Notre Dame men’s lacrosse star Pat Kavanagh wins Tewaaraton Award
As Thursday wound down, most believed a Notre Dame men’s lacrosse player would win the Tewaaraton Award, known as lacrosse’s Heisman Trophy, for the first time in program history. It was just a matter of who.
When the results came in, the greatest offensive player in Irish history beat out the greatest defensive player in Irish history. Graduate student attackman Pat Kavanagh won the 2024 Tewaaraton Award as the top player in men’s college lacrosse.
Kavanagh was one of five finalists for the honor, alongside his teammate, graduate student Irish goalie Liam Entenmann. Yale senior attackman Matt Brandau, Duke senior attackman Brennan O’Neal and Virginia graduate student attackman Connor Shellenberger were also up for the award.
This was Kavanagh’s third time as a Tewaaraton finalist, following outstanding seasons in 2021 and 2023.
Throughout the 2024 season, Kavanagh was the catalyst for a dominant Notre Dame team that steamrolled its way to a second-straight national championship. He finished with 80 points — second on the team to his brother, Chris Kavanagh, with 81 — including an NCAA Tournament program-record 6 assists in a 15-5 title game win over Maryland.
“[Pat] became one of the best players in the world, just through hard work, dedication and perseverance,” Chris Kavanagh said after the game. “I’m proud of him. My best friend for life, and we did it.”
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Pat Kavanagh finished his Notre Dame career with 300 points, most in program history. His masterpiece was the national championship game, setting up his teammates from behind the net with impeccable timing for lightning-quick goals. Much of the time, he was setting up his brother, who tied his own NCAA Tournament program record with 5 goals throughout the afternoon.
“That whole family, the competitive drive that they have is really unique,” Notre Dame head coach Kevin Corrigan said. “And it’s not just on game days. It’s competitive drive to get better. So they’re working on their skills. They’re working on all the things that you need to do to be a great player.
“It’s the competitive drive that knowing that in a game like this you’re not going to be able to do it by yourself so you better bring everybody along with you and they do that on an everyday basis.”
Pat Kavanagh was drafted sixth overall by the Boston Cannons of the Premier Lacrosse League, where he’ll play with his older brother, Notre Dame alum Matt Kavanagh. He’ll make his debut at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday when the Cannons take on the New York Atlas in Albany, N.Y.
