Cavaliers Place Three on the USILA All-America Team
May 24, 2018
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. — Virginia men’s lacrosse players Dox Aitken, Scott Hooper and Michael Kraus were named to the 2018 USILA All-America team, as announced by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. Aitken was named to the first team, Kraus to the second team and Hooper was named an honorable mention All-American.
Aitken’s first-team honors are a first for the Cavaliers since 2012 when Steele Stanwick and Colin Briggs each earned first-team All-America accolades. Aitken is the first sophomore at UVA to earn first-team All-America honors since fellow midfielder Shamel Bratton in 2009.
The All-America honors are the second career nods for both Aitken and Kraus. The sophomore duo received honorable mention All-America honors from the USILA in 2017. The All-America nod for Hooper is the first in his UVA career.
Aitken (So., Villanova, Pa.) set the UVA midfielder single-season record with 51 points and is the 12th UVA midfielder all-time to reach 30 goals for a season, finishing No 2 all-time among UVA midfielders in a season with 39 goals. The 2018 season saw Aitken reach his 50th career goal, coming in his 25th career game, making him the fastest UVA midfielder to the 50-goal plateau. Aitken reached 50 career goals in five fewer games than Pete Eldredge did (30 games).
Hooper (Sr., Wakefield, R.I.) was one of UVA’s two captains in 2018 and was an anchor on the UVA close defense, causing 26 turnovers, while picking up 39 ground balls. Hooper each week matched up with the opponent’s top attackman. He concludes his career with 91 caused turnovers and 116 ground balls. Hooper also added one assist on the season.
Kraus (So., New Canaan, Conn.) led UVA with 44 goals, 39 assists and 83 points, becoming only the third Cavalier in program history to tally 80 points in a season. His 83 points rank No. 2 all-time at UVA on the single-season ledger, three behind record holder Doug Knight (86, 1996). Kraus finished the season one assist shy of becoming the first player in program history to accumulate at least 40 goals and 40 assists in the same season.