Returning for a 15th year, the Terrier Twelve recognizes the top 12 achievements of Boston University teams and student-athletes from the previous year. Check back each Tuesday and Friday this summer as we count down this year's Terrier Twelve on GoTerriers.com.

Coming in at number six in this year's Terrier 12 is the men's lacrosse team, which repeated as Patriot League regular-season champions.

Celebrating their 10th season as a varsity program, the Terriers won the title on the final night of the regular season, as they completed a second-half comeback in West Point to defeat No. 9 Army, 12-11, and finish ahead of the Black Knights in the conference standings. In front of a national television audience, senior Thomas Niedringhaus broke an 11-11 tie with 2:51 remaining in regulation with a fantastic individual effort. He took advantage of his matchup and drove to the crease to score his second goal of the game and third game-winner of the season. Senior Patrick Morrison delivered the biggest defensive play of the game to set up that game-winning possession, as he forced a turnover and collected the ensuing ground ball, allowing BU to clear and call timeout. Following Niedringhaus' heroics, graduate student Matt Garber made a terrific stop on an Army man-up chance to keep the Terriers ahead by one. The Black Knights had one final possession in the waning seconds, but BU held on for the victory.

Several Terriers earned individual accolades in 2023, highlighted by senior LSM Roy Meyer becoming the program's first two-time First Team All-American. Senior Vince D'Alto also earned All-America honors for a second straight season, with both standouts joining Morrison and senior Louis Perfetto as First Team All-Patriot League honorees. Niedringhaus, graduate student Timmy Ley and junior Tommy Bourque also received All-Patriot League recognition while D'Alto, Garber Meyer, Morrison and graduate student Jett Dziama were selected to the All-New England Team.

Not only did the Terriers shine on the field in 2023 but they once again excelled in the classroom. A program-record six student-athletes - Dziama, D'Alto, Meyer, Niedringhaus, Perfetto and senior Conor Calderone - were named USILA Scholar All-Americans. Additionally, 13 Terriers were named to the NEILA All-Academic Team. Meyer, who along with Ley was an Academic All-Patriot League selection, also added CSC Academic All-District honors to his resumé. 

Ley closed his illustrious career as the program's all-time leading point producer with 215 points on 152 goals and 63 assists. He became the first Terrier to reach 200 points with his second of two goals at Yale on April 5. D'Alto joined Ley in the 200-point club with an assist during the Terriers' win at Army and is second all-time with 206 points (126g, 80a). Perfetto is currently fifth all-time in points and is second all-time with 98 assists. The heralded attack trio of D'Alto, Ley and Perfetto combined for a staggering 327 goals, 235 assists and 562 points during their four years together.

Meyer also vaulted himself to the top of the BU record book, becoming the first Terrier to notch 100 caused turnovers. He currently has 118 caused turnovers, 26 clear of the next closest Terrier. Meyer is also fourth all-time and second among non-faceoff specialists in program history with 183 ground balls. Calderone is not far behind Meyer, having totaled 173 ground balls in just two seasons at BU. 

BU was among the nation's best in several categories this season. For the second straight year, the Terriers led the NCAA in caused turnovers per game, averaging 12.07 takeaways. The Terriers also boasted the top man-up unit in the country, scoring on 58.3% of their EMOs in 2023. BU was also second in assists per game (9.0), second in opponent clear percentage (.788) and seventh in ground balls per game (36.07). The Terriers led the Patriot League in all those categories as well as goals per game (13.79) and points per game (22.79).

BU was also well-represented on the world stage, as Donnie Howard helped lead Australia to a fourth-place finish at the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship. Howard, who was Australia's top short-stick defensive midfielder, scored two goals, recorded four caused turnovers and gathered five ground balls during the tournament.

2022-23 Terrier Twelve
#7 - Track & Field and Cross Country Raise the Standard, Break School Records
#8 – Men's Tennis Reaches New Heights
#9 – Women's and Lightweight Rowing Excel in Spring Campaigns
#10 – Chen Wins PL Women's Golf Title, Sweeps Major Awards
#11 – Men's Soccer Rides Nine Shutouts to Pair of Major PL Awards
#12 – Swimming & Diving Wins Four PL Titles, Sets School Records