Relaxed transfer rules provide players with flexibility but has downside

Chris Gray moved from BU to the University of North Carolina without having to sit out a year. (Rich Gagnon)

In 2018, freshman Chris Gray turned heads as a member of the Boston University men’s lacrosse team. He scored 31 goals and led the team with 40 assists and 71 points, both of which were single-season program records. He was the Patriot League Rookie of the Year and a USILA All-America selection.

He played at another level as a sophomore, leading the NCAA with a Patriot League-record 111 points on 49 goals and 62 assists. He earned first-team All-Patriot League honors for the second consecutive season, and he helped his team to an 11-6 record and trip to the Patriot League tournament semifinals. 

Local fans won’t have an up-close look at what he does as a junior. Gray transferred from BU to the University of North Carolina. 

“My first two years (at Boston University) were amazing, and I made some great relationships with players and coaches that made that time unforgettable,” Gray said in a June interview with Inside Lacrosse. “Academically, something didn’t work out with my major and that made me explore some other incredible opportunities elsewhere.”