This year's Duke squad may be best known for its firepower on offense, but that doesn't mean the Blue Devils don't have talent on the other end of the field.
Defenseman JT Giles-Harris has won the William C. Schmeisser Award as the National Defensive Player of the Year, the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) announced Thursday. The New York native becomes the third Duke player to earn the award, following Tyler Hardy in 1996 and Nick O'Hara in 2008.
Giles-Harris, a fifth-year senior, has caused 18 turnovers this season including three against Loyola this past Sunday in the NCAA quarterfinals, tying Luke Duprey's Blue Devil career record in the process. He's also picked up 28 ground balls while starting all 16 of Duke's games so far this year.
Perhaps Giles-Harris' most notable game of the season came April 15 in Duke's win against then-No. 3 Virginia, when he picked up two ground balls, caused one turnover and even notched an assist en route to ACC Defensive Player of the Week honors. He also helped limit star Cavalier attackman Matt Moore to a mere two points, his third-lowest output on the year.
The Blue Devils take on Maryland, which boasts a superstar attackman in its own right in Jared Bernhardt, this Saturday at 2:30 p.m. in the NCAA semifinals.
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