A Dozen Nationals Named to Team Canada's 51-Man Roster
October 2, 2013 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Hamilton Nationals News Release
The Canadian National Team has narrowed their team from 97 to 51 players and it's no surprise that the Hamilton Nationals are well represented with 12 total players on the roster.
The list, which includes 23 MLL players, is headed by 2013 Warrior MVP Award winner Kevin Crowley of the Nationals. The New Westminster, B.C. native led the league with 55 points this past season and also won the 2013 Brine Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Also leading the way for the Canadians is 38-year-old John Grant Jr. The 2013 Championship MVP has showed no signs of slowing down in recent years and will likely make a huge impact in the 2014 games. Impressive league rookies Logan Schuss and Cam Flint will look to make an impression on a very young team, while Nationals veteran Brodie Merrill was named to his eighth-straight MLL All-Pro Team. Merrill also won the Best Defender Award at the 2006 Championships.
Joining Merrill and Crowley on Team Canada are Nationals teammates Jordan Hall, Stephen Keogh, Jason Noble, Dillon Ward, Garrett Billings, MJ Kiekebelt, Reid Acton, Evan Kirk, Rhys Duch and Kyle Rubisch.
Seven of the eight MLL teams have players on the training roster, with the Chesapeake Bayhawks as the lone team out. Besides Hamilton, Denver has three players on the roster, while New York, Ohio and Rochester have two each. The 51 players will get to showcase their stuff this weekend with intra-squad match-ups against the University of Denver, Robert Morris University and Canisius College.
"It's a great feeling to be invited with such a talented group of players," said Keogh. "It has been a dream of mine to represent Canada and I look forward to giving my all at camp and hopefully getting the chance to put on the jersey."
The roster will eventually be cut to 23 men who will compete at the 2014 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championships on July 10-19, 2014 in Denver.
The 23 MLL players on the Canadian preliminary roster are listed below alphabetically with professional teams or college experience.
Reid Acton, Hamilton Nationals/Minnesota Swarm
Garrett Billings, Hamilton Nationals/Toronto Rock*
Kevin Crowley, Hamilton Nationals/Philadelphia Wings
Angus Dineley, Rochester Rattlers/Philadelphia Wings*
Rhys Duch, Hamilton Nationals/Washington Stealth*
David Earl, New York Lizards/Minnesota Swarm
Cam Flint, Boston Cannons/Minnesota Swarm
John Grant Jr., Denver Outlaws/Colorado Mammoth*^+#
Zack Greer, Denver Outlaws/Edmonton Rush*
Jordan Hall, Hamilton Nationals/Philadelphia Wings*
Stephen Keogh, Hamilton Nationals/Rochester Nighthawks
MJ Kiekebelt, Hamilton Nationals
Evan Kirk, Hamilton Nationals/Philadelphia Wings*
Jordan MacIntosh, Rochester Rattlers/Minnesota Swarm
Kiel Matisz, Ohio Machine/Minnesota Swarm
Brodie Merrill, Hamilton Nationals/Philadelphia Wings*^
Mark Matthews, New York Lizards/Edmonton Rush
Jason Noble, Hamilton Nationals/Minnesota Swarm
Dillon Roy, Denver Outlaws
Kyle Rubisch, Hamilton Nationals/Philadelphia Wings
Geoff Snider, Charlotte Hounds/Calgary Roughnecks*^
Logan Schuss, Ohio Machine/Minnesota Swarm
Dillon Ward, Hamilton Nationals/Colorado Mammoth
* 2010 Canadian men's national team member
^ 2006 Canadian men's national team member
+ 2002 Canadian men's national team member
# 1998 Canadian men's national team member
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from October 2, 2013
- Ohio Machine Announces Extension with OWU, Launch of New Ticketing Platform - Ohio Machine
- A Dozen Nationals Named to Team Canada's 51-Man Roster - Hamilton Nationals
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