Michelle Tumolo skipped the freshman learning curve.

Referred to as a ‘super sophomore’ by Syracuse women’s lacrosse head coach Gary Gait, the SU attack rewrote the freshman record book last year after posting the highest single-season totals in points and assists for a Syracuse newcomer. After her first start, she became the first SU freshman to put up a seven-point game since 2007.

She was named to the All-Northeast Region Second Team and to WomensLax.com’s All-Rookie Team after last season. But Tumolo said it’s Gait, a lacrosse guru, who deserves much of the credit.

‘I play for Gary Gait, one of the best stick handlers in the world,’ Tumolo said. ‘A lot of coaches don’t let players do what we can here at Syracuse.’

Tumolo spent the last weekend of January at Disney’s Wide World of Sports as a member of the U.S. senior national team taking part of the Champion’s Challenge. The event is a showcase for the top male and female lacrosse players in the country, and it features the U.S. men’s national team, the U.S. women’s national senior and under-19 team, and five collegiate squads.

‘I definitely learned a lot playing there,’ Tumolo said.

When the week was over, Tumolo was the youngest player on the field and one of three sophomores to make the final roster.

‘It’s a very excruciating tryout,’ Tumolo said. ‘It’s three days long, all day. And you just play. When I found out that I made the team, it was awesome finding my number up there. I honestly forgot my number, and I was nervous that I was just making it up.’

Gait was in attendance the last day of the tournament to see Tumolo play. Recently, the 43-year-old head coach departed from the Rochester Knighthawks and the National Lacrosse League, announcing his second retirement from professional lacrosse after an 18-season career.

Gait was more than happy to spend a day watching one of his current pupils compete with the national team. And he thinks the experience will prepare Tumolo even more for the upcoming season.

‘She’s coming into this season ready to take it to the next level,’ Gait said. ‘Full of confidence and energy and ready to improve her leadership skills. We’ll be looking to her to make a huge impact this year.’

As a player, Gait led the Orange to three NCAA Championships, graduated as the school’s all-time goal leader and was named the NCAA Player of the Year in 1988 and 1990. At the professional level, he has achieved almost all that is achievable, donning a career resume that includes three National Lacrosse League titles, three Major League Lacrosse titles, three Mann Cups, the Heritage Cup and the International Lacrosse Federation World Championship.

And as a coach, Gait led Syracuse to the national semifinals a season ago. It was an opportunity Tumolo wants to experience again this season.

‘I think it’s an advantage going there as a freshman, because you know how it feels,’ she said. ‘And you don’t ever want to let that go, every single year. … Every year I’m going to keep fighting until we get to the national championship and win.’

Gait also created his own shot, the ‘air gait’ — a maneuver in which the ball handler leaps from behind the crease to dunk the ball under the top crossbar. It was a move that spurred creativity throughout the sport and also a move that, if done improperly, is illegal in NCAA play.

And Tumolo said the uniqueness she exhibits in her play is a product of her head coach letting her experiment like he did.

‘I like to do weird things with my stick. I think he knew that from when I came in here,’ Tumolo said. ‘We connected on that level because I kind of play like a boy. And I kind of look up to him. When he tells me to try something, I try it.’

In scrimmages against Maryland and Virginia on the final day of the tournament with the national team, Tumolo recorded a goal and four assists in a pair of victories against two future Syracuse opponents.

Elevated competition has taught Tumolo a lot about the game. But she knows it would be foolish to overlook the effect of an instructor closer to home.

Said Tumolo: ‘I learned it all here.’

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Published on February 7, 2011 at 12:00 pm