Eagles Picked as ACC Favorites, Six Named Preseason All-ACC
February 06, 2024 | Lacrosse
GREENSBORO, N.C. - Boston College women's lacrosse was picked to win the ACC and six Eagles were named to the Preseason All-ACC Team on Tuesday, as the conference announced the preseason poll and all-preseason team.Â
The Eagles were picked to win the conference, tallying 98 points and eight of 10 first-place votes. Syracuse, North Carolina rounded out the top three, while the Orange received a first-place vote and Notre Dame, who was picked to finish fourth also received a vote. BC is coming off a 19-4 mark, a regular-season ACC title and its first ACC championship
Rachel Clark (attack), Belle Smith (midfield), Cassidy Weeks (midfield), Sydney Scales (defender), Mckenna Davis (attack - at-large) and Shea Dolce (goalie - at large), represented Boston College.Â
The six selections are the most in the conference.Â
Clark is in her first season with the Eagles after spending two at Virginia. The Devon, Pa. native was named a USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-American earlier this offseason. She was an ACC All-First Team selection after leading UVA with 63 goals and a personal-high 76 points.Â
Smith was the ACC's Midfielder of the Year in 2023 after finishing third on the team with 52 goals, second with a career-high 31 assists. A top-25 Tewaaraton finalist, Smith poured in 83 points, which was third on the squad, and recorded a personal-high 33 ground balls, 17 caused turnovers and 28 draw controls. She was the only player in the nation with at least 50 goals, 30 assists, 30 ground balls, 25 draw controls and 15 caused turnovers.
Weeks was a consensus second-team All-American in 2023 after totaling a personal-best 33 goals with nine assists for 42 points. She finished third on the team with 37 draw controls, leading to a First-Team All-ACC nod. Weeks was also named to the ACC All-Tournament Team.Â
Scales, the 2023 ACC Defender of the Year, was a First-Team All-American after tallying a career and team-high 37 caused turnovers. Her 41 ground balls also led the Eagles, while she was second in the ACC in caused turnovers and fourth in ground balls. Scales was the only player in the ACC with at least 40 ground balls and 35 caused turnovers. The Walpole, Mass. native was named a preseason USA Lacrosse All-American.Â
Davis turned in a stellar sophomore campaign, leading the team with 62 assists along with 26 goals for a career-high 88 points. She was second in the nation in assists and finished second all-time in a single season in helpers. Her 57-point jump from her freshman season was one of the top-10 scoring improvements last season. The New York native was a Second-Team All-American and was named to the All-ACC First Team.
Dolce is one of two sophomores to be named to the ACC All-Preseason Team. The Darien, Conn. native was 15-3 between the posts with 128 saves. She was the first freshman goalie since 2016 to start for BC. She was named an All-American Honorable Mention member and ACC Freshman of the Year. After helping BC to the ACC Title, she was named the ACC Tournament Most Valuable Player. Dolce led all freshmen in the nation with an 8.84 goals-against average, while she was second in the ACC and 10th in the nation. Her .457 save percentage also led all freshmen in the country, was fourth in the league and 29th overall.
