Providence, R.I. – Brown junior midfielder Todd Stewart (Toronto, Canada) has been recognized with The Yeardley Reynolds Love Unsung Hero Award, created in memory of late Virginia midfielder Yeardley Reynolds Love to be presented to the men’s and women’s lacrosse players who best “demonstrate dedication, integrity, humility, hard work, community service, leadership, kindness and sportsmanship.” The One Love Foundation made the announcement Saturday evening, with Notre Dame’s Katherine McManus also being honored with the award.
Stewart and McManus were honored as student-athletes who make significant contribution to the team in ways that may not be measured in goals, saves or ground balls. Hard-working, humble, honest, kind, and enthusiastic, these individuals serve as an inspiration to their teams both on the field and off, have exhibited leadership as positive role models and also be involved in community service.
The One Love Foundation, in honor of Yeardley Reynolds Love, and US Lacrosse, the national governing body of men’s and women’s lacrosse, work together for an alliance to promote positive, healthy and violence-free relationships and a safe sport culture, while increasing awareness of relationship violence and providing educational resources and messaging for the lacrosse community.
A history concentrator with a 3.5 GPA focusing on the rise of republics and their aftermaths, Stewart created a fundraiser to benefit Wounded Warriors Canada, has been deeply entrenched in the Rhode Island Community in a variety of altruistic endeavors, and is an active member with a recent team initiative concerning sexual violence on college campuses.
“Todd has that rare perspective to understand the viewpoints of others, truly comprehending what they see and feel,” said Brown head coach Lars Tiffany. “He relishes the opportunity to help others, whether they are family, teammates or unknown folks who face misfortune. With all that is on the plate of a student-athlete, especially one who must work throughout the school year, I am amazed at how much more Todd attacks.”
An inspiration to his teammates, Stewart leads an on-going relationship the Brown Men’s Lacrosse program has with a local at-risk Elementary School, Fox Point. He has spent many days organizing the rest of the team with attending events at the school and spending time in Mrs. DeMello’s 3rd-grade classroom, reading and interacting with the schoolchildren. Todd has enough on his plate, yet he continues to do more. Last year, he organized the freshmen with a warm coat drive, rounding up winter jackets and sweaters to donate to a local shelter in Pawtucket, RI.
“Todd does the dirty work, not afraid to pick up real ground balls as a tenacious long-stick midfielder or the proverbial ground balls that life throws at us,” continued Tiffany. “Someone has to pick those up and Todd is always willing.”
The One Love Foundation was established in 2010 in honor of former University of Virginia lacrosse player Yeardley Reynolds Love. The vision of the Foundation is to educate people to recognize the warning signs of relationship violence and to motivate them to step up and take action. The Foundation is popularly known as One Love, with “One” representing the uniform number that Yeardley wore throughout her high school and college career.
