Peak performance: Molly Little of Denver now on national stage

Senior defender Molly Little (Tiverton, R.I.) is gearing up her fifth season at Denver. (University of Denver/Clarkson Creative)

Liza Kelly said she knew the University of Denver women’s lacrosse team was getting a good athlete and skilled player in Molly Little (Tiverton, R.I.) when the Tabor Academy alum transferred in from the University of Vermont following her freshman year.

The Denver head coach soon determined Little was someone she wanted out on the field every second possible. She switched Little from midfield to defense, and Little developed into one of the best defensive players in the country, who this fall earned an invitation from US Lacrosse to try out for the next Women’s World Championship.

“We look at our bench and talk about what kind of players we cannot do without on the field," Kelly said. "Molly was one of those players. While Molly is certainly an amazing midfielder, for her game to really explode she needed to focus on one end of the field. When we got her into that defensive position, she became like a bat out of hell.”