STONY BROOK, N.Y. — During the first practice after last year's season opener against Penn State, Wayne White awkwardly landed on his right foot while diving in the crease.

"I knew something was wrong," said White, a Stony Brook men's lacrosse midfielder. "I got up and I couldn't cut anymore. It hurt a lot."

White had fractured the fifth metatarsal at the base of the pinkie toe, resulting in season-ending surgery the following week.

Now recovered, White again is being counted upon to play a pivotal role with the Seawolves, who open their season on Feb. 11 against St. John's at Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium.

White had appeared in 29 games over his first two seasons with Stony Brook, tallying a combined 23 goals and 12 assists in 2017 and '18.

"Wayne is dynamic athletically," first-year head coach Anthony Gilardi said. "He can be our best defensive midfielder. He's our best offensive midfielder at times. He can do a little bit of anything. He's explosive. He's got a good IQ and good feel for the game."

That on-field intelligence also translates to the classroom.

White, now a redshirt junior, is on track to graduate in May with a bachelor's degree in health science.

Armed with an extra year of eligibility because he was limited to one game a season ago, the 6-foot, 195-pound White intends to remain at Stony Brook next academic year in a to-be-determined master's program. He then intends to attend to nursing school.

White's mother Felicia had worked in the pharmaceutical industry.

"So that's always something I wanted to be in," he said. "And I like taking care of people and helping people out."

A Huntington native, White graduated from John Glenn High School, where he was an all-state selection in football and played quarterback and cornerback. He drew football interest from Division I programs including Sacred Heart, Albany, Maine and Rhode Island, but he had resolved to play lacrosse in college.

As for his recovery from the broken bone in his foot, White needed three months to begin feeling comfortable walking and jogging. A month later, he began cutting and fully running.

He definitely had to shake off some rust this past fall.

"The first practice, dodging and going full speed, I was tripping a little bit," White recalled with a laugh. "After a while I got used to it."
 
White's personal highlight from his Stony Brook tenure so far came his freshman season, when the team won 25-17 at ninth-ranked Brown. White contributed two goals and an assist in that Feb. 25, 2017, game.

He particularly prides himself on his dodging skill.

"I feel like dodging is my best contribution to the team — drawing slides and helping people get open," he said.