Brown's Molloy Named Preseason Player of the Year

As another lacrosse season approaches, preseason predictions are coming out in droves. Will Dylan Molloy repeat as a Tewaaraton winner? What other names could emerge to test him? As part of the February NCAA preview edition of US Lacrosse Magazine, hear are the Nike/US Lacrosse Preseason Players of the Year in Division I, II and III men's lacrosse.

Division I

Nike/USL Preseason Player of the Year
Dylan Molloy, Brown

Coming off the most prolific season (116 points) by anyone not named Thompson in NCAA history — and with new coach Mike Daly offering continuity to the Bears’ run-and-gun system — there’s no reason to believe Molloy won’t repeat as the Tewaaraton Award winner.

Nike/USL Preseason All-Americans

Attack
Dylan Molloy, Brown, Sr.
Pat Spencer, Loyola, So.
Connor Cannizzaro, Denver, Sr.

Midfield
Sergio Perkovic, Notre Dame, Sr.
Zach Miller, Denver, Sr. *
Sergio Salcido, Syracuse, R-Sr.

Long-Stick Midfield
Larken Kemp, Brown, Sr.

Short-Stick Defensive Midfield
Isiah Davis-Allen, Maryland, Sr.

Defense
Christian Burgdorf, Denver, Sr.
Chris Fennell, Navy, Sr.
Austin Pifani, North Carolina, Sr.

Faceoff
Trevor Baptiste, Denver, Jr.

Goalie
Shane Doss, Notre Dame, Sr.

* Will not play in 2017. This list was compiled prior to a Jan. 16 report confirming Miller is not enrolled at Denver.

Division II

Nike/USL Preseason Player of the Year
Kevin Reisman, Limestone

The Saints’ sensational faceoff specialist holds NCAA Division II single-season records for winning percentage (74.8 in 2015 and 2016) and ground balls (252/11.45 per game in 2016), as well as the mark for fastest goal to start a game (5 seconds vs. North Greenville in 2016).

Players to Watch

Max Allen, Merrimack, Sr., A
Andrew Kew, Tampa, So., A
Kevin Reisman, Limestone, Sr., M
Brendan Entenmann, Le Moyne, Jr., D
Jonathan Lynott, NYIT, Sr., D

PHOTO BY JOHN STROHSACKER

Kyle Tucker emerged as one of the top defensemen in the country in 2016, leading Salisbury to the national title.

Division III

Nike/USL Preseason Player of the Year
Kyle Tucker, Salisbury

The historically trigger-happy Sea Gulls often were content to let their defense — and therefore close defensemen like Tucker — fall by the wayside. Not so in 2016, when the Sea Gulls actually ranked 10th in Division III allowing 6.75 goals per game. Tucker, a reserve long-stick midfielder as a freshman, emerged as one of the nation’s top takeaway defensemen as a sophomore.