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Each year, we at US Lacrosse Magazine pore over the top coaches, players, games, performances, breakthroughs and moments for the annual “Best of Lacrosse” edition. Naturally, this retrospective tome drops in December. 

But now is the time to be heard.

Over the next two weeks, we’re polling fans on Twitter (@USLacrosseMag) to vote on four finalists in 10 categories: Best Men’s Coach, Best Women’s Coach, Best Men’s Player, Best Women’s Player, Best Game, Best Men’s Performance, Best Women’s Performance, Best Men’s Breakthrough, Best Women’s Breakthrough and Best Moment.

Today, we present our four finalists for Best Women’s Breakthrough of 2017: Sam Apuzzo (Boston College), Olivia Conti (Towson), Kelly Larkin (Navy) and Michelle Tumolo (Team USA).

Narrowing down the field meant leaving out some players who also made headlines.

Maryland freshman attacker Kali Hartshorn successfulyl took over for three-time Tewaaraton finalist Taylor Cummings in the midfield, leading the Terps with 112 draw controls to become the Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

Junior attacker Darby Kiernan led Colorado in its historic fourth season with 77 points and 120 draw controls, earning All-MPSF first team honors.

Plus, Stony Brook freshman Taryn Ohlmiller, Kylie’s younger sister, broke onto the college scene with 101 points, which ranked second on the team, and was just one of two freshman to be named an IWLCA All-American.

Cases could be made for these standouts and more.

More on this year’s finalists for Best Women’s Breakthrough:

Sam Apuzzo
Boston College

Bouncing back from a season-ending ACL injury her freshman year, Sam Apuzzo led the NCAA runner-up with 71 draw controls and 119 points. She recorded her 100th career point at Dartmouth on April 12, becoming the fastest player in program history to achieve that feat (25 games). With her 92nd point of the season, the sophomore also broke the Eagles’ single-season points record (91) previously set by Laura Costello in 2010. 

Olivia Conti
Towson

In her rookie campaign, defender Olivia conti started all 19 games, setting the CAA and Towson single-season record for caused turnovers with 49. She was the first freshman in program history to be named an IWLCA All-American and was honored as the CAA Defensive Player of the Year, the first freshman in league history to win the award.

Kelly Larkin
Navy

Freshman Kelly Larkin, who finished second in points with 108, led the Cinderella team to NCAA championship weekend, where she was just one of two Midshipmen to be named to the all-tournament team. Larkin led Navy to the final four with a team-high four goals and six points in their quarterfinal upset over reigning national champion North Carolina. The Patriot League Rookie of the Year was the first freshman, and just the fourth player in program history, to record 100 or more points in a season.

Michelle Tumolo
Team USA

After missing the cut for the 2013 U.S. World Cup team due to an ACL injury, Syracuse All-American Michelle Tumolo made an impressive debut with Team USA this past summer at the 2017 FIL Women’s World Cup in Guildford, England. The All-World attacker led the U.S. in caused turnovers with 10, ranked second with 17 assists and 29 points, and finished third with 13 draw controls. Tumolo then won her second gold medal tallying four points at the IWGA World Games, where she stepped up as a midfielder with the new game format of 10 players per team.