Sports Media Report
The National Lacrosse League (@NLL), the largest and most successful professional lacrosse property in the world, today announced the first set of winners for its end of season awards with Teddy Jenner winning the Tom Borrelli Award for outstanding media member of the year and Las Vegas Desert Dogs CEO, Mark Fine, taking home the Executive of the Year Award. The remaining awards will be announced through the week leading into Game 1 of the NLL Finals between the reigning champion Colorado Mammoth and Buffalo Bandits beginning on Saturday, May 27 at 7:00pm ET.
Teddy Jenner wins his second Tom Borrelli Award, the other coming in 2016 as part of the IL Indoor team at Inside Lacrosse. Jenner, a former player and first round pick in the 2001 NLL Entry Draft, played in the NLL from 2002 to 2007 and quickly made the jump into broadcasting and analyst roles after his playing career. For the past two seasons, he has been the play-by-play call for the Game of the Week on TSN and co-hosts a podcast called Off the CrosseBar with Pat Gregoire, the 2022 winner of the Tom Borrelli Award.
- Teddy Jenner – TSN play-by-play and Off the CrosseBar Podcast – 254 points
- Adam Levi – Inside Lacrosse, NLLPA, and NLL.com contributing writer and Lacrosse Matrix Podcast – 249 points
- Pat Gregoire – TSN/Halifax Thunderbirds color commentator and Off the CrosseBar Podcast – 186 points
Las Vegas Desert Dogs CEO, Mark Fine, wins his first Executive of the Year Award for his work to bring the newest NLL franchise to Sin City. In their inaugural season, the Desert Dogs may have gone 5-13 on the floor but introduced the game to a market generally unfamiliar with lacrosse, attracting more than 2,000 season ticket members for their first season. The team averaged 5,960 fans per game at Michelob ULTRA Arena in their inaugural campaign, with a season high 7,914 on March 11.
As submitted by the franchise, the Las Vegas Desert Dogs explain some of the work Fine has taken on since founding the franchise. “He has spearheaded several community programs and directed the donation of equipment, gear, and goals to organizations throughout the city. His efforts have not only helped grow the sport but have also made a positive impact on the community. Additionally, Mark’s work to engage the AAPI and Native American communities have helped bring the game of lacrosse to a diverse group of individuals in Southern Nevada and beyond as the team held its first ever Lunar New Year Night and Indigenous Night at home games this season.”
- Mark Fine – CEO, Las Vegas Desert Dogs – 239 points*, 10 – 1st place votes
- Melissa Blades – Director of Business Operations, Calgary Roughnecks – 239 points*, 7 – 1st place votes
- Matt Hutchings – EVP, COO, Kroenke Sports and Entertainment, Colorado Mammoth – 237 points
- *Tiebreaker is number of first place votes
Each NLL team had the opportunity to nominate and vote for each of the awards with the exception of Teammate of the Year, as each NLLPA Player Representative nominated a player from their team for this honor that was voted on by the NLLPA and its 15 Player Representatives.
Once nominations were finalized, each NLL team casted three ballots for each award by three members of its organization. Select media were eligible to vote for all awards except Teammate of the Year and Executive of the Year with the same voting system.
Each ballot allowed voting members to select their top five choices for each award among all nominated persons. Points were distributed for each first through fifth place vote as follows:
- 1st Place – 10 points
- 2nd Place – 7 points
- 3rd Place – 5 points
- 4th Place – 3 points
- 5th Place – 1 point
The person that accumulates the most points is announced as the winner while the top three were named finalists.
Below are the all-time winners of the Tom Borrelli Award
- 2023 – Teddy Jenner, TSN, Off the CrosseBar Podcast
- 2022 – Pat Gregoire, Halifax Thunderbirds/TSN
- 2020 – Craig Rybczynski – Rochester Knighthawks
- 2019 – Tyson Geick, Lacrosse Flash
- 2018 – Stephen Stamp, Inside Lacrosse
- 2017 – Jake Elliott, TSN 1410, NLLTV, Stealth Classified
- 2016 – Teddy Jenner, Inside Lacrosse (IL Indoor)
- 2015 – Steve Ewen, The Province
- 2014 – Bob Chavez, Inside Lacrosse
- 2013 – Stephen Stamp, Inside Lacrosse
- 2012 – Jake Elliott, Minnesota Swarm
- 2011 – Budd Bailey, The Buffalo News
- 2010 – Paul Tutka, NLLInsider.com/Inside Lacrosse
- 2009 – Paul Tutka, NLLInsider.com/Inside Lacrosse
- 2008 – Paul Tutka, NLLInsider.com/Inside Lacrosse
- 2007 – Ty Pilson, Calgary Sun
- 2006 – Sal Maiorana, Rochester D&C
- 2005 – Mike Koreen, Toronto Sun
Below are the all-time winners of the Executive of the Year Award
- 2023 – Mark Fine, Las Vegas Desert Dogs
- 2022 – Jamie Dawick, Toronto Rock
- 2020 – John Catalano, Halifax Thunderbirds
- 2019 – Terri Giberson, Toronto Rock
- 2018 – Matt Hutchings, Colorado Mammoth
- 2017 – Amber Cox, New England Black Wolves
- 2016 – Lee Genier, Saskatchewan Rush
- 2015 – Bruce Urban, Edmonton Rush
- 2014 – John Bean, Calgary Roughnecks
- 2013 – Jamie Dawick, Toronto Rock
- 2012 – Andy Arlotta, Minnesota Swarm
- 2011 – Curt Styres, Rochester Knighthawks
- 2010 – David Takata, Washington Stealth
- 2009 – John Arlotta, Minnesota Swarm
- 2008 – Tom Garrity, Minnesota Swarm
- 2007 – Dave Zygaj, Buffalo Bandits
- 2006 – Angela Batinovich, Portland Lumberjax
- 2005 – Les Bartley, Toronto Rock
- 2004 – Steve Govett, Colorado Mammoth
- 2003 – Brad Banister, Calgary Roughnecks
- 2002 – Tom Mayenknecht, Vancouver Ravens
- 2001 – Russ Cline, Philadelphia Wings
For the latest scores and developments in the National Lacrosse League, please visit: NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.
