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Nyack Native and Duke Junior JT Giles-Harris Named ACC Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year

Published

7 years ago

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Photo by Duke Athletics

NYACK — Duke University junior defenseman JT Giles-Harris has been selected as the 2019 ACC Men’s Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year in a vote of the league’s five head coaches.

The Nyack native has been a three-year starter for Duke and has started 52 of the 53 games. The last 15 games he has played alongside fellow defenseman Cade Van Raaphorst shutting down the opponents’ top scorers. Giles-Harris lead the Blue Devils in caused turnovers and ranked third among non-faceoff specialists in ground balls. His 24 caused turnovers in 15 games are two more than he had in 20 games last season, leading the ACC and are fifth among Blue Devils since it became an official NCAA statistic in 2010. He owns a career-best 32 ground balls this year.

Duke currently has the nation’s fourth-ranked defense with a 9.07 goals against average.

Before Duke, JT was a four-year starter at Saint Joseph Regional High School (NJ) . He amassed 511 ground balls as a defenseman during his career, with 21 goals and 49 assists.

While at St. Jospeh’s, he was a four-time all-league first team pick, named to USA Today All-American squad as a senior, first team all-county and All-North Jersey honors as a sophomore, junior and senior, and first team all-state in 2015 and 2016.

He selected as a 2016 Under Armour All-American pick.

Duke (12-4) the No. 2 seed travel to Hempstead, N.Y. to take on the No. 7 seed Notre Dame.

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Pearl River’s Drew Fortescue Scores First NHL Point, Earns Third Star in Rangers Debut

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3 weeks ago

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March 29, 2026

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Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Pearl River native Drew Fortescue made a memorable debut with the New York Rangers, recording his first NHL point and earning third star honors in his first game with the team.

Fortescue, a defenseman and Rockland County native, contributed to the Rangers’ performance by notching an assist, marking his first official point at the NHL level. His strong showing on both ends of the ice helped him stand out in his debut, ultimately being named the game’s third star.

A product of Pearl River, Fortescue’s journey to the NHL has been closely followed by the local community. Known for his steady defensive play and hockey IQ, he developed through the junior and collegiate ranks before earning his opportunity at the professional level.

Earning a point in his first NHL appearance is a significant milestone for any player, and being recognized as one of the game’s top performers makes the moment even more notable.

Fortescue’s debut represents not only a personal achievement, but also a proud moment for Pearl River and Rockland County, as another local athlete reaches the NHL stage.

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Rangers Add Pearl River Native Drew Fortescue on Entry-Level Deal

Published

4 weeks ago

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March 22, 2026

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The New York Rangers have agreed to terms with defenseman Drew Fortescue on a three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced. The deal was confirmed by Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury.

Fortescue, 20, recently completed his season with the Boston College Eagles men’s ice hockey, where he recorded four goals and 10 assists for a career-high 14 points in 36 games. Among Boston College defensemen, he ranked second in goals and third in assists and total points.

A native of Pearl River, New York, Fortescue appeared in 112 games over three seasons with Boston College, totaling 33 points (8 goals, 25 assists). During the 2024–25 season, he set a career high with 11 assists and posted a plus-28 rating, which was tied for seventh among all NCAA skaters and ranked second on the team.

On the international stage, Fortescue represented Team USA at the IIHF World Junior Championship in both 2024 and 2025. The 6-foot-2, 195-pound defenseman also competed for the U.S. National U18 team in 2023 and the U17 team in 2022. He earned gold medals at both World Junior Championships and the U18 Championship.

Fortescue was originally selected by the Rangers in the third round, 90th overall, of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.

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