Davey Emala Named 2015 Brine Most Improved Player
July 30, 2015 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL) News Release
BOSTON (July 30, 2015) - Major League Lacrosse and Brine Lacrosse have named Boston Cannons, attackman Davey Emala as the 2015 Brine Most Improved Player, as voted by MLL Head Coaches and General Managers.
"I am extremely honored and humbled to be chosen for this award. First, and most of all I have to thank my teammates, Coach Tucker, and the entire Boston Cannons organization for the opportunity and unwavering support throughout the season," said Emala. "While this is an individual award, I believe it reflects the mindset and attitude that this entire team embraced, starting with the first week of training camp."
Emala, a 2013 graduate of the University of North Carolina, was first drafted in the 2014 Supplemental Draft by the Charlotte Hounds as the 23rd overall selection. After playing in just three games for the Hounds in his rookie season and only two shots to show for it, he found himself teamless as the 2015 season approached.
Acquired by the Boston Cannons in the 2015 Supplemental Draft as the 12th overall selection, Emala was eager to prove himself and that he did. Making his Boston Cannons debut against the Denver Outlaws, Emala quickly showed his value, scoring two goals and adding an assist to the Week 1 victory over the reigning MLL Champions.
"The MLL is full of incredibly talented lacrosse players and athletes. I was determined to make an impact in some way. A really cool part about professional lacrosse is that it gives players the chance to work on their craft, and continue to develop parts of their game that maybe we're not even there in college. I really embraced this mindset, along with the fact that there is no substitute for hard work."
Over the course of the next six weeks, Emala put up consistent numbers, with 16 goals and 2 assists, as well as a 3 and 3 record, putting the Cannons at 4-3 through the midway mark of the season.
In Week 12 of the season, Emala came up big once again against the Outlaws, scoring six goals in the 22-9 victory. Emala's efforts on the offensive end led to a Player of the Game title, which marked his second time receiving the honor. The first came against Florida on May 30th.
Playing in all 14 games, Emala finished the season with 38 overall points trailing only Boston Captain, Will Manny (44pts). The Cannons newbie led the team in goals with a solid 33. Trailed again by Manny and his 28 goals.
"Davey is one of those players you love to see each week as he always has a smile on his face and truly enjoys being here and playing the game. He has made some unbelievable plays for us and he has sacrificed his body to make those plays," said Boston Cannons General Manager, Kevin Barney. "I couldn't be happier for him as a show of respect from the other coaches and GM's on what he has done this season."
Coming up behind Emala in the voting was Denver rookie, Mike Bocklet with 32 points. Bocklet, the oldest of the Bocklet brothers (Mike, Matt, and Chris all play for Denver) led the Outlaws in points with 48 (32g, 16a). Close behind Bocklet was Chesapeake goaltender, Tyler Fiorito who had a standout season, leading the League in saves (255) and save rate (.606).
2015 Brine Most Improved Player Voting Results
The Brine Most Improved Player of the Year is determined based on the total number of points each player receives from a voting panel of MLL Head Coaches and General Managers. Every vote is assigned a point total:
First place 5 points
Second place 3 points
Third place 1 point
Name Team 1ST Place Votes 2ND Place Votes 3RD Place Votes Total Points
Davey Emala Boston Cannons 7 2 1 42
Mike Bocklet Denver Outlaws 3 5 2 32
Tyler Fiorito Chesapeake Bayhawks 4 2 2 26
John Haus Charlotte Hounds 0 2 2 8
Craig Bunker Boston Cannons 0 2 2 8
Scott Ratliff Boston Cannons 0 1 2 5
Jackson Place Ohio Machine 0 1 1 4
Mike Stone NY Lizards 0 0 1 1
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from July 30, 2015
- Semi-Final Preview: Cannons v. Lizards - New York Lizards
- Davey Emala Named 2015 Brine Most Improved Player - MLL
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