Clockwise From top left - Duke University Athletics

Consistency.
It’s the mark of true excellence in any
endeavor. However, in today’s intercollegiate
athletics, competition has become so balanced
and so competitive that it is virtually impossible
to maintain a high level of consistency.
Yet the Atlantic Coast Conference has
defied the odds. Now in its 55th year of competition,
the ACC has long enjoyed the reputation
as one of the strongest and most competitive
intercollegiate conferences in the nation. And
that is not mere conjecture, the numbers
support it. Since the league’s inception in
1953, ACC schools have captured 106 national
championships, including 56 in women’s
competition and 50 in men’s.
Last year, Duke earned the ACC
Tournament’s top seed by going unbeaten
in regular season play. The Blue Devils
then captured the league tournament title
with a 12-9 win over Virginia in the
championship tilt, and Matt Danowski
was named the event’s Most Valuable
Player. Danowski was joined on the alltournament
squad by teammates Casey
Carroll, Bo Carrington, Zack Greer and
Dan Loftus.
Danowski also was named the
ACC Player of the Year while John
Danowski garnered ACC Coach of the
Year accolades.
In 2002, the league announced its
50th Anniversary Teams in all sports,
with five Blue Devils being named to
the men’s lacrosse list. Tabbed to the
team were: Stephen Card (1997-00),
Kevin Cassese (2000-03), Jim Gonnella
(1994-97), Tyler Hardy (1994-97) and Matt
Ogelsby (1992-95).