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Colorado's 2023 NLL Entry Draft Selection Matt Brandau Named Tewaaraton Finalist

May 22, 2024 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Colorado Mammoth News Release


DENVER - With the Tewaaraton Foundation officially announcing the 2024 class of Tewaaraton Award finalists, Mammoth fans have a reason to celebrate, as one of the organization's selections from the 2023 NLL Entry Draft, Matt Brandau, is amongst the five men in consideration for the annual honors.

"We are incredibly proud of these talented student-athletes," Tewaaraton Foundation President Andy Phillips said of this year's class. "They've given us memorable performances and have distinguished themselves as the best in college lacrosse. It's with great excitement that we look forward to hosting them at the Tewaaraton Ceremony on May 30."

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 USA Lacrosse, the Tewaaraton Award symbolizes lacrosse's centuries-old roots in Native American Heritage.

Without a doubt, this is the top honor in collegiate ball, if not all of the lacrosse world.

The now three-time All-American (including First Team honors for both USA Lacrosse and Inside Lacrosse) blazed his way to glory once again in 2024, turning in the second-most points (106) by any athlete in Yale University history and the sixth-most amongst Ivy League history overall.

Logging a squad-high 44 goals and 57 assists while ranking among the nation's most consistently productive players (via his insane 6.73 points per-game), the Timonium, Maryland native rounded out his career by breaking the all-time Yale University scoring record. Ending his NCAA career with a school-best 360 points (198g, 162a), he finds himself as one of four attack men set to attend the season-ending award ceremony later this month.

Originally drafted by Colorado in the fourth round (67th overall) of the 2023 NLL Entry Draft, the 5-11, 185-lb talent is eligible to sign a contract with the Mammoth, and is anticipated to do so here in the next month or so.

Recently selected in the first round (7th overall) of this month's 2024 PLL Draft by the Philadelphia Waterdogs, he'll have a chance to sharpen his game this summer during his first taste of pro ball. It doesn't hurt his odds of transitioning to the box game by any means, especially considering he'll have the opportunity to compete against Mammoth goaltender Dillon Ward during this summer's PLL Training Camp and practice sessions, as Colorado's All-World netminder will also dress for the purple and black squad in 2024,

Brandau is joined by fellow standout NCAA talents in Liam Entenmann, Notre Dame (Goaltender), Pat Kavanagh, Notre Dame (Attack), Brennan O'Neill (Attack) and Connor Shellenberger (Attack) for this year's award considerations.

This year's Tewaaraton recipients (both women's and men's) will be chosen following the conclusion of the 2024 college lacrosse season by selection committees comprised of top-tier college coaches who are appointed annually by the Tewaaraton Foundation. Each of this season's Finalists will be honored before the Foundation announces this year's recipients at the Tewaaraton Ceremony, set to be hosted at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. on May 30.

Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media to see if Brandau brings home the honors, as well as additional updates on members from the organization's 2023 NLL Entry Draft officially signing their NLL contracts, Colorado Mammoth Summer Camp and beyond!

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