Erin Brennan has the speed, the build and the skills of your average lacrosse player.
So what separates the Penn freshman from the pack?
She plays left-handed.
As the only natural southpaw on the team, Brennan can confuse the opposition since teams most often see attackers shooting from the right side of their bodies.
"People aren't used to it," the Garden City, N.Y., native said. "Not every [defender] is aware or understands how to guard me as a left-handed player. I use it to my advantage."
Brennan has been impressive so far in her rookie campaign for the Quakers, as her 14 points are tied for fourth best on the team. She has never failed to tally a point in any of her seven starts, as the No. 2 Quakers have started the season 7-0 (2-0 Ivy), the best start in program history.
In addition to aiding her stick handling, being a lefty also helps Brennan's team as a whole. She can feed from the left side more easily than her teammates. Also, since coach Karin Brower teaches her players to take the draw control left-handed, it has come naturally to Brennan this season, despite her never taking the draw in high school.
While she might be surprising defenders with her dominant hand, Brennan's success isn't a surprise at all: She was rated the No. 1 attack and the No. 2 overall high school prospect in 2008 by Sports Illustrated. She even graced the cover of Lacrosse Magazine.
Brower believes that the presence such a highly-touted prospect -- "She's probably the highest-profile recruit we've ever gotten" - is indicative of the success that the Quakers have had recently, including their trips to the last two Final Fours.
"I don't think Erin would've looked at us without the recent success," the 10th-year coach said. "She's the kind of kid who wants to be at the top level of everything."
Indeed, while Wharton and the rest of Penn was a big draw, ultimately Brennan chose Penn over Princeton and Georgetown due to the team's chemistry and drive to win.
"I love everything about here," she said. "But the team was what really got me. I felt like I was on the team before I even committed. . This is just the perfect place for me."
It's turning out to be near perfect for Penn. With the graduation of Rachel Manson and Melissa Lehman last year, the Quakers needed new faces to step up and score this year. Along with junior Courtney Lubbe - who as Penn's leader with 25 points has tripled her previous career total of seven -- Brennan has come out of nowhere to fill that gap.
"It was important for some players to come up and be goal scorers, especially considering how potent our offense was last year," Brennan said. "We seem to be doing it so far."
Whether or not she joins current junior Ali DeLuca as an Ivy League Rookie of the Year remains to be seen, but there's no doubt Brennan has the talent to do so.
"She's done a great job starting for us," Brower said. "She's been an impact player for us. No question."
