The face-off X can be a lonely position at times. But it’s also one of the most important in lacrosse and an area of specialty for Syracuse’s Mason Kohn.

"We talked a lot about trying to be the same guy every day, same guy, every situation and being unconditional," Kohn said of his preparation. "So I try to approach everything with urgency. And so when I get out there for a game, you know, it feels the same as it did when I was taking price reps with John Mullen or, you know, on my own, I just try to replicate that urgency in everything I do."

Kohn is in his first year with the Orange, and a captain in his first year.

"It just reflects on the like people and mentors I've had in the past and what they've been able to instill," Kohn said. "So it was just very grateful to be a captain in this historic program, definitely."

He made the jump from Tufts University outside of Boston, where he was one of the best face-off specialists in Division III.

"I could tell even from the sidelines is is faster and the pace of play," Kohn said. "But I think Tufts really prepared me well to come here and succeed. So it's just been a little bit a little bit quicker, just trying to fine tune some things. But ultimately it's been mostly just about trying to refine my game. And as a newer lacrosse player, you know, it's just another year to really focus and develop my skills."

Kohn wins at the 'X' more often than he loses. As good as he is, lacrosse wasn’t his favorite sport at Tufts. He shined on the ice, where he was a standout hockey player.

"I love playing hockey there," Kohn said. "Hockey's my main sport growing up and the one I took the most seriously. So I was really grateful to play there and it was an incredible experience. I'm lucky enough to be a two time captain and so, you know, I just loved playing hockey there and just love the guys. It was a great time."

Skills learned on the ice translated onto the field, making Kohn a better lacrosse player.

"Ground balls is pretty similar to, you know, skating and things like that," Kohn said. "I think you see a lot of guys even on our team who have hockey backgrounds who are also really good off the ground. So that definitely helps in the physicality of it. You know, blocking out, just being comfortable with contact I think helps a lot as well."

The goal is simple for Kohn in his final year: finding a way to use all his experiences to hang a banner in the Dome and helping Syracuse return to top of the lacrosse world.

"That's why I came here and that's why I decided to play a fifth year," Kohn said. "So obviously that's the ultimate goal."