Matt Moore Named ACC Freshman of the Year

May 2, 2018

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.– Virginia men’s lacrosse midfielder Matt Moore has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference’s Freshman of the Year, an honor voted on by the league’s five head coaches. He is the 13th Cavalier to be named the ACC’s top freshman. This is the second year in a row UVA has had the league’s freshman of the year. Last year Michael Kraus took home the honor.

Moore (Fr., Garnet Valley, Pa.) has 17 goals and 14 assists for 31 points. His 31 points rank No. 2 all-time among UVA freshmen midfielders, trailing only current teammate Dox Aitken who set the standard with 40 points last year. Moore’s 17 goals are tied for No. 4 all-time with Richie Werner (1972) among UVA freshmen midfielders. His 31 points rank No. 2 in the nation among the nation’s freshmen midfielders. He was just named to the All-ACC Tournament team over the weekend after scoring four goals and dishing out four assists during the 2018 ACC Championship.

Moore is only the second UVA midfielder to win the award and the first since Jason Hard in 1997. With Kraus winning the award in 2017, this is the third time UVA freshmen have won the award in back-to-back years. Tim Whiteley (1993) and Michael Watson (1994) were the first pair to do so, followed by Tillman Johnson (2001) and Joe Yevoli (2002).

The ACC also announced that Duke’s Justin Guterding was the ACC Offensive Player of the Year and Notre Dame’s John Sexton was the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Syracuse’s John Desk was named the ACC Coach of the Year.