AACC’s only first-team All-American athlete will not return to Men’s Lacrosse this spring.

Face-off player Nick Karnes, who earned All-American honors from the National Junior College Athletic Association last year, said he is unable to redeem his position this spring because he didn’t meet the academic requirements to play.

“I didn’t manage my time wisely,” Karnes, who was a full-time business student, said. “I didn’t balance it good. … I focused more on lacrosse.”

But Karnes said he enjoyed his time at AACC.

“I made great friends and liked all the coaches,” Karnes said.

He said winning the All-American honor was “an awesome feeling and was one of my greatest achievements. I achieved this award with the constant help and guidance from my coaches.”

Karnes, who lives in Warrenton, Virginia, said his best memory at the college was his first game against Onondaga Community College, when he faced off against a player who went on to play lacrosse at a Division I university.

His teammates said they admired his dedication to the game.

“He was a great guy as well as teammate,” defenseman Zack Payne, who played with Karnes last season, said. “He was a great help to the team and he will be missed.”

Charlie Ellis, who also played with Karnes before transferring to Guilford College in North Carolina to play lacrosse, agreed.

“He was a great lacrosse player but a better person,” the former backup goalie and defensive midfielder said. “He was happy to help every way he could while he was on and off the field. I know for a fact the team will miss him this year.”

Others agreed Karnes was a star on and off the field.

“Nick was definitely an extremely important player to have on the team and a huge part of our success last year,” former teammate and defenseman Justin Walsh said. “When you have a player who can dominate face-offs like he did, you can really control a game from the start. He was also a good guy to be around overall and a good teammate. He wasn’t selfish or cocky and was all for the better of the team.”

Walsh and Payne left AACC to play lacrosse at Newberry College in South Carolina.

The Athletics Department created a position late last year for an academic adviser who will work exclusively with athletes (see related story, Page 19).

“I think that’s awesome and will help players tremendously with their school work,” Karnes said.