., Attack
Nikki Mennella, Hofstra - Jr., Attack
Kassidy Morris, UMass Amherst - Redshirt Sr., Attack
Emma Muchnick, Syracuse - Sr., Midfield
Betty Nelson, North Carolina - Soph., Goalie
Reagan O'Brien, Johns Hopkins - Sr., Defense
Eliza Osburn, North Carolina - Soph., Midfield
Emmy Pascal, Yale - Sr., Defense
Jess Peluso, Colorado - Sr., Defense
Aliya Polisky, Stanford - Jr., Attack
Madison Rassas, Notre Dame - Soph., Midfield
Allison Reilly, Army West Point - Sr., Attack
Olivia Ripple, Denver - Jr., Midfield
Orly Sedransk, Pennsylvania - Soph., Goalie
Natalie Shurtleff, Clemson - Jr., Midfield
JJ Suriano, Maryland - Jr., Goalie
Madison Taylor, Northwestern - Sr., Attack
Jocelyn Torres, Ohio State - Sr., Goalie
CoCo Vandiver, Syracuse - Sr., Defense
Brooklyn Walker-Welch, North Carolina - Grad. Student, Defense
Marissa White, Boston College - Jr., Attack
Mikayla Williams, Navy - Jr., Midfield
Players not named to this initial list will have opportunities to play their way into a spot as the season progresses. Watch List additions will be announced on March 5 and March 26, before the field will be narrowed to 25 men's and 25 women's nominees on April 16. Nominees can be players from the Watch Lists or not from the Watch Lists, effectively allowing for a third round of additions.
Five men's and five women's finalists will be announced in early May. The Tewaaraton Award recipients will be chosen after the conclusion of the collegiate lacrosse season. The Finalists will be honored and this year's recipients announced live on May 28 at the Tewaaraton Ceremony in Washington, D.C.
The Tewaaraton Foundation recently added World Lacrosse CEO Jim Scherr to its Board of Directors. For more information on the Tewaaraton Foundation, visit tewaaraton.com. Like and follow The Tewaaraton Foundation at facebook.com/tewaaraton, twitter.com/tewaaraton and instagram.com/tewaaraton.
About The Tewaaraton Foundation
The Tewaaraton Award is recognized as the preeminent lacrosse award, annually honoring the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. Founded at the University Club of Washington, D.C., the award was first presented in 2001 with permission from the Mohawk Nation Council of Elders. "Tewaaraton" is the Mohawk word for lacrosse, and The Tewaaraton Award symbolizes lacrosse's Native American Heritage. The Tewaaraton Foundation ensures the integrity of the selection process and advances the mission of the Foundation. Each year, The Tewaaraton Foundation presents two scholarships to students from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy – the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and Tuscarora Nations.