CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Senior Will Donovan and junior Shawn Lyght have been named to the 2026 Preseason All-ACC Team as voted on by the league’s coaches on Tuesday afternoon.
The conference also announced the preseason poll with the Irish picked second with 18 points. Syracuse took the top spot with 25 points followed by the Irish then UNC (17) in third, Duke (9) in fourth and Virginia (6) fifth.
Donovan enters the 2026 season as one of the most decorated LSMs in the country. The senior has garnered both All-America and All-ACC honors in all three seasons in South Bend. Donovan is a disruptor for opposing attacks and is a standout on the wing for faceoffs.
Lyght enters year three as one of the premier cover guys in the country. The defenseman earned the Schmeisser Award, which is presented to the top defensive player in the nation, as just a sophomore. The junior consistently matches up against the opposition’s top attackman and is an eraser on the defensive end.
Donovan, Lyght and the rest of the Fighting Irish open the season in Milwaukee, taking on Marquette at 3 p.m. ET on Saturday, Feb. 14.