University of North Carolina Athletics
Tom Sears Named Tewaaraton Foundation Legend
January 11, 2019 | Men's Lacrosse
Sears led UNC to two NCAA championships
The Spirit of Tewaaraton is presented to an individual who has contributed to the sport of lacrosse in a way that reflects the spirit of the values and mission of the Tewaaraton Award. The Tewaaraton Legends Award annually honors recipients who played college lacrosse prior to 2001, the first year in which the Tewaaraton Award was presented.
Sears goes down as one of lacrosse's all-time top goalies. He was a two-time NCAA champion for North Carolina while twice earning the USILA's C. Markland Kelly Award as Goalie of the Year and winning the Enners Award as Player of the Year in 1982. A three-time NCAA All-America, Sears added to his stellar college career by earning all-world honors and winning a gold medal for Team USA in 1982.
"Tom Sears was a truly outstanding goalkeeper, proficient both in the cage as well as out in the open field," said Don Zimmerman, a UNC assistant coach before moving on to head coaching jobs with Johns Hopkins and UMBC. "The backbone of two national championship defenses, 'Searsy' was the inspirational leader of those talented Tar Heel squads. I am so pleased for Tom and his family for this well-deserved honor and recognition."
Tewaaraton Legend recipients are chosen on the basis that their collegiate performance would have earned them a Tewaaraton Trophy, had the award existed when they played. The previous Legends Award winners are Syracuse's Jim Brown (2011), Cornell's Eamon McEneaney (2012), Johns Hopkins' Joe Cowan (2013), Navy's Jimmy Lewis (2014), Syracuse's Brad Kotz (2015), Maryland's Frank Urso (2016), Penn State's Candace Finn Rocha (2016), Army's Peter Cramblet (2017), Virginia's Cherie Greer (2017), Johns Hopkins' Larry Quinn (2018) and Temple's Mandee Moore O'Leary (2018).
Past Spirit of Tewaaraton recipients include Dick Edell, Diane Geppi-Aikens, Sid Jamieson, A.B. "Buzzy" Krongard, Roy Simmons Jr., Richie Moran, Bob Scott, Brendan Looney, Oren Lyons, Tina Sloan Green, George Boiardi and Welles Crowther.
All three recipients will receive their awards at the Tewaaraton Award Ceremony May 30th, 2019, in Washington, D.C.
The Tewaaraton Foundation will unveil the 2019 Tewaaraton Award Watch List live at a special fundraising reception in New York City on February 28th.
For more information on the Tewaaraton Legends Award or to attend this exciting event, visit tewaaraton.com. Like and follow The Tewaaraton Foundation at facebook.com/tewaaraton, twitter.com/tewaaraton and instagram.com/tewaaraton.
About The Tewaaraton Foundation
First presented in 2001, the Tewaaraton Award is recognized as the preeminent lacrosse award, annually honoring the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. Endorsed by the Mohawk Nation Council of Elders and U. Lacrosse, the Tewaaraton Award symbolizes lacrosse's centuries-old roots in Native American heritage. The Tewaaraton Foundation ensures the integrity and advances the mission of this award. Each year, the Tewaaraton Award celebrates one of the six tribal nations of the Iroquois Confederacy – the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca and Tuscarora – and presents two scholarships to students of Native American descent. To learn more about The Tewaaraton Foundation, please visit www.tewaaraton.com.
