WASHINGTON, D.C. – Redshirt senior defender Lizzie Colson was named a finalist for lacrosse's most prestigious honor, the Tewaaraton Award, announced Friday morning. 
 
Colson, selected as one of the five best players in the nation, has made her mark over the course of the season as the best defender in the country, leading the NCAA with 42 caused turnovers, the third-highest single season mark in Maryland program history and the highest per game single season mark in program history (2.80). The redshirt senior has more than three caused turnovers in eight-of-15 games this season and has five games of four-plus caused turnovers.
 
The team captain has also made her mark picking up groundballs, leading the Big Ten with 51, the fifth-most in the country. Colson has at least four groundballs in nine-of-15 games this season. The Big Ten Defender of the Year, Colson has also made an immense impact on the draw circle, tallying 69 this season, the third-most in the Big Ten. Colson ranks third all-time in Maryland history with 313 draw controls, the 13th-highest active mark in the nation. 
 
Colson has racked up awards all season in her sensational year, being named the Big Ten Defender of the Year, a Unanimous First Team All-Big Ten selection, to the Big Ten All-Tournament Team, an Inside Lacrosse Midseason First Team All-American, a three-time Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week, the Inside Lacrosse National Player of the Week (3/25) and IWLCA National Defensive Player of the Week (3/23).
 
This is a prime achievement in an illustrious career for Colson. The Manchester, Md. native was key to Maryland's 2017 and 2019 National Championship run and has played in 80 games in her fantastic career, twice being named an IWLCA All-American (2018 & 2019). Colson is the first defender to be a Tewaaraton finalist since Nadine Hadnagy in 2017. 
 
Maryland has won eight of the last 10 Tewaaraton awards, with Megan Taylor becoming the first goalie in lacrosse history to win the award in 2019. Before that, Zoe Stukenberg took home the prestigious award in 2017, Taylor Cummings won three straight from 2014-16 and Katie Schwarzmann became the first two-time winner for Maryland in 2012-13. Caitlyn McFadden started the eight-for-10 streak for Maryland, garnering the award in 2010. Jen Adams won the inaugural Tewaaraton in 2001.
 
The Terps have had 26 finalists in the 19 years of the award. This is the 14th straight season that Maryland has had at least one finalist for lacrosse's most esteemed honor, with Jen Giles and Taylor last being finalists in 2019. 
 
Colson is joined by Charlotte North (Boston College), Taylor Moreno (North Carolina), Jamie Ortega (North Carolina) and Izzy Scane (Northwestern).
 
The Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top male and top female college lacrosse player in the United States. Finalists come from a pool of 25 men's and 25 women's nominees. The presentation of the 2021 men's and women's Tewaaraton recipients will be made during halftime of the 5 p.m Premier Lacrosse League game between Whipsnakes and Chaos on June 5 at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass. The game will be broadcast on NBC Sports Network. .