March 5, 2010

EASTON, Pa. - Lafayette men's lacrosse junior Tom Perini (Huntington, N.Y./St. Anthony's) has been named to the 2010 Preseason Tewaaraton Watch List, an award that ultimately recognizes the nation's Player of the Year at season's end.

Three games into the young season, Perini leads the Leopard attack with 13 goals and one assist. The Huntington, N.Y. native is coming off his best performance of the year, a seven goal effort in Lafayette's 14-9 win over Penn Wednesday night.

More importantly, Perini has helped the Leopards currently stand at 3-0, their best start since 1979. Earlier this week, the team was rewarded with for its early season success by climbing into the USILA poll at No. 20.

Perini led the nation in goals per game last season, averaging three goals in the Leopards' 13 contests. In November, he was also named to the Inside Lacrosse Preseason All-America list.

The Tewaaraton Award was formally established in August of 2000 and is the pre-eminent lacrosse award, which is given annually to the NCAA men's and women's lacrosse player of the year. Tradition dictates that each year the Tewaaraton Award celebrates one of the six tribal nations of the Iroquois Confederacy: the Mohawk, Cayuga, Oneida, Onondaga, Seneca, and the Tuscarora. This will be the 10th annual awards ceremony and is the "Year of the Seneca".

Lafayette hosts Wagner (0-2) on Saturday afternoon. Face-off is set at 1 p.m. at Rappolt Field.