April 26, 2018
By Robby Hamman
NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Five members of the University of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team received All-Atlantic Coast Conference Team accolades on Thursday, as announced by the league office.
Senior long-stick midfielder John Sexton, graduate student short-stick defensive midfielder Carlson Milikin, junior short-stick defensive midfielder Drew Schantz, junior attackman Brendan Gleason and sophomore midfielder Bryan Costabile earned the recognition.
The Irish five honorees tied for the most of any institution, as Duke also had five represenatives on the team. With five selections, Notre Dame also ties the program record for most recipients in a season, as the 2016 squad also placed five members on the All-ACC Team.
Thursday’s honor mark the third straight season Sexton earned all-league distinction. The honors were voted on by the five coaches in the league.
Sexton (Sudbury, Massachusetts) is a menace on the defensive end for the Irish, forcing a team-high 13 turnovers on the season. The senior not only is great at creating havoc but also securing possession and attacking in transition. Sexton is third in the ACC in ground balls per game (3.90), trailing only face-off specialists. The LSM also is a threat in the attack, scoring three goals and adding an assist.
Milikin (Richmond, Virginia) has made a major impact in his only season on the field for Notre Dame. The graduate student plays with a tenacity that gives the Irish an edge. The short-stick defensive midfielder has played in every game for Notre Dame this season, causing six turnovers and collecting five ground balls. The senior has not recorded a single turnover through 10 games this season.
Schantz (Allentown, Pennsylvania) has been impressive in his role as short-stick defensive midfielder during his junior campaign. The short-stick defensive midfielder has drawn tough assignments all season, locking down some of the top attackmen in the country. The junior has scored a goal, picked up five ground balls and caused three turnovers in 10 games this season.
Despite missing three games to an injury, Gleason (Essex, Vermont) has been one of Notre Dame’s best attackmen this season. The junior ranks third on the team in points with 21. Gleason has scored 12 goals and is tied for the team lead in assists with nine. The Irish are 5-0 in games when Gleason has scored a goal this season.
Costabile (Sykesville, Maryland) has powered the attack from the midfield during the 2018 campaign, scoring a team-high 21 goals in 10 games of action. The 21 goals are a career high, besting last season’s total of 17. Costabile has excelled in finding pockets of space and finishing from range. The sophomore has scored at least one goal in nine of the 10 games he has suited up for this season.
With five selections to the 2018 All-ACC Team, Notre Dame now has 19 honorees over the four years of ACC competition. Sexton joins former standouts Sergio Perkovic joins and Matt Kavanagh as the only Notre Dame players to earn All-ACC recognition three times in their career.
Notre Dame will look to win its second ACC Championship crown in five years beginning at 6 p.m. ET Friday, April 27 when the Irish face Duke in Charlottesville, Virginia, in the first semifinal game of the tournament. ESPNU will broadcast the entire ACC Championship and all three contests also will be available on the WatchESPN app.
— ND —
The University of Notre Dame men’s lacrosse team pursues excellence on and off the field through the three pillars in which the program is built: Character, Culture & Community. These three foundational values guide the promise of the program, which is to provide its student-athletes with the most compelling and enriching experience in all of college athletics. Through academics, competition, service and travel, the program aims to immerse its players in situations that enhance their student-athlete experience to help them become the people, students and teammates they aspire to be.
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