Max Zwolan approached Adam Nolan at a summer lacrosse practice in 2006. Nolan, then a senior captain of the Pioneer High School lacrosse team, was taken aback that Zwolan, an incoming freshman, didn’t appear intimidated.

When Zwolan was moved to varsity for the playoffs that spring, he didn’t hesitate to sponge whatever information he could from Nolan.

“I remember him coming up to me and introducing himself, not afraid to talk to a senior, just right away wanting to get better,” Nolan said. “I acknowledged that and took it upon myself to help him out.”

Four years later, and that eager student of the game is now the one younger teammates flock to for advice.

Among Zwolan’s list of accolades and accomplishments, which include being a three-year starter, three-time all-state defender and 2010 Washtenaw County AnnArbor.com player of the year, Zwolan is most proud to have been twice voted a captain by teammates.

“After my sophomore year, it was really a nice surprise that they believed in me and trusted me,” Zwolan said. “This past year, to be a senior, it was an honor to come out and show the younger guys how Pioneer does things.”

Another point of pride for Zwolan - who hopes to one day be a teacher and lacrosse coach - he’s had players he’s coached at the youth level join him in the varsity ranks, as sophomores Dylan Swanson and Mike Jones did this year.

Zwolan was their coach when he was in eighth grade.

“Junior year (Swanson) made varsity, and it was great to see (Jones) ended up starting for us as a sophomore,” said Zwolan, who had an excuse when he occasionally got burnt by the budding offensive star, Swanson.

“Maybe Dylan got by me and I would say, ‘Oh, I taught him that,’ ” Zwolan said. “It was fun to get a chance to play with them and to see some younger players stick with it.”

The 6-foot-2 Zwolan is the latest in a long succession of Pioneer players - such as Nolan and Paul and Pat Stansik - with the size, ball skills and athleticism to contribute on the offensive end, who play defense.

“We’ve had a proud tradition of having excellent close defensemen,” Pioneer coach Darren Millman said. “Some teams might focus their best athletes on other positions, but it’s always been my position to have an athletic and skilled defense.”

According to Millman, Zwolan’s shot is among the best on the team, which the Pioneers took advantage of in power-play situations.

“He was not just the best defenseman on our team, he was the best player on our team,” Millman said.

Zwolan’s father, Tom Zwolan, lettered in baseball at Purdue from 1979-82, and his mother, Terry Zwolan, played softball in high school. Max grew up loving baseball, but when he had to choose baseball or lacrosse, lacrosse won in a runaway.

“He realized I was leaning that way and he was more excited,” than if the choice had been baseball, Zwolan said. “He’s a huge lacrosse junkie now, reading up on all the latest news and everything.”

Zwolan will continue his career next year at University of Detroit-Mercy, the state’s first NCAA Division 1 program.

“For me, Detroit was a great opportunity,” Zwolan said. “There’s a really big East Coast bias (in lacrosse) it’s nice to represent the Midwest and help bring up the sport in the state and show that we can be just as good the players out there. … It’s a little extra motivation.”

At Detroit-Mercy, Zwolan will have a familiar face to garner advice. Nolan is a senior defender for the Titans.

“I think it’s rather cool,” Nolan said. “It brings Detroit Mercy out as well shows that they’re looking at public schools as well as private and gets (Pioneer) families excited about their sons for the future.”

“I give him a lot of credit, he gave me things to work on where I need to go as a player, he was a great role model for me,” Zwolan said. “I’m looking forward to playing with him.”

Nolan says, while he’ll be happy to embrace the mentor role again, it’ll be a little different on the practice field this time.

“Now I’ll be competing with him for playing time,” Nolan said. “It’s going to be fun competing with him for that spot.”

Pete Cunningham covers sports for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached by e-mail at petercunningham@annarbor.com, or by phone at 734-623-2561. Follow him on Twitter @petcunningham.