Men's Lacrosse | 4/12/2018 4:21:00 PM

MOON TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- The No. 19 Robert Morris men's lacrosse team already has one of the top goalkeepers in its conference, and now that player is officially on notice for the top collegiate lacrosse honor in the country.

Alex Heger has made the second round of additions to the 2018 Tewaaraton Award Men's Watch List, announced Thursday. The Tewaaraton Award, established in 2001, annually honors the top male and female college lacrosse player in the United States. The selection committees are comprised of premier college coaches and are appointed annually by the Tewaaraton Foundation.

Of the eight male additions to the list, the 5'10", 175-pound junior and former Carmel (Indiana) High School standout is the only keeper to make the cut.

"Alex is, without question, one of the top goaltenders in the country. His ball stopping ability is as good as I have seen, and he further separates himself with how quickly he can turn saves into offense," said head coach Andrew McMinn.

Heger has picked up right where he left off with a 2017 campaign that saw him make First Team All-Northeast Conference while co-leading the nation in average saves per game. This year, he already has been named NEC Defensive Player of the Week twice in a three-week span, Mar. 12 and 26, following two of his signature performances this season.

On Mar. 10, in a 12-2 triumph at No. 19/18 Marquette, Heger helped the Colonials tie a team record for fewest goals allowed in a single game to an active Division I member that had not been touched in over a decade (last: 10-2 at Wagner, Feb. 24, 2008). He did so while posting a personal-best .857 save percentage.

Two weeks later, Heger made 19 saves, one shy of equaling his single-game high at RMU, in a 15-5 drubbing of conference rival Mount St. Mary's, in which he blanked the Mountaineers for the final 27:01 of regulation.

No. 19 Robert Morris hosts Cleveland State Saturday at 7:00 p.m. EDT, with Heger coming off an 11-save effort in an 11-9 win at Canisius Tuesday night.

Currently, he ranks tenth in Division I with 11.64 saves per game. His 8.23 goals-against average is good for ninth in D-I, and with a .587 save percentage that ranks fifth, he is one of three NEC goalies among the NCAA top-five in that category.

Prior to the announcement, he was already on pace for one of the best seasons of any player at his position in team history. His GAA and save percentage are on target to be the best of any full-time starter in a single season at RMU, and with three regular-season games remaining, he needs only two more wins in goal to set a new single-year program record.

Heger joins Tom Kennedy of Bryant and Max Tuttle of Sacred Heart as the third NEC representative on the Tewaaraton Watch List.

Founded at the University Club of Washington, D.C., the Tewaaraton Award is recognized as the preeminent lacrosse award. Endorsed by the Mohawk Nation Council of Elders and U.S. Lacrosse, the Tewaaraton Award symbolizes lacrosse's centuries-old roots in Native American heritage.

On April 26, the field for the 2018 Tewaaraton Award will be narrowed to 25 men's and 25 women's nominees. Nominees can be players on the watch lists or players not on the watch lists, effectively allowing for a third round of additions.

This year's initial watch list, announced on March 1, recognized the top 50 men's and 50 women's candidates for the Tewaaraton Award. On March 22, 18 players were named to the first round of watch list additions.

Five men's and five women's finalists will be announced on May 10 and invited to The 18th annual Tewaaraton Award Ceremony in Washington, D.C., on May 31.

Fans can visit tewaaraton.com for more information.

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