As we approach college lacrosse conference tournament time, a number of stars have emerged.
These players are new to the spotlight and they all play different roles for their teams, but share at least one trait: they're all focused on winning a league title and qualifiying for the NCAA tournament.
Here's a few players who have impressed me, so far, including what makes them special and what they need to do to be impressive in the postseason.
Dylan Molloy, attack, Brown
Molloy is a 225-pound wrecking ball from St Anthony's on Long Island, N.Y., who leads the country in goals with 44.
"Dylan is a student of the game and analyzes his own play critically," Brown coach Lars Tiffany said. "Despite having a good freshman year, when he led our team in points, Dylan talked to the staff for ways to improve his game. He's become a stronger athlete due to the work he has put in with our strength coach, Mike Pimentel. We saw the baby fat disappear and now he is putting up some big numbers in the weight room."
Molloy's vision and feeding ability have improved, allowing him to generate offense without taking shots. He also has a positive attitude.
"He enjoys practice," Tiffany said, "bantering with his teammates and keeping the tone upbeat."
Molloy's power is his signature.
"He does not shy away, he prefers to bulldoze his way to the cage," Tiffany said. "With his lower body strength, size and good first step, he's tough to handle with just one defenseman. There are a few who have curtailed Dylan one-on-one, but more often than not the opposing defense is sending a second defender. This creates openings for the rest of our offense."
The challenge for Molloy is to better manage double-teams, while dodging with conviction.
Kyle Bernlohr, goalie, Maryland
Bernlohr has evolved from a bench warmer to a show stopper.
"Kyle has earned what he has gotten, nothing was given to him," coach John Tillman said.
The 5-foot-10 junior from Akron, Ohio, made just eight saves as the understudy to Niko Amato in 2014, after seeing no game action as a freshman in 2013.
The southpaw's .669 save percentage is second in the nation and he is 10-1 as a starter.
"He learned a ton watching Niko," Tillman said. "He tried to beat Niko out. He competed and didn't concede the job. Most kids would have given in. He always prepared like he was going to start."
This junior has razor-sharp focus, ideal balance and flexibility, floating from pipe-to-pipe lightly on his toes. As the year has progressed he's looked less jittery, waiting and then exploding in reaction to the shooter. Goalies need a presence, and he has one.
"Our guys play hard for him because they respect and admire him," Tillman said.
As his resume grows, opponents will isolate weaknesses and try to exploit. I'd like to see him create more transition off the save to kick-start the offense, and he'll need to show he can overcome a really bad start. Bernlohr must play big in the clutch against Ohio State and Johns Hopkins and in the NCAA tournament.
Trevor Baptiste, faceoff midfielder, Denver
"Trevor is an anomaly in the truest sense of the word," Denver coach Bill Tierney said. "The first time I met him, I was taken back by his great smile, fun attitude, and pure humbleness."
Baptiste was orally committed to Franklin & Marshall when Denver spotted him late in the recruiting cycle. He is built like a fullback, 5-9 and 215 pounds, the quintessential frame for a faceoff man.
He's won 70 percent of faceoffs and has 69 ground balls. His wins are the fuel that makes Denver's offense hum.
"It didn't take many practices to see that we had something special," Tierney said. "Baptiste thrives on the details. "He knows every move, every counter, he can execute in so many different ways."
"In preparation for each game, he is so respectful of his opponent's abilities, that you think he is going to lose every faceoff," Tierney said. "He is truly a very special person, a great teammate, and we are blessed to have him."
The question is whether Baptiste can sustain his workload without hitting the freshman wall. He can be overly tough on himself, so coaches need to monitor him. His reaction to the pressure of the Big East and NCAA tournaments will be key.
Ben Williams, faceoff midfielder, Syracuse
The sophomore from Minnesota has taken the college lacrosse world by storm.
"It's his quickness," coach John Desko said. "Ben has great hand speed and body control. He's good at reading the other player, and can counter-move if he has to, but he's usually the first to get down on the ball."
Williams transfered from Holy Cross, where as a freshman he won 53 percent of his faceoffs. This season he has won 70 percent. He has flipped a Syracuse weakness into a strength while scooping up 96 ground balls and committing just seven turnovers.
"He's very focused on what he's doing. A little on the quiet side," Desko said. "He watches a lot of film and the work he has put in is being rewarded."
Syracuse has only one loss and is ranked No. 2 with a gigantic shot at another NCAA title, but Williams must keep improving his offensive and defensive skills. Instead of looking to run off the field right away, he can stay on and attack a weak defender. When caught on defense, he needs to better understand and execute his assignment.
