Will Mark wins ACC Defensive Player of the Week

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Syracuse goalie Will Mark has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Defensive Player of the Week. The award is Mark’s first weekly honor of the season, and the fifth awarded to an SU player. Saam Olexo (defensive) and Jake Stevens (offensive) were the reigning Players of the Week prior to Mark’s selection.

Mark registered a season-best 17 saves in the Orange’s 14-6 win over then-No. 20 Delaware on March 16. It was the most stops that Mark generated since March 5, 2023, when he tallied 22 saves in a loss to Duke.

The fifth-year goalie spearheaded Syracuse’s second-best defensive outing of the season. SU’s six goals allowed was its top performance since its Feb. 10 victory over Manhattan, where it gave up just three goals. Mark’s steady presence in the cage led to the Orange giving up only one goal in the second half. They even put together a 31-minute stretch where they held the Blue Hens scoreless.

Through nine games this season, Mark has totaled the 14th-best goals allowed per game average in the nation, sitting at 9.93. His 103 saves rank as the sixth-most in Division I.