Maryland lacrosse’s Zoe Stukenberg wins 2017 Tewaaraton Award

To cap off an undefeated season, Maryland senior midfielder Zoe Stukenberg won the Tewaaraton Award Thursday night, marking the eighth time a Terp has won the award and sixth in a row.

Stukenberg finished the season with 53 goals and 31 assists, in addition to 74 draw controls, 48 ground balls and 27 caused turnovers. She beat out her teammate, senior defender Nadine Hadnagy, along with Stony Brook attacker Kylie Ohlmiller, North Carolina midfielder Marie McCool and Princeton attacker Olivia Hompe for the award.

An immediate contributor her freshman year, Stukenberg didn’t disappoint in her four years at Maryland. She was the ACC Freshman of the Year in 2014, scoring 35 goals and 12 assists, and she finished her career with 175 goals and 81 assists.

“When I look back on four years, it was an unbelievable lacrosse experience,” she said after Maryland beat Boston College. “Finishing up your senior season undefeated is pretty awesome.”

In addition to the Tewaaraton Award, Stukenberg won her third straight Elite 90 award, which recognizes the Final Four player with the highest cumulative GPA, and she was named a finalist for the Honda Sport Award, which is given to one player in every sport. On top of all that, she was the 2017 Big Ten Midfielder of the Year.

Stukenberg leaves Maryland with high praise for the women’s lacrosse program.

“These people are special, and the people I've met over the four years are special,” she said. “Every single person I've had the privilege to play with really left a mark on me.”

This victory marks the the eighth time a Terp has won the award since its inception in 2001, including Maryland’s sixth straight and seventh in the last eight years. Prior to Stukenberg, Taylor Cummings won each of the last three Tewaaraton Awards, the only player in men’s or women’s lacrosse to do so. Former midfielder Katie Schwarzmann won the award in 2012 and 2013, while Caitlyn McFadden and Jen Adams were victorious in 2010 and 2001, respectively.

While she didn’t win, Nadine Hadnagy also had a tremendous season, being named the 2017 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. She picked up 30 ground balls and caused 26 turnovers this year, while leading a Maryland defense that only allowed 9.39 goals per game.

Stukenberg and Hadnagy were cornerstones for Maryland women’s lacrosse over the last four years.

“I can't think of life without them because they've been such a huge part of our success for these past four years,” head coach Cathy Reese said. “I think the most important part of all of it is they're such good people. They care about their teammates [and] they love the people that surround them.”

Like Stukenberg, Hadnagy also leaves a lasting legacy on the program. She finished her career with 15 ground balls and 74 caused turnovers in her four seasons. Both Stukenberg and Hadnagy started in 90 of 92 possible games.

Reese’s trust in her two seniors was a huge part of Maryland’s undefeated season, including its come-from-behind victory over Stony Brook. Ultimately, Reese sees a bright future for her former players.

“Those two are going to do something really special,” she said.