Weekly Release (PDF)

GREENSBORO, N.C. (theACC.com) – The 69th season of ACC men's lacrosse begins this weekend with Duke and Virginia in action.

Ranked third in the preseason polls, Duke takes the field at 5 p.m. Friday, playing host to Robert Morris in a game that will be televised by ACC Network. The Blue Devils also will entertain Vermont at 1 p.m. Sunday. Two-time reigning national champion Virginia opens its season at 1 p.m. Saturday at home versus Air Force. The Cavaliers are ranked No. 1 nationally in the preseason polls.

North Carolina opens its season on Feb. 11. Led by first-year head coach and lacrosse Hall of Famer Gary Gait, Syracuse starts its season on Feb. 12, while Notre Dame begins its campaign on Feb. 19.

Upcoming Schedule

Robert Morris at No. 3 Duke | 5 p.m. | ACCN

Saturday, Feb. 5

Air Force at No. 1 Virginia | 1 p.m. | ACCNX

Sunday, Feb. 6

No. rv/17 Vermont at No. 3 Duke | 1 p.m. | ACCNX

Friday, Feb. 11

Manhattan at Duke | 3 p.m. | ACCN

Richmond at North Carolina | 5 p.m. | ACCN

Saturday, Feb. 12

Holy Cross at Syracuse | 12:30 p.m. | ACCN

Sunday, Feb. 13

Colgate at North Carolina | 11 a.m. | ACCNX

Jacksonville at Duke | 1 p.m. | ACCNX

High Point at Virginia | 3 p.m. | ACCNX

All Times Eastern

Rankings: USILA/Inside Lacrosse

Schedule as of Feb. 3

Noting ACC Men's Lacrosse

• The 68th season of ACC men's lacrosse begins this weekend with Duke and Virginia in action.

• Two-time reigning national champion Virginia was named the ACC favorite in the Preseason ACC Coaches Poll. Duke, ND, UNC and Syracuse were 2-5, respectively.

• All five ACC programs are ranked among the top 15 in the preseason USILA and Inside Lacrosse polls, the most of any league. Virginia tops both polls.

• The ACC leads all leagues with 25 players, including four first-teamers, on the preseason Inside Lacrosse All-America Team. All five programs are represented. 

• ACC players swept the three first-team attackman spots with Chris Gray (North Carolina), Pat Kavanagh (Notre Dame) and Connor Shellenberger (Virginia). UNC short-stick defenseman Connor Maher also was named to the first team. 

• Gray is the USA Lacrosse Magazine Division I Men’s Preseason Player of the Year.

• The ACC returns two of the five Tewaaraton finalists from last season: Gray and ND's Pat Kavanagh.

• Twelve of the 19 All-ACC honorees from last season are back for 2022. Gray (Offensive Player of Year) and Duke's Brennan O'Neill (Freshman of Year) are among the returnees.

• Syracuse All-American and lacrosse Hall of Famer Gary Gait takes over the Orange program this season after a 14-year stint as the SU women's lacrosse head coach. He won three straight NCAA titles (1988-90) as an SU player.

• UNC has the nation's top-rated incoming freshman class this season. Of IL's Power 100 Incoming Freshman Rankings, ACC teams have 30 honorees, including 14 five-star players. Virginia's Griffin Schutz is the No. 1 overall player in the freshman class.

• Virginia won its seventh NCAA championship last year, including its second straight. Current ACC membership collectively owns 25 NCAA championships, including nine of the last 13 and 14 titles since 2000. 

• UVA joined North Carolina (1981-82) and Duke (2013-14) as ACC programs to win consecutive national championships. Prior to joining the ACC, Syracuse won three straight titles from 1988-90 and back-to-back crowns in 2008-09.

• All five ACC teams earned at-large bids to the 2021 NCAA Championship, including four seeds: North Carolina (1), Duke (2), Virginia (4) and Notre Dame (6). Syracuse also earned a tournament bid.

• 14 ACC players were selected in the 2021 PLL Draft on April 25. Notre Dame led all ACC programs with four selections. Each ACC team had at least two picks.

• In the USILA's 2021 All-America honors, ACC players earned eight of the 15 First-Team spots and 39 overall. Both totals were most of any league.