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BEST adj.
/best/
superlative of GOOD

1: excelling all others

2: most productive of good: offering or producing the greatest advantage, utility, or satisfaction

3: most, largest

(Source: Merriam-Webster)

Best of Lacrosse 2018 Finalists
Men’s Player | Women’s Player
Men’s Coach | Women’s Coach
Men’s Breakthrough | Women’s Breakthrough
Men’s Performance | Women’s Performance
Game | Moment

As the lacrosse calendar turns from 2018 to 2019 and we reflect on one of the most riveting years in recent memory, US Lacrosse Magazine is taking to Twitter for the fans’ perspective on what made it so. We’ve identified four finalists each in 10 categories in preparation for our annual “Best of Lacrosse” edition.

Below, we present the finalists for Best Men’s Breakthrough.

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.