(Photo Courtesy of Virginia Athletics)

The 2021 season was a season in which grad transfers and fifth-year players seemed to dominate the landscape. However, as usual, there were freshmen at every position that broke through and shined during their first season of college lacrosse.

Over the next week or so, Lacrosse Bucket will be highlighting some of the freshmen who made shined during the 2021 season. Here is a look at some of the top freshmen at the midfield position.

Connor Shellenberger, Midfield, Virginia – A natural attackman who will likely move back to that position next season, the redshirt freshman saw most of his time as a starting midfielder for the national champion Virginia Cavaliers and put together arguably the best season of any freshman. Shellenberger’s impressive season, which saw him led the Cavaliers with 79 points off 37 goals and 42 assists, culminated with a six-point (4G/2A) performance in the national title game to cap off a 24-point NCAA Tournament performance that earned him the tournament’s most outstanding player award.

Dylan Hess, Midfield, Georgetown – Simply put, Hess was not only the best true freshman midfielder this past season but one of the best midfielders in DI period. Helping to lead Georgetown to the NCAA Quarterfinals, Hess, who played both ways for most of the season, put up 17 goals and seven assists for 24 points while also scooping up 23 ground balls and causing four turnovers.

Shane Knobloch, Midfield, Rutgers – While Knobloch’s production did teeter late in the season with four consecutive scoreless games, the Big Ten Freshman of The Year’s early-season production was impressive and he still ended the year as the Scarlet Knights’ fifth-leading scorer with 21 points off 16 goals and five assists. Nine of those 16 goals came in Rutgers’ first three games of the season against Penn State, Ohio State, and Michigan.

Eric Dobson, Midfield, Notre Dame – As part of arguably the most athletic midfield in the nation this past season, Dobson put on a show and helped lead the Irish to the NCAA Quarterfinals. He ended the season as the Irish’s fifth-leading scorer with 24 points off 16 goals and eight assists.

Taylor Dooley, Midfield, Mercer – The Bears’ third-leading scorer, Dooley didn’t get his first career start until four games into the season and ended the season with eight starts in 12 games. He put up 25 points off 17 goals and eight assists, which includes a six-points (4G/2A) outing against Air Force late in the season. 17 of his points came in the last four games of the season as he hit his stride down the stretch.

Ethan Landymore, Midfield, Hartford – Landymore, who entered the Transfer Portal in May along with multiple other Hartford players following the school’s announcement that they would be dropping all athletics down to DIII, had one heck of a freshman season with the Hawks. He ended the season as Hartford’s second-leading point-getter with 12 goals and two assists for 14 points.

Christian Quadrino, Midfield, Boston U. – A second-team All-Patriot League selection, Quadrino ended the season as the Terriers’ fourth-leading scorer with 22 points off 14 goals and eight assists.

Cam Acchione, Midfield, Delaware – Helping lead one of the CAA’s top offenses, Acchinoe put up 25 points off 22 goals and three assists as the Blue Hens’ fifth-leading scorer.

Jon Jarsoz, Midfield, Navy – Starting and appearing in eight of the Midshipmen’s nine contests this past season, Jarsoz was Navy’s third-leading scorer with 12 goals and five assists for 17 points.

Aidan Goltz, Midfield, Bryant – An NEC All-Rookie selection, Goltz scored 16 goals and dished out two assists for 18 points this past season as the Bulldogs’ fifth-leading scorer and top reserve midfielder.