CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Atlantic Coast Conference champion Boston College earned four honors to highlight the 2024 ACC Women’s Lacrosse Season Awards, which were announced Wednesday following a vote of the league’s 10 head coaches.
Three Boston College honorees captured their respective awards for the second straight year: Belle Smith (Midfielder of the Year), Sydney Scales (Defender of the Year) and Acacia Walker-Weinstein (Co-Coach of the Year). Walker-Weinstein shared the Coach of the Year award with first-year Virginia head coach Sonia LaMonica.
Notre Dame graduate Jackie Wolak was voted ACC Attacker of the Year, while Virginia midfielder Kate Galica was selected the league’s Freshman of the Year. After winning ACC Freshman of the Year laurels last season, BC’s Shea Dolce notched Goalie of the Year honors this season.
Wolak leads all ACC players in points (92) and points per game (5.11) this season while leading the ACC’s top-scoring offense. She has totaled 54 goals (fifth in the ACC) and 38 assists (tied for fourth in the ACC). Wolak is the second Notre Dame player to earn an ACC season award, joining Barbara Sullivan, who won back-to-back ACC Defensive Player of the Year honors in 2015 and 2016.
Smith has scored 37 goals and added 14 assists for 51 points this season in repeating as ACC Midfielder of the Year. She also has compiled 39 draw controls, 19 ground balls and 15 caused turnovers.
Scales has led the nation’s No. 2 scoring defense which has allowed just 7.8 goals per game this season. She ranks third in the league in caused turnovers per game at 2.13, with 32 caused turnovers in 15 games. Scales was named the Most Valuable Player at the 2024 ACC Championship, leading a defense that allowed just 20 goals in three games as BC earned its second straight ACC crown.
Also a key cog in the Eagles’ lockdown defense, Dolce boasts a league-best 8.17 goals against average this year, a total which ranks third nationally. Her save percentage of .462 ranks second in the league.
Galica owns 20 goals and four assists this season. She totaled a team-high 86 draw controls this year, which is a UVA freshman record. Her 4.78 draw controls per game ranks eighth among all ACC players. Galica also recorded 26 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers.
In her first season guiding the Cavaliers, LaMonica has led the Cavaliers to a 14-4 record, including a 6-3 ACC mark. The Cavaliers own six wins over top-20 teams, including ACC triumphs over top-10 foes Boston College and Notre Dame as well as a top-10 non-conference win over James Madison.
Named ACC Coach of the Year for the third time (2018, 2023), Walker-Weinstein guided Boston College to its second straight ACC Championship. The Eagles own a 16-3 record this season and are ranked No. 2 in the NCAA RPI and No. 2 nationally in the IL Women/IWLCA poll.
The 29-team field for the NCAA Tournament will be announced on Sunday, May 5, at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU. The championship gets underway with 13 games at host sites on May 10.
2024 ACC Season Awards
Attacker of the Year: Jackie Wolak, Gr., Notre Dame
Midfielder of the Year: Belle Smith, Sr., Boston College
Defender of the Year: Sydney Scales, Sr., Boston College
Goalkeeper of the Year: Shea Dolce, So., Boston College
Freshman of the Year: Kate Galica, M, Virginia
Co-Coach of the Year: Sonia LaMonica, Virginia; Acacia Walker-Weinstein, Boston College