
MIT midfielder Shikhar Motupally pressures the ball. (Gil Talbot)
As Division 3 teams across New England race towards postseason tournaments, we're spotlighting standout freshmen.
Some entered the fall with high expectations, a byproduct of their recruiting pathway. Others have pleasantly defied expectations, thriving under the pressure of a new environment.
All along, the hardest thing for a first-year player is maintaining consistency. With a busy schedule and high-stakes matches, it's no small feat to keep producing.
Here are 10 freshmen, plus some honorable mentions, who have turned heads across the region. To spread the wealth around, we've limited ourselves to one standout per program.