Michael Ehrhardt
Hounds/USA
Ehrhardt anchored a U.S. defense that allowed just 5.3 goals per game en route to a gold-medal victory over Canada at the FIL World Championship, earning MVP honors — making him just the second U.S. defenseman to win the award. But he didn’t just shine in the international game. The Charlotte Hounds star led the MLL in points by a defenseman (16) and finished as a Defensive Player of the Year nominee.
Chris Fake
Yale
Fake had a strong freshman season with the national champion Yale Bulldogs, tallying 29 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers. For this efforts, he earned All-Ivy League First Team honors. He helped limit Albany’s duo of Tehoka Nanticoke and Connor Fields to one assist on April 22.
Nakeie Montgomery
Duke
It was the Nakeie show during Duke’s NCAA tournament run last May. The freshman tallied his first hat trick in a first-round win over Villanova, then followed it up with two late goals to seal a victory over Johns Hopkins. Then, in the NCAA quarterfinals, he returned with three first-half goals to led the Blue Devils past Maryland.
Tehoka Nanticoke
Albany
Expectations were already high for Nanticoke as he headed into his first season with Albany. But his first game made a statement to lacrosse fans around the country. Nanticoke scored five times in a 15-3 blowout of Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. That was a sign of things to come, as Nanticoke finished with 50 goals and 32 assists to help the Great Danes reach the final four for the first time.