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."
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. 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. The inaugural Tom Borrelli Memorial Award winner was Jeff Tundo of Orchard Park, who played collegiately at Ohio State and Stony Brook.
Past winners Season Winner Media Outlet Win # Other finalists 2026 Graeme Perrow NLLStats.com 1 Ashley Docking, TSNMaki Jenner, Halifax Thunderbirds, TSN, "Box Out" podcast 2025 John Gurtler Buffalo Bandits 1 Maki Jenner, Halifax Thunderbirds, TSN, "Box Out" podcastTeddy Jenner, TSN, "Off the CrosseBar" podcast 2024 Adam Levi Inside Lacrosse, NLLPA, and NLL.com, "Lacrosse Matrix" podcast 1 Teddy Jenner, TSN, "Off the CrosseBar" podcastGraeme Perrow, NLL Chatter 2023 Teddy Jenner TSN 2 Pat Gregoire, Halifax ThunderbirdsAdam Levi, Inside Lacrosse, NLLPA, and NLL.com 2022 Pat Gregoire Halifax Thunderbirds 1 Jake Elliott, Vancouver WarriorsTyson Geick, Halifax Thunderbirds / Lacrosse Flash 2021 Season cancelled 2020 Craig Rybczynski Rochester Knighthawks 1 Jake ElliottTeddy Jenner 2019 Tyson Geick Lacrosse Flash 1 Bob ChavezBarstool Jordie 2018 Stephen Stamp ILIndoor.com 2 Jake ElliottTeddy Jenner 2017 Jake Elliott TSN 1410, Vancouver 2 2016 Teddy Jenner ILIndoor.com 1 2015 Steve Ewen The Province 1 2014 Bob Chavez ILIndoor.com 1 2013 Stephen Stamp ILIndoor.com 1 2012 Jake Elliott Minnesota Swarm 1 2011 Budd Bailey The Buffalo News 1 2010 Paul Tutka NLLInsider.com 3 2009 Paul Tutka NLLInsider.com 2 2008 Paul Tutka NLLInsider.com 1 2007 Ty Pilson Calgary Sun 1 2006 Sal Maiorana Rochester Democrat and Chronicle 1 2005 Mike Koreen Toronto Sun 1
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