GREENSBORO, N.C. – In its first year as a member of lacrosse’s most powerful conference, Syracuse has been picked to win the ACC in a vote by the league’s six head coaches, the conference announced Wednesday, Dec. 11.
Led by five-time NCAA champion head coach John Desko, the Orange received 28 points in the balloting to edge defending national champion Duke and North Carolina, who tied for second with 27 points apiece. Virginia (16 points) was picked fourth. Notre Dame (15 points) and Maryland (13 points) finished fifth and sixth, respectively, in the voting.
Syracuse is coming off a 16-4 season in which it won the BIG EAST Championship and advanced to the NCAA title game for the 17th time in school history. The Orange brings back three of its top five scorers from last season, includingKevin Rice (Skaneateles, N.Y.) who was second on the team with 55 points (23 goals, 32 assists). SU also returns a pair of preseason All-America defenders in Sean Young (Oakville, Ontario, Canada) and Matt Harris (Buffalo Grove, Ill.), as well as starting goaltender Dominic Lamolinara (Arnold, Md.).
All six ACC teams are ranked in the top nine in Inside Lacrosse’s Face-Off Yearbook Top 20 poll, which was released earlier this week. Duke leads the way at No. 1 followed by No. 2 Syracuse, No. 3 North Carolina, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 6 Maryland and No. 9 Virginia.
ACC Men’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Syracuse (28)
T2. Duke (27)
T2. North Carolina (27)
4. Virginia (16)
5. Notre Dame (15)
6. Maryland (13)
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