Richard Checo named to Tewaaraton Award watch list

If given a choice between receiving All-American honors or going on a Chipotle run with his best friends, Richard Checo, junior defenseman, wouldn’t hesitate. 

Despite earning a spot on the watch list for the 2025 Tewaaraton Award, the award for the most outstanding college lacrosse player, he said no accolade means more to him than spending time with his teammates.

Being in consideration for college lacrosse’s most prestigious award isn’t the first of his achievements as a Mountain Hawk. 

In 2023, he led the NCAA in caused turnovers per game, was named a Second Team All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine and shattered multiple school records. 

Checo said he’s honored to be recognized for his contributions on the field, and he credits his teammates and coaches for getting him to where he is now.

“It was really cool to be recognized for my individual success,” Checo said. “But at the end of the day, I wouldn’t be able to get my individual success or accolades without my teammates and Coach Scudder.” 

Checo grew up in Oakton, Virginia, where he was recognized as one of the best players in the nation when named a Nike All-American. When he graduated from St. John’s College High School, he was also rated as a four star recruit. 

Since he arrived at Lehigh, Checo said he’s grown as a player and, above all, as a person. He credits this growth to the support from coach Will Scudder’s “family-first” motto and his teammates.

Junior midfielder Peter Theodoropoulos said despite his talent, Checo is a selfless leader. 

“When he came in freshman year, he was obviously very talented, but over the last two years, he’s taken more of a leadership role instead of worrying about himself,” Theodoropoulos said. 

He also said Checo has the ability to command the entire defense and offer a sense of direction to game plans. 

Junior defenseman Luke McAuliffe has grown close to Checo throughout his years on the team, especially because the two are in the same class and play on the same side of the ball.

McAuliffe said Checo’s talent could make it easy for him to go off on his own agenda, but he prioritizes the team first and his innate talent second. 

Checo said he cherishes the pre-game rituals and traditions he shares with his teammates, sometimes even more than their performances on the field.

“Before every game, a couple of my teammates and I always go to Chipotle for dinner,” Checo said. “We sit down, talk about our days, our families, just hang out. Those moments are just as important as what happens on the field.”

Theodoropoulos said it’s Checo’s passion and effort that make him a dominant player on the field. 

Part of this effort is putting in the time to watch film and know a lot about every single player on the opposing team, which makes everyone on the field feel calm and prepared, Theodoropoulos said. 

McAuliffe said Checo’s best attribute is his competitiveness, which makes him the best version of himself. 

“He’s a happy and very outgoing kid, but behind all that, he definitely has an anger that he only brings out on the field,” McAuliffe said. 

Checo said now he’s focused on helping the team win another Patriot League Championship. 

After defeating Boston University to win the Patriot League Title last year, the team fell in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Johns Hopkins University. Theodoropoulos said he hopes to make it even further in the playoffs this year.

While the team is currently 2-5, including a victory of No. 18 Navy on March 7, Theodoropoulos said it was in a similar spot last year and still found success later in the season. 

Checo said he’s committed to leading his teammates the best he can by doing everything in his power to help them win. He said if accolades are part of that, he won’t be disappointed, but it’s not his main goal.

“I try not to focus on accolades too much, because all I care about at the end of the day is that we (will) be able to hold that championship cup, looking at my teammates to the left and right of me,” Checo said.