Northwestern University Athletics
Madison Taylor Wins 2026 Tewaaraton Award
5/28/2026 10:20:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
WASHINGTON, D.C. — Northwestern senior attacker Madison Taylor won the 2026 Tewaaraton Award, receiving the most coveted individual honor in collegiate lacrosse at Thursday night's Tewaaraton Ceremony in the Andrew W. Mellon Auditorium.
Taylor is the fifth Wildcat to win the award, joining Kristen Kjellman (2006, 2007), Hannah Nielsen (2008, 2009), Shannon Smith (2011) and Izzy Scane (2023, 2024).
The Wantagh, N.Y., native recorded 97 goals, 42 assists, 23 ground balls, 19 caused turnovers and 62 draw controls in 2026. She was the only player in the country to post 100+ points and 50+ draw controls this season.
She scored an NCAA Tournament-high 28 points in four postseason contests, setting an NCAA Tournament career record with 91 points in 16 tournament games.
A two-time national champion, Taylor bookended her career in storybook fashion in the 2026 NCAA Championship Game against UNC at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. The attacker posted a game-high seven points, including a championship-record six assists, to help guide NU to a 14-11 win.
Taylor tied Scane's career points record in the final minutes, closing her college career with 483 points. Her 342 career goals rank second in program history. She is the first player in NCAA history to tally 450+ career points and 200+ career draw controls.
One of the nation's most consistent performers, Taylor started all 87 games NU has played since she arrived on campus ahead of the 2023 season. She scored at least one point in 68 consecutive games.
