Here’s a simple formula for you: First, take last year’s Harvard men’s lacrosse team, which posted a 5-10 record. Next, subtract three of the team’s four recipients of All-Ivy honors. Now, what would you expect the Crimson’s record in 2004 to be?

If you said 7-5, with this Saturday’s home date against Dartmouth still pending, then you must have had the benefit of hearing the buzz about the class of 2007.

“[This freshman class] could be the best class ever,” said Harvard coach Scott Anderson. “It remains to be seen [what they will accomplish], but in terms of talent, it’s certainly one of the best, if not the best.”

Talent notwithstanding, the statistical accomplishments of this year’s freshmen have been impressive enough. Headlining the group is attackman Greg Cohen, who leads the team in points (26) and assists (15) and is fifth in goals (11). He is second among Ivy League rookies in points, trailing Princeton’s Peter Trombino by just one.

Cohen has started every game for the Crimson, a feat that only five players have accomplished this season. He’s also the only one of the five who is not a defenseman or a goalie.

“Greg is a very quick learner, so it didn’t take him very long to make an impact on the college game,” said junior attackman Mike McBride, who was praised by Cohen for his mentoring efforts.

“Even if Greg wasn’t fully developed, his physical skills—his speed and athleticism—put him over the top,” said Anderson. “The big variable is that you don’t know how they will adapt to the change in the level of competition.”

Cohen’s entrance into college lacrosse was eased by the experience he gained while playing for the U.S. Under-19 National Team in 2003 as well as for the Long Island Empire lacrosse team in 2002 and 2003. Cohen also credits his brother—sophomore attackman Steve Cohen—with helping him make a smooth transition.

“Steve’s year last year was basically my year this year,” said Greg. “We talked almost every day. He told me what to expect.”

While Greg’s accomplishments are impressive, they are far from the only contributions of a freshman class that features three of the top eight point scorers on the team.

Like Greg, Brian Mahler entered Harvard having played attack during his high school career. However, unlike Greg, Mahler found himself playing midfield for a majority of the season, due to injuries as well as an excess of talented attackmen.

Despite the difficulty of adjusting to a new position, Mahler has flourished. He has recorded nine goals and three assists, including a second-half hat trick in the Crimson’s 12-10 win over Brown on April 13th.

“We recruit offensive players,” said Anderson. “That’s how we think of them. Physically, Brian is more suited for midfield. He’s better at operating in space and he gets up and down the field well.”

“Brian is a great athlete, so I knew he’d have no problem switching [positions],” added Greg. “Maybe in the future he’ll be back at attack.”

Mahler credits tri-captain Jeff Gottschall with easing his transition to the new position.