WASHINGTON, D.C. - Four members of the No. 9 Maryland women's lacrosse team were named to the initial Tewaaraton Watch List, as announced by the Tewaaraton Foundation Friday evening.

Maryland is one of just four schools to have four or more athletes named on the watch list.

Graduate students Emily Sterling, Shaylan Ahearn and Meghan Ball and senior Eloise Clevenger were all named to the Watch List, which features the top 50 players in the sport of women's lacrosse.

This is the fourth-straight year that Ball was named on the Tewaaraton Watch List and the second consecutive season for Sterling. This is the first appearance for Ahearn and Clevenger. In 2022, Sterling was eventually named a top-25 Tewaaraton nominee.

Maryland has won eight of the last 13 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-13 streak for Maryland, garnering the award in 2010. Jen Adams won the inaugural Tewaaraton in 2001.

In the 19 years of the award, Maryland has won nine times, the most of any school and has had 26 finalists, including at least one in 16-of-17 seasons under head coach Cathy Reese. Most recently, Aurora Cordingley was named a finalist in 2022, where she totaled 118 points (67 goals, 51 assists). 

The Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. The selection committees are made up of premier collegiate coaches and are appointed annually by The Tewaaraton Foundation.

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 7 and March 28, before the field will be narrowed to 25 men's and 25 women's nominees on April 18. 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 on May 9. The Tewaaraton Award recipients will be chosen after the conclusion of the collegiate lacrosse season

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.

The Terps will continue their 2024 campaign tomorrow, February 17, at No. 5 Syracuse at 12:00 p.m. The game will air on ACCNX.