Jim Veltman Award: 21U Rock Elite League MVP finalists

TRAC Athletics is proud to announce the finalists for this year’s 21U Rock Elite League Jim Veltman Award. First won by Will Sheehan (Yale University/Oakville Buzz) in 2022 and Liam Matthews last year (Penn State University/Orangeville Northmen), the Veltman Award recognizes the Junior-aged league’s Most Valuable Player.

The award is one of several year-end accolades named in honour of Toronto Rock legends who excelled in their position of play and represented the team with pride during their elite National Lacrosse League careers.

Last year, in addition to claiming the Veltman Award, Matthews also won the Colin Doyle Award (Scoring Champion), Blaine Manning Award (Goals Leader), and Dan Stroup Award (Postseason MVP) while capturing the 21U NLL Cup with Team Silver.

Below, see the twelve names nominated for the 2024 Jim Veltman Award, all ten 21U REL year-end awards, plus a recap of past award winners. This season’s winners will be announced on TRAC Athletics social media (Instagram, Twitter and Facebook) in the weeks following the conclusion of the 2024 playoffs.

The 21U REL Cup Final will be played on Monday, March 4 between Team Silver (11-5-0) and Team Carolina (10-6-0) starting at 8:30pm (ET) on the TRAC’s blue turf. While Silver goes into this year’s final with the slightly stronger overall record, it was Carolina that won their regular-season series, 3-1.

21U Rock Elite League Jim Veltman Award Finalists

Thomas Bagnall (Oakville), Team Carolina
Nolan Barker (London), Team Red
Marcelo Carreiro (Orangeville), Team White
Noah Cupples (Dundas), Team Blue
Ethan Fisher (Thorold), Team Red
Riley Ford (Milton), Team Carolina
Brayden Mitchell (Wallceburg), Team Black
Owen Rahn (East Garafraxa), Team White
Hunter Roy (Campbellville), Team Silver
Connor Waller (Brantford), Team Blue
Curtis Ward (Brampton), Team Black
Callum Witter (Halton Hills), Team Silver

A season so nice he’s been named MVP twice!!

Liam Matthews is the winner of this past season’s 21U Rock Elite League Jim Veltman Award (regular season MVP) & Dan Stroup Award (postseason MVP).

More on Matthews + all of our 2022-23 award recipients: https://t.co/iQdipDMb1E pic.twitter.com/WI9JUyFyOK

— TRAC Athletics (@TRACAthletics) March 23, 2023

21U Rock Elite League Awards

Most Valuable Player: Jim Veltman Award
Goalie Team of the Year: Bob Watson Award
Defensive Player of the Year: Pat Coyle Award
Transition Player of the Year: Steve Toll Award
Scoring Champion (Points Leader): Colin Doyle Award
Assists Leader: Josh Sanderson Award
Goals Leader: Blaine Manning Award
Heart & Hustle: Sandy Chapman Award*
Coaching Staff of the Year: Terry Sanderson Award
Post-Season MVP: Dan Stroup Award

*The Sandy Chapman Award will be presented to the player that best exemplified the same drive, determination, heart and hustle that Rock defensive legend Sandy Chapman played with during his entire NLL career.

The 21U Rock Elite League Jim Veltman Award is presented to the season’s Most Valuable Player.

The 2021/22 Veltman Award winner is Will Sheehan (@BuzzTheHive/@YaleLacrosse), whose offensive ability (37G, 23A), leadership, athleticism and creativity stood out all season long. pic.twitter.com/AkvLF7jLhs

— TRAC Athletics (@TRACAthletics) April 13, 2022

21U Rock Elite League Year-End Awards

Jim Veltman Award (MVP)

2022-23: Liam Matthews, Team Silver
2021-22: Will Sheehan, Team Kri

Bob Watson Award (Goalie Team of the Year)

2022-23: Oliver Vanyo & Kieran Datars, Team Red
2021-22: Kaleb Martin & Evan Constantopoulos, Team Kri

Pat Coyle Award (Defensive Player of the Year)

2022-23: Ethan Fisher, Team Red & Hayden Hiltz, Team Blue (tied)
2021-22: Ben Wittich, Team Kri

Steve Toll Award: (Transition Player of the Year)

2022-23: Thomas Bagnall, Team Carolina
2021-22: Isaac Wills, Team Jay

Sandy Chapman Award (Heart & Hustle)

2022-23: Kyle Sterritt, Team Carolina
2021-22: Ty Jesso, Team Kri & Chris Rathwell, Team Rogers (tied)

Colin Doyle Award (Scoring Champion)

2022-23: Liam Matthews, Team Silver
2021-22: Will MacLeod, Team Kri

Josh Sanderson Award (Assists Leader)

2022-23: Thomas Bagnall, Team Carolina
2021-22: Will MacLeod, Team Kri

Blaine Manning Award (Goals Leader)

2022-23: Liam Matthews, Team Silver
2021-22: Will MacLeod, Team Kri

Terry Sanderson Award (Coaching Staff of the Year)

2022-23: Challen Rogers & DJ Clevely, Team Red
2021-22: Adam Jay & Riley Hutchcraft, Team Jay

Dan Stroup Award (Postseason MVP)

2022-23: Liam Matthews, Team Silver
2021-22: Will MacLeod, Team Kri

Jim Veltman Award Finalists

2021-22

Thomas Bagnall, Team Carolina
Ryan Barker, Team Blue
Marcelo Carreiro, Team Silver
Noah Cupples, Team Black
Riley Ford, Team Carolina
Dylan Goddard, Team White
Jacob Janke, Team White
Ty Jesso, Team White
Cohen Jennings, Team Silver
Enrico Lombardo, Team Red
Nolan Marshall, Team Blue
Liam Matthews, Team Silver
Carter Moran, Team Black
Owen Orpana, Team White
Owen Rahn, Team Silver
Chris Rathwell, Team Red
Jameson Steele, Team Carolina
Oliver Vanyo, Team Red
Treyton Weinstein, Team Black
Walker Zabransky, Team Blue

2022-23

Sheldon Broughton, Team Manns
Elijah Edwards, Team Manns
Ty Jesso, Team Kri
Marcus, Keleher, Team Manns
Riley Knox, Team Rogers
Justin Lee, Team Jay
William MacLeod, Team Kri
Kaleb Martin, Team Kri
Connor Pearce, Team Jay
Chris Rathwell, Team Rogers
Ethan Stainton, Team Rogers
Will Sheehan, Team Manns
Jaden Simick, Team Jay
Kyle Sterritt, Team Jay
Aaron Toguri, Team Rogers
Oliver Vanyo, Team Rogers
Nicholas Volkov, Team Manns
Isaac Wills, Team Jay
Ben Wittich, Team Kri
Jake Wright, Team Kri

The 21U REL Cup was captured by Team Silver last night, the 2022-23 champs conquering Team Carolina 10-8 in the closely contested final.

More on their win, the REL’s record-setting season, plus the league’s upcoming year-end awards: https://t.co/XZl7A6asEa pic.twitter.com/UYb5PtVWX9

— TRAC Athletics (@TRACAthletics) March 9, 2023