For the 12th straight year, GoTerriers.com will once again count down the top 12 achievements of Boston University teams and student-athletes from the previous year. Check back each Tuesday and Friday as we reveal this year's Terrier Twelve.

Coming in at No. 8 in this year's Terrier 12 is the men's lacrosse team setting multiple individual records en route to a third straight appearance in the Patriot League semifinals. Senior James Burr and All-American Chris Gray had record-setting seasons, as Gray recorded a program-record 111 points thanks to 49 goals and a program-best 62 assists. Burr finished fifth in the nation with a Terrier-record 56 goals and graduated as the team's all-time leader in goals (153) and points (194). Burr and Gray joined seniors Quintin Germain and Brendan Homire as First Team All-Patriot League honorees, marking the first time that four Terriers earned first team all-league accolades.

The Terriers finished the year 11-6, highlighted by an impressive 18-11 home win over No. 2 Loyola Maryland, the program's first-ever top-five win. The starting attack trio of Burr, Gray and freshman Timmy Ley combined for 14 goals and 23 points in the contest to pace a Terrier offense that outscored the Greyhounds, 9-2, in the second half. Even more impressive was the performance of Germain on the defensive end. He joined 2017 graduate Dominick Calisto as one of only three defenders to hold 2019 Tewaaraton Award winner Pat Spencer to just one point, an assist, during Spencer's career.

The week before that historic victory over Loyola, BU also earned its first-ever triumph at No. 16 Army West Point. Freshman Jake Cates was electric in the comeback win that saw the Terriers erase an 8-4 halftime deficit. Cates notched four of his career-high six points, including three goals, in the fourth quarter, which was punctuated by his highlight-reel game-winning goal.

After posting a 5-2 non-conference record, BU finished third in the conference standings to earn a home game against Bucknell in the Patriot League quarterfinals. The Terriers dispatched the Bison, 14-8, before suffering a hard-fought 10-9 loss to Lehigh in the semifinals.

In addition to the All-Patriot League honors, five Terriers (Burr, Germain, Gray, Homire, junior Chase Levesque) were selected as New England Division I All-Stars. Head coach Ryan Polley was also recognized as the New England Division I Coach of the Year for the second time in three years. Under Polley's guidance in 2019, the Terriers boasted a top-12 scoring defense and a top-20 scoring offense in the country. BU finished the year ranked first in the NCAA in caused turnovers per game (11.71), fifth in the nation in ground balls per game (38.06) and fifth among schools that played full Division I schedules in opponents' clearing percentage (.748).

The Terriers will return several key contributors in 2020, including senior goalkeeper Joe McSorley. The two-time Academic All-Patriot League selection finished 12th in the nation with a .549 save percentage in 2019. He kicked off the year with a 24-save performance in an 8-7 win at Providence in the season opener. The dynamic LSM duo of Levesque and Reece Eddy will also be back for their senior seasons. Levesque set career highs in both ground balls (65) and caused turnovers (31) while Eddy gathered a career-best 71 ground balls and set a new program record with 34 caused turnovers in his first season at BU. Additionally, freshman Will Carson (35 GB, 18 CT) and junior Nicholas Ellerton (28 GB, 14 CT) shined in their first years as starters on close defense.

On offense, the Terriers will look to four sophomores in 2020 to build upon their strong debut campaigns. Ley set a program record for goals by a rookie with 34 while Cates (15g, 8a), Matt Hilburn (7g, 4a) and Jett Dziama (8g, 2a) all reached double digits in points in their first year at BU.
 

2018-19 Terrier Twelve

#9: Athletics Raises $1.36 Million on Another Record-Breaking Giving Day
#10: Women's Lacrosse's Conry Logs Historic Season
#11: Basketball and COM Partnership Reaches New Heights
#12: Women's Tennis Claims Two Major Awards, Helps Sheehan Reach Milestone