The Tewaaraton Legend

The Tewaaraton Foundation is pleased to announce the 2022 Tewaaraton Legends honorees are former University of Maryland star Kelly Amonte Hiller and former Johns Hopkins University defenseman Dave Pietramala. 

The Tewaaraton Legends Award annually honors recipients who played college lacrosse prior to 2001, the first year in which the Tewaaraton Award was presented. Originally announced as Tewaaraton Legends in January 2020, this will be the first in-person Tewaaraton Award Ceremony at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian since 2019, so Amonte Hiller and Pietramala will receive their awards in Washington, D.C., on June 2.

“Kelly is one of the greatest women’s players of all-time and Dave is widely regarded as the best defensive player of all-time, so we’re incredibly proud to be able to honor these legends on the same night,” said Andy Phillips, President of the Tewaaraton Foundation. “Both have had an incredible impact on the game, and were revolutionary players on the field.”

While at Maryland, Amonte Hiller was a four-time All-American in lacrosse, ending her career as the school’s all-time record holder for goals (187), assists (132) and points (319), with 70 more points than second place at the time. A two-time NCAA champion (starting Maryland’s streak of seven straight titles), Amonte Hiller also earned All-America accolades in soccer for the Terrapins and was named the ACC Female Athlete of the Year in 1996 for all sports. 

Amonte Hiller’s National Lacrosse Hall of Fame playing legacy extends to the national program as well. She was a member of Team USA for more than a decade, including the U.S. Women’s Elite Team beginning in 1997, and won IFWLA World Cup titles with the Elite Team in 1997 and 2001. Her last appearance in the World Cup in 2005 saw her garner All-World Team recognition in Annapolis, Md., where the U.S. finished second to Australia.

Additional accolades include the ACC’s 50th Anniversary Lacrosse Team (2002), NCAA Division I 25th Anniversary Lacrosse Team (2006), and a ranking of 21st by Sports Illustrated on its list of Massachusetts’ Greatest Sports Figures of the 20th Century (2000). 

As the Combe Family Head Coach at Northwestern University, Amonte Hiller led the Wildcats to a remarkable seven women’s lacrosse national championships in her first 10 seasons, reaching the national semifinals 10 years in a row from 2005 to 2014 and tying an NCAA record with eight straight title game appearances. Under Amonte Hiller’s leadership, Northwestern had a record of 327-86 (.792) heading into the 2022 postseason, and has won 10 American Lacrosse Conference championships and two of the last three Big Ten titles. The Wildcats have gone 48-11 (.814) in the NCAA Tournament – including two straight Final Fours (2019 and 2021) – making Amonte Hiller the winningest coach in NCAA Tournament history.

“Kelly was such a remarkable player for me at the University of Maryland,” said Navy head coach Cindy Timchal, who won eight national titles as the head coach at Maryland and is the NCAA’s all-time leader in career wins for DI women’s lacrosse. “Because of her, the team was able to win national championships and start a string of success at Maryland that has not been matched. She is truly a legend and it is so amazing that she is being recognized this year as a Tewaaraton Legend. I am so happy for her.”

Pietramala was a three-time first-team All-American during his career at Johns Hopkins. He led the Blue Jays to the 1987 NCAA Championship and an appearance in the 1989 NCAA Championship Game. He was the recipient of the William C. Schmeisser Award as the nation’s outstanding defenseman in 1988 and 1989 and earned the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award as the nation’s most outstanding player in 1989 as well.

In addition, he was one of 10 Johns Hopkins players named to the NCAA Silver Anniversary Team in 1995 and was selected to the All-Time Johns Hopkins Team at the end of his career.  Pietramala also played in the club ranks with Mt. Washington and professionally in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League. He was inducted into the Johns Hopkins Athletic Hall of Fame in 2001 and the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2004.

Pietramala was named to Lacrosse Magazine’s All-Century Team, and he was the Most Outstanding Player at the 1990 World Championships in Australia for Team USA, also earning All-World honors in 1994 when he helped lead the U.S. to another gold medal. 

The only person in men’s lacrosse history to have won a national championship as both a player and coach, and to be named both national Player of the Year and Coach of the Year, the current Syracuse University assistant coach spent 20 seasons as the head coach at Johns Hopkins, leading the Jays to two NCAA titles and seven final fours. He left JHU as the program’s all-time winningest coach (207-93). 

“Dave Pietramala was a millennial talent at the defensive position,” said University of Denver head coach Bill Tierney, a seven-time NCAA champion who began his DI coaching career at Johns Hopkins. “His impact on Johns Hopkins lacrosse, the U.S. Team, and the game of lacrosse in general, transcends time. He was athletic, fast, confident in his abilities, and a surgeon with his stick. Having the honor of recruiting and coaching him was one of the true highlights of my career. More importantly, his passion for the game, love of his players, and loyalty to our friendship are extremely meaningful to me.”

Tewaaraton Legend recipients are chosen on the basis that their collegiate performance would have earned them a Tewaaraton Trophy, had the award existed when they played.

Previous Winners

2019 Karen Borbee, University of Delaware
2019 Tom Sears, University of North Carolina
2018 Amanda Moore O’Leary, Temple University
2018 Larry Quinn, Johns Hopkins University
2017 Cherie Greer Brown, University of Virginia
2017 Peter Cramblet, United States Military Academy
2016 Candace Finn Rocha, Penn State University
2016 Frank Urso, University of Maryland
2015 Brad Kotz, Syracuse University
2014 Jimmy Lewis, United States Naval Academy
2013 Joe Cowan, Johns Hopkins University
2012 Eamon McEneaney, Cornell University
2011 Jim Brown, Syracuse University