WASHINGTON -- Redshirt senior veteran Nicole Graziano saved her best for last. The 2016 BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year, IWLCA All-South Region First Team selection and conference tournament MOP was named one of five women's finalist in the nation for the prestigious Tewaaraton Award, presented by Under Armour.
The five finalists for lacrosse's highest honor on both the men's and women's sides were announced at halftime of the Syracuse vs. Albany NCAA Men's First Round Tournament game Sunday evening on ESPNU. Graziano is Florida's fourth finalist (Gilroy, Meagher, Dashiell) for the award and joins Taylor Cummings (Maryland), Alice Mercer (Maryland), Barbara Sullivan (Notre Dame) and Kayla Treanor (Syracuse) as the women's top-five finalists.
The Tewaaraton Award is given annually by The Tewaaraton Foundation to the most outstanding men's and women's American college lacrosse player. The 16th annual Tewaaraton Award Ceremony will be held June 2, 2016, at the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian.
In what was a banner year for Graziano as Florida went 18-2 and swept both the BIG EAST regular season and tournament titles, the fifth-year Gator became just the sixth player in program history to notch 100 career goals, doing so in Senior-Day fashion as Florida won the BIG EAST regular-season title against UConn April 24.
Graziano set career highs this season in goals (44), assists (17), points (60), ground balls (31), caused turnovers (22) and draw controls (45) -- including a season high five draw controls against Penn State Sunday.
Most recently former Gator great, Team USA and Team STX member Shannon Gilroy was a two-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Award in 2014 and 2015. Brittany Dashiell was Florida's first finalist for the Orange and Blue in 2012, while Mikey Meagher followed in 2013. Florida has had eight players recognized on at least The Tewaaraton Award Watch List since the program's inception.