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T
he pressure to perform at attack on the lacrosse field never appears to rattle North Carolina junior Chris Gray, despite the constant attention he attracts.
But Gray, the former star at Boston University who has seamlessly transitioned into the same role with the fourth-ranked, unbeaten Tar Heels, admits to feeling somewhat squeezed early last summer.
Soon after he arrived home in the eastern Long Island town of Wading River, N.Y. — following his dazzling, 111-point sophomore season with the Terriers — Gray delivered stunning news to his parents.
He wanted out of Boston and was entering the NCAA transfer portal. Thus began a jam-packed few weeks, as top-tier Division I suitors lined up to make sales pitches and home visits, while Gray took control of his destiny.
Bring on the pressure.
“It was definitely an overwhelming time,” Gray says. “But I’d much rather be overwhelmed than receive no calls when I was in the portal.”
“I wanted to narrow my focus to a school that was the best fit for me academically, athletically and socially,” adds Gray, who majors in management and society. “I wanted to study something I’m really interested in, play with a great team and fit in with the guys. And I’ve been living that out ever since I stepped on [the Carolina] campus.”
Gray, who had piled up a combined 80 goals and 102 assists over two remarkable seasons at BU — to where he had committed as a lightly-recruited sophomore at Shoreham-Wading River High School — sorted through a pack of elite choices.
The finalists were Virginia, Duke, Johns Hopkins, Cornell and Carolina. The Grays visited all five schools during a whirlwind week. Maryland and Brown also competed early on for Gray’s services.
“I was extremely surprised when Chris came home from Boston in May and told us he wanted to leave,” says Ken Gray, Chris’ father, a retired deputy inspector who served for 26 years with the NYPD.
“Once [Chris] decided that, he handled everything himself — the phone calls and e-mails. He had a research notebook,” Ken Gray adds. “He eliminated schools methodically. It was a very mature and disciplined process. We were just along for the ride.”
The Tar Heels (7-0) certainly have enjoyed the ride through the first month of the season, while the speedy, shifty, 5-foot-7 Gray clearly has settled into his seat as the bus driver of the nation’s fourth-highest scoring offense (17.86 gpg).
Through the first seven games, Gray leads Carolina in goals (27) and assists (21) and is shooting 45.8 percent. His 6.86 points per game ranks second nationally behind Princeton’s Michael Sowers.
In two of Carolina’s more notable victories, Gray first shredded a Johns Hopkins defense that was hesitant to slide to him on February 22.
Gray turned Homewood Field into his dodging, shooting and off-ball playground. He initiated from behind the net, up top and either wing. He sprinted topside and scored on a 10-yard, turnaround jump shot. He stepped down to rip a 15-yarder for another tally on an extra-man unit that is converting on 77.3 percent of its chances, tops in the nation.
Gray’s eight-goal signature underlined a 17-10 rout. It marked the most goals the Tar Heels ever have scored against the Blue Jays.
Eight days later at No. 11 Denver, the Pioneers forced the ball out of Gray’s stick often. He went into efficient, helper mode and finished with two goals and two assists while pushing the rest of the offense forward. Led by senior midfielder Justin Anderson’s career-high five goals, the Tar Heels took a 15-13 victory.
“[Gray] sees the field so well. He found ways to take over the Hopkins game. One thing I and the other guys love about him is, he’s not looking to get his goals and assists. He’s looking for us to score,” Anderson says. “He’s not the biggest guy, but he can do anything he wants on the field. Chris’ ability to facilitate has been a game-changer for us.”
Gray is the prime reason that Joe Breschi, Carolina’s 12th-year head coach, says the Tar Heels have the most balanced offense since the Tar Heels won the school’s first NCAA title in 2016 — the program’s first in 25 years.
This year, sophomore attackmen Nicky Solomon (29 points) and Brian Cameron (15 points) are thriving, as is junior Alex Trippi (17 points). So are senior midfielders Tanner Cook (20 goals), William Perry (12 points) and Anderson (22 points).
Breschi compares Gray’s impact to that of former Carolina star Steve Pontrello, who was the heart and soul of the offense that brought the Heels their most recent national title.
“[Gray] is a great distributor who takes what the defense gives him. He doesn’t burn extra energy with crazy dodges. You know you’re watching a great player when you see how the game slows down for him,” says Breschi, who recalled a telling moment during his visit to the Gray household.
As Breschi and assistant coach Kevin Unterstein were greeted by Gray’s parents, Breschi recalls the younger Gray, wearing khaki pants and collared shirt, entering the room, extending a firm handshake, maintaining eye contact as he thanked the coaches for making the trip to Long Island.
“He doesn’t have to do that, not when everybody in the country wants him,” Breschi says. “It was immediately [apparent] this is a great locker room guy.
“From the moment [Gray] came [to Chapel Hill] for his visit, he clearly was a perfect fit. He’s been the biggest and easiest transition you could want in your program. He’s a huge reason we’re playing such unselfish lacrosse.”
Associate head coach and offensive coordinator David Metzbower says that Gray has brought all the pieces together at UNC.
“He creates options just by being on the field,” Metzbower says. “He’s allowed our offense to grow and flourish.”
Loyola head coach Charley Toomey, who lost Tewaraaton Trophy winner and four-year All-American and Patriot League superstar attackman Pat Spencer to graduation last year, says the Patriot League lost the same caliber of player when Gray decided to depart Boston U.
“People would show up at a Loyola game to watch Pat play, and I think the same way about Chris Gray. He’s that dynamic,” Toomey says. “They both play the game fast and dissect the game within the game while thinking a pass or a step ahead. They read defenses so well. They’re just so dangerous every time the ball is in their sticks.”
Gray’s exceptional vision and IQ were on display throughout his later, high school years. He led Long Island in points over his final two lacrosse seasons and was a two-time US Lacrosse All-American. As a senior, he also concluded his successful football playing days by leading Wading River to its third Long Island title with 2,179 rushing yards and 37 touchdowns.
“Whether you’re running through the line of scrimmage or trying to break one in the open field, the vision you need [in football] relates closely to lacrosse,” Gray says.
“I’ve always taken it personally — trying to bring out the best in everybody around me,” he adds. “In lacrosse, an offense works best when the ball is flowing, and everyone is touching the ball and looking to help the guy next to him.”