July 5, 2006

GREENSBORO, N.C. - The Atlantic Coast Conference released the 2006 All-ACC Academic Men's Lacrosse team announced today by Commissioner John D. Swofford. All four league schools competing in men's lacrosse are represented on the inaugural team with Duke, Maryland and Virginia each placing eight student-athletes on the team followed by North Carolina with six selections to the academic squad.

To be eligible for consideration, a student-athlete must have earned a 3.00 grade point average for the previous semester and maintained a 3.00 cumulative average during his academic career.

Virginia's Matt Ward, the 2006 Tewaaraton Trophy winner and a USILA Scholar All-American, was selected to the inaugural team. Ward led the league in goals per game (2.47) and points per game (3.94) and was second in assists per game (1.47) after leading the Cavaliers to their fourth NCAA championship and sixth national title in program history. The Cavaliers became the first team in NCAA history to finish with a 17-0 record and the 12th team in NCAA history to win the national championship with an undefeated record. In addition, Virginia All-American's making this year's academic team included Michael Culver, Matthew Poskay, Ben Rubeor and Drew Thompson.

Senior's Brendan Healy and David Tamberrino of Maryland were honored on the squad after leading the Terrapins to a berth in the semifinals of the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship. Both Healy and Tamberrino were named to the CoSIDA Academic District II All-America first team. Healy started all 17 games for the Terps tallying 21 goals and 11 assists. He ranked third on the team in shots with 100. Tamberrino led the league in face-off percentage won with a .587 success rate winning 145 of a total 247 face-offs. The senior finance and general business major played in 16 games for Maryland posting an assist and a team-leading 62 groundballs.

North Carolina's David Werry heads a group of six Tar Heels named to the All-ACC Academic Team. Werry, named a first-team CoSIDA Academic District III All-American, played in 13 games for the Tar Heels, starting in seven. The senior economics major posted a .482 (41-of-85) face-off percentage rate.

The 2006 All-ACC Academic Men's Lacrosse team is as follows: