St. John's University Athletics
Brian Kelly Added to 2025 Tewaaraton Award Watch List
3/27/2025 1:00:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
Kelly becomes the first St. John’s lacrosse player in 11 years to be named to the watch list; presented to the nation’s top player
WASHINGTON, D.C. – St. John's lacrosse senior Brian Kelly has been added to the 2025 Tewaaraton Award Watch List, the foundation announced on Thursday afternoon.
Founded in 2001, the Tewaaraton Award annually honors the top men's and women's college lacrosse players in the United States. The selection committee is comprised of top collegiate coaches and is appointed annually by the Tewaaraton Foundation.
Kelly is one of 68 top players from across NCAA Division I lacrosse to be named to the list. The field will be cut down to 25 on April 17 before the eventual winner is announced live on May 29 at the Tewaaraton Ceremony in the nation's capital.
"Brian is extremely deserving of this recognition and to be mentioned in the same conversation as the best players around the country," said St. John's Head Coach Justin Turri. "His development has gone hand-in-hand with the development of our offense, specifically the leadership and maturity he's shown in his play this season."
With his addition on Thursday, Kelly becomes the first St. John's player since Kieran McCardle to be placed on the award's watch list. The program's all-time leading point-scorer was one of 25 finalists in 2013 and 2014.
The Red Hook, N.Y., native has led the Red Storm offensively through 10 games this season, tallying a team-high 25 goals and 20 assists, eclipsing the 40-point mark for the fourth season in a row. The second-year team captain needs just four points over the team's last five games to set a new career-best mark.
Kelly sits atop the BIG EAST and is 17th in the nation, averaging 4.5 points per game, and ranks second in the conference and 19th in the country with 2.0 assists per contest.
The BIG EAST's leading scorer got off to a hot start to his senior campaign, delivering a six-point effort in the win over NJIT on Feb. 8, his first of four consecutive five-plus point performances to begin this season. The team captain has recorded 16 points over his last two contests, including a career-high nine in the 20-16 win over Mercer on March 15.
The 2024 First-Team All-BIG EAST selection is up to 181 points in his career, the third-most in program history. Additionally, he ranks fifth all-time in goals, scoring 106 over his time in Queens, cracking the century mark during the victory over Mercer.
After being named to the Preseason All-BIG EAST team, Kelly, has twice been named the conference's player of the week and earned a pair of the league's honor roll nods.
"This honor is a product of the work Brian has put in," Turri continued. "He will only continue to get better with this offensive group as we enter BIG EAST play."
Kelly and the Johnnies will look to win their third straight when they travel to Milwaukee to open BIG EAST play against Marquette on Saturday. Faceoff from Valley Fields is set for 12 p.m. E.T.