Jake Bailey, defense, North Carolina
"Jake was an under-the-radar type of player who's gained confidence each year," coach Joe Breschi said.
The 6-foot-6 senior from Fairport, N.Y., began in Chapel Hill, N.C., playing longstick midfield and now starts at close defense.
"Being a captain and showing leadership ability has elevated his practices to 'game-like' performances," Breschi said. "He plays games as he practices."
In the Heels' win over Virginia, Bailey's stick skills were extraordinary, especially in traffic and tight windows. He's dangerous leading the fast-break and very comfortable running Give & Go's or a Pick & Roll.
He showed the instinctive ability to pick off passes. With 37 ground balls, three points and just 1:30 in penalties, Bailey is a prime reason why Carolina is 11-1.
He had the highest GPA on the team in 2014. The journalism major hopes to write a new chapter for North Carolina lacrosse, one which features a trip to championship weekend.
Shane Doss, goalie, Notre Dame
Doss struggled as a freshman, saving just 48 percent of shots, and the team went 5-3 in his starts. This year has been a different story. Doss is 7-1 as the starter for the top-ranked Irish and has a .597 save percentage, a huge increase from last spring.
"The 5-10 sophomore from New Jersey plays his angles very well and takes up quite a bit of the cage for a goalie that is not that big," ESPN lacrosse analyst Paul Carcaterra said. "He doesn't waste any energy in the net, is patient on shots, and has no guessing element in his game. Stopping low shots is his strength."
Doss' biggest games are on the horizon against North Carolina, the Atlantic Coast Conference tournament, Army and in the NCAA tournament.
Austin Schultz, defense, Army
When I watch Schultz play, my eyes are drawn to his exceptional footwork.
"He has a tremendous work ethic and is incredibly strong with a low base," Army coach Joe Alberici said.
That footwork and his solid angle play, combined with keen instincts, enable the 5-11 junior to cover different types of attackmen.
His route to West Point was unconventional. Schultz transferred from Bucknell after his freshman year. He has 11 starts this season and has only committed one 30-second penalty for a Cadet defense surrendering just 6.6 goals per game.
He also has a 3.76 GPA as an economics major, Alberici said.
Connor Fields, attack, Albany
Playing alongside Lyle Thompson, freshman Connor Fields is living the dream. It's equivalent to skating on a line with Wayne Gretzky — get open and he gets you the ball.
"He and Lyle have been on [the] same page," coach Scott Marr said. "They are roommates on the road and sit together on the bus, Lyle has taken him under his wing."
Fields has scored 35 goals, has 14 assists and averages 4.9 points per game.
"His success is attributed to how well he has meshed with the cast," Marr said. "His IQ and ability to get open and finish stands out. He's a deceptive shooter, with a similar motion whether he shoots high or low, from either an overhand or underhand release."
Watch Fields navigate the crease area without the ball. He finds space, reads the defense, and plays the back of his defender's helmet well. He is a garbage man, not afraid to muck for dirty goals like he did as a high school hockey player in upstate New York.
In the future, he can be a solid ball-carrier, but right now his role is finishing for Thompson, as Albany tries to crash championship weekend.
Mike Rooney, attack, Stony Brook
Rooney, 23, is a red-shirt senior from East Islip on Long Island who has 28 goals and 38 assists. The Sea Wolves have won eight of their past nine games.
"Maturity, letting the game come to him has made the difference," coach Jim Nagle said. "He's not forcing the action, instead picking his spots well while leading and playing unselfishly."
Rooney has harnessed the power of versatility. His game is complete — feeding, dodging, finishing — which allows him to be opportunistic.
"Mike isn't spectacular at one area," Nagle said, "but he can do everything."
Rooney had 11 points in a win over Vermont, six assists against UMBC, and seven assists against Fairfield. He is 22 points from Kevin Crowley's school record. Crowley led Stony Brook to the 2010 NCAA quarterfinals.
Other emerging stars: Brian Sherlock (Loyola Maryland), Bo Stafford (Georgetown), Chris Fennell (Navy), Tyler White (Towson), Justin Guterding (Duke), Mikey Wynne (Notre Dame), Joel Tinney (Johns Hopkins), Matt Barrett (Virginia), Scott Bieda (Rutgers), Ryan Hilburn (Boston University), Benny Pugh (Richmond) and Matt Clarkson (Colgate).
Quint Kessenich covers college sports for ESPN and writes weekly for The Baltimore Sun during lacrosse season.