May 16, 2006

College Park, Md. - Maryland senior attackman Joe Walters has been named one of five finalists for the Tewaaraton Trophy, which is awarded to the nation's top college lacrosse player, the Tewaaraton Award Foundation announced Tuesday afternoon. Walters is the first Terrapin to be named a finalist for the prestigious honor.

Also on the list of finalists are Kyle Dixon of Virginia, Sean Morris of Massachusetts, Chris Unterstein of Hofstra and Matt Ward of Virginia.

A native of Rochester, N.Y., Walters is Maryland's all-time leader in points and goals with 223 and 151, respectfully, and is the current active career leader among Division I players in both statistical categories. He has scored at least one point in 62 of 64 games as a Terp and has averaged nearly 3.5 points per game for his career. This season, Walters leads the Terps with 56 points on 34 goals and 22 assists and is on pace to become the first Maryland player to lead the team in total points in each of his four years.

The three-time All-American currently ranks eighth in the nation in points per game (3.73) and 10th in the country in goals per game (2.36), and is first in the ACC in both categories. Walters is also among the nation's top assist men, checking in at 17th with 1.47 assists per game. Even more impressive is the fact that Walters has put up those numbers for a Maryland team that has played the toughest schedule in the country.

Named the ACC Player of the Year for the second time in his storied career earlier this season, Walters has helped the Terps to an 11-4 record and a fourth consecutive NCAA Quarterfinal appearance. He is one of only 19 players since 1971, the year men's lacrosse became an NCAA championship sport, to score 150 or more goals in his career.

Last summer Walters was the only current college player to be named to the 2006 U.S. National team that will compete at the 2006 World Lacrosse Championships in London, Ontario, this July 14-22.

Walters and the Terps return to action on Sunday at 12 noon when No. 2 seed Maryland meets No. 7 seed Princeton in the NCAA Quarterfinals at Unitas Stadium in Towson, Md.

The Tewaaraton Award Foundation, in conjunction with the University Club of Washington, D.C., formally established the "Tewaaraton Trophy" on August 29, 2000. Today, the Tewaaraton Trophy is recognized as the pre-eminent lacrosse award honoring the top female and male varsity collegiate lacrosse player in the United States. The sixth annual award will be given at a banquet on Thursday, June 1. The event will take place in Washington D.C. at the National Geographic Society headquarters.