University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: UNC Athletic Communications
Gray, Johnson, Maher Named Preseason All-ACC
January 28, 2020 | Men's Lacrosse
GREENSBORO, N.C. –– Three Tar Heels have been named to the 2020 Atlantic Coast Conference's Preseason All-ACC Team, announced by the league Tuesday. Junior attackman Chris Gray, sophomore goalkeeper Caton Johnson and sophomore defensive midfielder Connor Maher were voted onto the 15-member team by the head coaches of the five ACC programs.
Gray, a native of Wading River, N.Y., racked up a number of honors during his two years at Boston University. Twice on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List and a 2019 Tewaaraton nominee, Gray was named first-team freshman All-America in 2018 by Inside Lacrosse media and was moved up from honorable mention overall to first-team in 2019. As a USILA All-American, he was honorable mention as a freshman and second team as a sophomore. Gray earned first-team All-Patriot League honors both seasons and was also named to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team both years.
Johnson, a native of Lancaster, Pa., tied Syracuse senior goalkeeper Drake Porter in votes to earn a spot on the preseason conference team. The 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year played in nine games and started six, making a team-high 81 saves. In a late-season win over Duke, Johnson made the most saves (21) in a game by a North Carolina men's lacrosse true freshman goalkeeper in school history.
Maher, a native of Timonium, Md., appeared in 13 games as a freshman in 2019 and totaled 32 ground balls, the team's fourth-most of the season and the second-most by a freshman. Maher also had the team's fourth-most caused turnovers with nine, the most by a freshman.
Gray and Johnson were also named Preseason Media All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse earlier this month.
North Carolina and Notre Dame each had three representatives while Virginia, the defending national champions, and Syracuse led the ACC preseason selections with four. Duke is represented by senior defenseman JT Giles-Harris.
North Carolina ranks No. 11 in the Nike/USL Preseason Coaches Poll while Virginia stands at No. 2, Duke at No. 5, Notre Dame at No. 6 and Syracuse at No. 7.
The 2020 men's lacrosse season gets underway on Saturday, February 1. The ACC Men's Lacrosse Championship will return to the four-team format and will be hosted by the highest seeded team April 24-26. The semifinals are set for Friday, April 24, and the championship for Sunday, April 26.
2020 ACC Men's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Virginia – 21
2. Notre Dame – 18
3. Syracuse – 15
4. Duke – 11
5. North Carolina – 10
2020 Preseason All-ACC Team
Attack – Chris Gray, Jr., North Carolina
Attack – Michael Kraus, Sr. Virginia
Attack – Matt Moore, Jr., Virginia
Midfield – Dox Aitken, Sr., Virginia
Midfield – Bryan Costabile, Sr., Notre Dame
Midfield – Brendan Curry, Jr., Syracuse
Defense – JT Giles-Harris, Sr., Duke
Defense – Nick Mellen, Sr., Syracuse
Defense – Jack Kielty, Sr., Notre Dame
Goalkeeper – Drake Porter, Sr., Syracuse
Goalkeeper – Caton Johnson, So., North Carolina
Face-Off – Charlie Leonard, Sr., Notre Dame
Long-Stick Midfielder – Jared Conners, Sr., Virginia
Short-Stick Midfielder – Peter Dearth, Sr., Syracuse
Short-Stick Midfielder – Connor Maher, So., North Carolina
Gray, a native of Wading River, N.Y., racked up a number of honors during his two years at Boston University. Twice on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List and a 2019 Tewaaraton nominee, Gray was named first-team freshman All-America in 2018 by Inside Lacrosse media and was moved up from honorable mention overall to first-team in 2019. As a USILA All-American, he was honorable mention as a freshman and second team as a sophomore. Gray earned first-team All-Patriot League honors both seasons and was also named to the Patriot League All-Tournament Team both years.
Johnson, a native of Lancaster, Pa., tied Syracuse senior goalkeeper Drake Porter in votes to earn a spot on the preseason conference team. The 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year played in nine games and started six, making a team-high 81 saves. In a late-season win over Duke, Johnson made the most saves (21) in a game by a North Carolina men's lacrosse true freshman goalkeeper in school history.
Maher, a native of Timonium, Md., appeared in 13 games as a freshman in 2019 and totaled 32 ground balls, the team's fourth-most of the season and the second-most by a freshman. Maher also had the team's fourth-most caused turnovers with nine, the most by a freshman.
Gray and Johnson were also named Preseason Media All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse earlier this month.
North Carolina and Notre Dame each had three representatives while Virginia, the defending national champions, and Syracuse led the ACC preseason selections with four. Duke is represented by senior defenseman JT Giles-Harris.
North Carolina ranks No. 11 in the Nike/USL Preseason Coaches Poll while Virginia stands at No. 2, Duke at No. 5, Notre Dame at No. 6 and Syracuse at No. 7.
The 2020 men's lacrosse season gets underway on Saturday, February 1. The ACC Men's Lacrosse Championship will return to the four-team format and will be hosted by the highest seeded team April 24-26. The semifinals are set for Friday, April 24, and the championship for Sunday, April 26.
2020 ACC Men's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
1. Virginia – 21
2. Notre Dame – 18
3. Syracuse – 15
4. Duke – 11
5. North Carolina – 10
2020 Preseason All-ACC Team
Attack – Chris Gray, Jr., North Carolina
Attack – Michael Kraus, Sr. Virginia
Attack – Matt Moore, Jr., Virginia
Midfield – Dox Aitken, Sr., Virginia
Midfield – Bryan Costabile, Sr., Notre Dame
Midfield – Brendan Curry, Jr., Syracuse
Defense – JT Giles-Harris, Sr., Duke
Defense – Nick Mellen, Sr., Syracuse
Defense – Jack Kielty, Sr., Notre Dame
Goalkeeper – Drake Porter, Sr., Syracuse
Goalkeeper – Caton Johnson, So., North Carolina
Face-Off – Charlie Leonard, Sr., Notre Dame
Long-Stick Midfielder – Jared Conners, Sr., Virginia
Short-Stick Midfielder – Peter Dearth, Sr., Syracuse
Short-Stick Midfielder – Connor Maher, So., North Carolina
Players Mentioned
Attackman
/ Men's Lacrosse
Goalkeeper
/ Men's Lacrosse
Midfielder
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