Longtime Buffalo Bandits play-by-play announcer John Gurtler has been named the recipient of the Tom Borrelli Award for Media Person of the Year as part of the National Lacrosse League's 2024-25 season honors.

Gurtler has been the voice of Bandits since 2004 and has called more than 400 consecutive games.

The award is named in honor of Tom Borrelli, a beloved journalist who covered the Bandits for The Buffalo News until his passing in 2008.

Scott Loffler was also nominated for Executive of the Year, but lost out to Jason Thorne, Vice President of Business Operations for the Vancouver Warriors.

A number of Buffalo Bandits players are also up for NLL season-end awards, including forward Dhane Smith (Most Valuable Player and Offensive Player of the Year), goaltender Matt Vinc (Goaltender of the Year) and Kyle Buchanan (Sportsmanship Award).

The Bandits will face the Saskatchewan Rush in the 2025 NLL Finals, set to begin on Friday, May 16 at KeyBank Center.