ITHACA, N.Y. – After a decorated career for the Big Red, Cornell men's lacrosse's Jeff Teat '21 picked up right where he left off in his first taste of professional action, being named the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) Rookie of the Year, as was announced Friday night at the PLL End of Season Awards Ceremony.

With the honor, Teat becomes just the second Cornell men's lacrosse alumnus to earn either Major League Lacrosse (MLL) or PLL Rookie of the Year distinction, joining Rob Pannell '13, who won the MLL's Rookie of the Year Award in 2013. To date, just five Ivy League men's lacrosse athletes have won the award, including Princeton's Ryan Boyle in 2004, Yale's Matt Gibson in 2012, and Brown's Jack Kelly in 2016, who all won MLL Rookie of the Year in their respective seasons.

In his first season in the PLL as a member of the Atlas LC, Teat's impact was immediate, as he finished the season with 32 points on 16 goals and 16 assists in just seven games. His 32 points was tied for second in the league, while his 16 assists was tied for third with none other than Pannell. His 16 goals also ranked among the top-10 in the league, sitting tied for eighth. For his outstanding efforts, Teat was selected to the 2021 PLL All-Star game as a reserve.

Teat helped the Atlas to a 6-3 regular season record, tied for first in the league with the Waterdogs. The Atlas, who earned the No. 2 seed, defeated the Cannons, 13-9 in the quarterfinal round of the PLL Playoffs before falling in the semifinals to the Chaos, 15-9. Teat registered a team-high three goals and an assist in the Atlas' quarterfinal victory over the Cannons, adding two goals and an assist against the Chaos.

Teat will also be making his National Lacrosse League (NLL) debut in the upcoming 2021-22 season. He was the No. 1 overall selection by the New York Riptide in the 2020 NLL Entry Draft.