Tom Borrelli Award Explained

The Tom Borrelli Award is presented by the National Lacrosse League to the league's "Media Person of the Year". The award was originally awarded to the Writer of the Year, but "was changed to Media Person of the Year in 2011 to allow for a wider range of media members to be considered for the award, including broadcasters."^[1]

The award is named for Tom Borrelli (1957–2008), a writer for The Buffalo News who covered the Buffalo Bandits from the team's inception in 1992 to his death in 2008.^[2] He was inducted into the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame in 2007.

The award was created at the end of the 2005 season and, surprisingly, Borrelli was never a recipient. However, Tom Borrelli was the first sportswriter inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame.

In 2009, The Buffalo News began awarding a lacrosse scholarship and trophy named for Tom Borrelli to the top high school lacrosse player in Western New York.^[3] The inaugural Tom Borrelli Memorial Award winner was Jeff Tundo of Orchard Park,^[4] who played collegiately at Ohio State and Stony Brook.

Past winners

Season	Winner	Media Outlet	Win #	Other finalists
2024	Adam Levi^[5]	Inside Lacrosse, NLLPA, and NLL.com, "Lacrosse Matrix" podcast	1	Teddy Jenner, TSN, "Off the CrosseBar" podcast^[6] Graeme Perrow, NLL Chatter
2023	Teddy Jenner^[7]	TSN	2	Pat Gregoire, Halifax Thunderbirds^[8] Adam Levi, Inside Lacrosse, NLLPA, and NLL.com
2022	Pat Gregoire^[9]	Halifax Thunderbirds	1	Jake Elliott, Vancouver Warriors^[10] Tyson Geick, Halifax Thunderbirds / Lacrosse Flash
2021	Season cancelled
2020	Craig Rybczynski^[11]	Rochester Knighthawks	1	Jake Elliott Teddy Jenner
2019	Tyson Geick	Lacrosse Flash	1	Bob Chavez Barstool Jordie
2018	Stephen Stamp	ILIndoor.com	2	Jake Elliott Teddy Jenner
2017	Jake Elliott^[12]	TSN 1410, Vancouver	2
2016	Teddy Jenner^[13]	ILIndoor.com	1
2015	Steve Ewen^[14]	The Province	1
2014	Bob Chavez	ILIndoor.com	1
2013	Stephen Stamp^[15]	ILIndoor.com	1
2012	Jake Elliott	Minnesota Swarm	1
2011	Budd Bailey^[16]	The Buffalo News	1
2010	Paul Tutka ^[17]	NLLInsider.com	3
2009	Paul Tutka ^[18]	NLLInsider.com	2
2008	Paul Tutka ^[19]	NLLInsider.com	1
2007	Ty Pilson ^[20]	Calgary Sun	1
2006	Sal Maiorana ^[21]	Rochester Democrat and Chronicle	1
2005	Mike Koreen ^[22]	Toronto Sun	1

Notes and References

1. Web site: Jake Elliott wins Tom Borrelli Award, presented to NLL Media Person of the Year. NLL.com. June 6, 2012. October 16, 2012.
2. Web site: Buffalo Sportswriter Dies After Press Box Fall. Deadspin. November 20, 2008. August 30, 2019.
3. Web site: Borrelli Award to go to lax’s best. BuffaloNews.com. April 28, 2009. 2009-07-21.
4. Web site: Tundo earns inaugural Borrelli Award. BuffaloNews.com. July 18, 2009. 2009-07-21.
5. Web site: HALIFAX'S JOHN CATALANO SELECTED NLL EXECUTIVE OF THE YEAR AS NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE ANNOUNCED FIRST 2023-2024 AWARDS. NLL.com. May 13, 2024. May 13, 2024.
6. Web site: NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR 2023-24 NLL AWARDS. NLL.com. May 8, 2024. May 9, 2024.
7. Web site: TSN's Teddy Jenner wins second Tom Borrelli Award; Las Vegas CEO Mark Fine takes home Executive of the Year in inaugural season. NLL.com. May 23, 2023. May 23, 2023.
8. Web site: NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR 2022-23 NLL AWARDS. NLL.com. May 16, 2023. May 23, 2023.
9. Web site: TRACEY KELUSKY, STEVE DIETRICH, JAMIE DAWICK, PAT GREGOIRE, LYLE & JEREMY THOMPSON NAB HONORS AS NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE OPENS AWARD ANNOUNCEMENTS. NLL.com. June 28, 2022. June 28, 2022.
10. Web site: NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FINALISTS FOR 2021-22 END OF SEASON AWARDS. NLL.com. June 22, 2022. June 28, 2022.
11. Web site: NLL announces 2019-20 NLL award winners. NLL.com. June 30, 2020. July 5, 2020.
12. Web site: 2017 NLL season award winners. NLL.com. July 2, 2017. July 4, 2017.
13. Web site: Teddy Jenner named 2016 NLL Media Person of the Year. NLL.com. July 11, 2016. July 18, 2016.
14. Web site: Steve Ewen wins Tom Borelli Award. NLL.com. July 6, 2015. January 9, 2016.
15. Web site: Stamp wins Tom Borrelli Award as 2013 NLL Media Person of the Year . NLL.com . May 29, 2013 . May 29, 2013 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20140202103052/http://www.nll.com/news_article/show/259692-stamp-wins-tom-borrelli-award-as-2013-nll-media-person-of-the-year . February 2, 2014 .
16. Web site: Hall, Bailey Win First Two Awards of 2011. NLL.com. 2011-05-03. 2011-05-03.
17. Web site: Stealth's Takata Named Executive of the Year. NLL.com. May 10, 2010. 2010-05-11.
18. Web site: Dawson Wins Sportsmanship Award. NLL.com. May 5, 2009. 2009-05-06.
19. Web site: Tom Garrity Named Executive of the Year . NLL.com . May 6, 2008 . 2008-05-06 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20080510184928/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3469 . 2008-05-10 .
20. Web site: Dave Zygaj Named NLL Executive of the Year. NLL.com. May 7, 2007. 2007-05-07.
21. Web site: Batinovich Named Executive of the Year. NLL.com. May 8, 2006. 2008-05-06.
22. Web site: Gait Wins Sportsmanship Award. NLL.com. May 2, 2005. 2008-05-06.