CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – Coming off the program’s second straight national championship, Notre Dame has been voted as the favorite to win the 2025 Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Lacrosse Championship. The preseason order of finish and All-ACC Team were determined by a vote of the league’s five head coaches.
The Fighting Irish went unbeaten in ACC play last season and won the 2024 ACC Championship. Notre Dame totaled 25 points in the preseason poll and was followed by Syracuse with 20 and Virginia with 12. Duke was fourth in the preseason poll with 10 points, while North Carolina was fifth with eight points.
All five ACC teams are ranked among the top 20 in the Inside Lacrosse Preseason Media Poll, with Notre Dame at No. 1, Syracuse at No. 2, Virginia at No. 6, Duke at No. 7 and North Carolina at No. 16.
The Preseason All-ACC Team features seven players who earned 2024 USILA All-America honors, including a pair of first-teamers: midfielder Andrew McAdorey of Duke and short-stick midfielder Ben Ramsey of Notre Dame. Notre Dame’s Shawn Lyght (defenseman) and Will Donovan (long-stick midfielder) were USILA Second-Team All-Americans last season, while Syracuse’s Joey Spallina (attackman) and Billy Dwan (defenseman) and Virginia’s Griffin Schutz (midfielder) were third-team honorees.
Notre Dame attackman Chris Kavanagh also was named to the preseason team. Kavanagh was named the Most Outstanding Player at the 2024 NCAA Men’s Lacrosse Championship.
The Preseason All-ACC Team boasts nine players in total who earned 2024 All-ACC honors, including North Carolina attackman Owen Duffy, who was the 2024 ACC Freshman of the Year.
The 2025 ACC men’s lacrosse schedule begins Saturday, February 1, with Duke playing host to Bellarmine and Syracuse entertaining Jacksonville. North Carolina and Virginia open their seasons on Saturday, February 8, as the Tar Heels welcome Michigan, while the Cavaliers play host to Colgate. Notre Dame starts its season on Wednesday, February 12 at home against Cleveland State.
Conference play begins on Saturday, March 29. The 2025 ACC Men’s Lacrosse Championship will be played May 2 and 4 at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina.
2025 Predicted Order of Finish
1. Notre Dame, 25
2. Syracuse, 20
3. Virginia, 12
4. Duke, 10
5. North Carolina, 8
Preseason All-ACC Team
Attack*
Chris Kavanagh, Sr., Notre Dame
Owen Duffy, So., North Carolina
Joey Spallina, Jr., Syracuse
Owen Hiltz, Sr., Syracuse
Midfield
Andrew McAdorey, Sr., Duke
Benn Johnston, So., Duke
Griffin Schutz, Sr., Virginia
Defense*
Shawn Lyght, So., Notre Dame
Billy Dwan, Jr., Syracuse
John Schroter, Jr., Virginia
Peter Thomann, So., North Carolina
Goalie: Patrick Jamieson, So., Duke
SSDM: Ben Ramsey, Sr., Notre Dame
LSM: Will Donovan, Jr., Notre Dame
FO: Will Lynch, Sr., Notre Dame
*Includes one extra player due to tie in voting