June 3, 2005

(Free Video Courtesy of CSTV)

WASHINGTON, DC - Johns Hopkins midfielder Kyle Harrison, who led the Blue Jays to a 16-0 record and the 2005 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, was presented with the 2005 Tewaaraton Trophy as the nation's top player at the Tewaaraton Foundation's annual awards ceremony Thursday night (June 2). Harrison, who had been among five finalists for the award as a sophomore and junior, is the first Hopkins recipient of the award since it was first presented in 2001. Duke's Katie Chrest was the 2005 women's recipient.

Harrison concluded a standout career by leading the Blue Jays to their first national championship since 1987 and their first undefeated season since 1984. He led the team in goals (24), assists (20), points (44) and ground balls (67) and won 39-of-64 (.609) faceoffs on the year as well. He earned First Team STX/USILA All-America honors for the second straight season and was named to the NCAA All-Tournament Team as well.

Harrison was initially a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy as a sophomore when he led the Blue Jays to a 14-2 record and an appearance in the NCAA Championship game. He earned Second Team STX/USILA All-America honors that year, when he scored 22 goals and added 14 assists.

As a junior he earned the McLaughlin Award as the nation's top midfielder and scored a career-high 26 goals and added seven assists for 33 points en route to earning his first nod as a First Team All-American. The Blue Jays posted a 13-2 record and advanced to the national semifinals during his junior year.

Harrison saved his best for last as he guided the Blue Jays to a school-record 16 wins and the program's eighth NCAA Championship in 2005. Despite constant double and triple teaming he punched up career highs for assists and points as the Blue Jays became the first team since 1997 to be ranked number one throughout an entire season. The 1997 season was also the last time a team went undefeated and won the national championship.

Harrison, who is the leading candidate for the 2005 Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award (Outstanding Player in Division I) and the McLaughlin Award (both awards will be presented on June 10), was the top pick in the 2005 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft on Wednesday as the New Jersey Pride took him with the first pick in the first round.

A starter in all 61 games in his career, Harrison finished with career totals of 81 goals and 45 assists for 126 points. He finished 11th in school history in ground balls (304) and ranks among the top five in school history in career faceoff winning percentage as well (.611 / 328-of-537). He registered at least one point in each of the final 20 games of his career and totaled 19 goals and eight assists in 13 career games in the NCAA Tournament.

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