STANFORD, Calif. — In what has been a career-defining season to date, Stanford lacrosse defender Kate Bellissimo has been tabbed to the 2026 Tewaaraton Award Watch List following the second round of additions announced by the Tewaaraton Foundation on Thursday. Bellissimo joins fellow teammates Mallory Hasselbeck, Ava Arceri and Aliya Polisky for the award that honors the top men’s and women’s lacrosse players in the country.
Bellissimo has had a stellar season through 10 games, amassing career-high’s in ground balls (31) and caused turnovers (21), both of which lead the Cardinal. The fifth-year has earned four or more caused turnovers in three games this season including a program-record eight caused turnovers in the win over then-No. 22/24 Duke on March 8, shattering the previous record of five that was set by Emily Ropdriguez in 2000 and had been tied 14 times to date. Bellissimo’s seven ground balls against Duke was a career-high and was the ninth-most in a game all-time in program history. Bellissimo currently ranks just outside the top-10 in caused turnovers in program history with 54 in her career.
Having been tabbed to the 2025 ACC All-Tournament Team last season and earning her first weekly conference award this season as the ACC Defensive Player of the Week in early March, Bellissimo earns her first national honor in her collegiate career with the nod. She also becomes the fourth Cardinal to be named to the list as Stanford has earned four Tewaaraton Award Watch List honors for the second-consecutive year while tying the program record for most honorees in a single-season.