Bayhawks Announce 40-Man Roster
Published on February 25, 2009 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Chesapeake Bayhawks News Release
Washington, DC -- The Washington Bayhawks of Major League Lacrosse (MLL) announced their 40-man roster today according to Bayhawks General Manager Scott Hiller. The roster features many new players from Annapolis and the DC Metro Area. The Bayhawks will play at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, MD during the 2009 season.
"We are thrilled with all of the new players we have acquired," said Hiller. "We have a great group of young stars and successful veterans. There are many local players who are happy to be back home and give their friends and family the chance to see them play."
Two exciting players will be joining the Bayhawks in 2009 who are happy to be returning to the Naval Academy. Goalie Matt Russell and midfielder Graham Gill are both Navy alums. Russell is on his second tour with the Bayhawks. He was drafted by the Bayhawks in the fifth round of the 2006 MLL Collegiate Draft. Russell played in five games and was named MLL Rookie of the Week for his performance in his first MLL start against the Boston Cannons. Russell played in 2007 with the LA Riptide. In six games he posted a .563 save percentage. Russell missed the 2008 due to his military commitment, and he is currently on active duty abroad serving as a first lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. Gill is a 2005 Navy alumnus and played for the Riptide in 2006 and 2007. He also missed the 2008 season due to his Navy commitment, but he is currently stationed in the United States. In 20 career games, Gill has posted 36 goals, 1 two-point goal, and 18 assists for a total of 55 points. He has also recorded 132 ground balls.
The Bayhawks have added many MLL players that have roots in Annapolis. Midfielder Justin Smith graduated high school from St. Vincent Pallotti and played college lacrosse at Salisbury. Smith began his career with the Rochester Rattlers, but spent the last three seasons with the Philadelphia Barrage. In 35 games Smith has compiled 52 goals and 17 assists. He was also named as a Division III First Team All-American during his senior season in 2005. Another Annapolis native, Zack Burke played high school lacrosse at St. Mary's and collegiately at UMBC. He is currently the head coach of Spalding in Annapolis.
A pair of legendary MLL attackmen that have played in the league since its inception in 2001 will be joining the Bayhawks in 2009. Jesse Hubbard and Scott Urick are both DC natives that played together for the New Jersey Pride before Hubbard was traded to the Riptide in 2008. Hubbard is a St. Albans graduate and played at Princeton. In 2008, Hubbard played in 11 games and scored 26 goals and 41 points. He is a member of the US Lacrosse Potomac Chapter Hall of Fame. Urick is the son of Georgetown head coach Dave Urick, and he played at Robinson before attending Georgetown and playing for his father. Urick has spent his entire career with the New Jersey Pride, and has posted 202 career goals and 258 career points in 97 MLL games.
Joining these two veterans on the Bayhawks roster are 2007 and 2008 MLL Cascade Rookies of the Year Alex Smith and Kevin Huntley. Smith, a face-off specialist for the Rochester Rattlers, won the award in 2007 after being drafted third overall in the MLL Collegiate Draft. Smith has compiled a .605 face-off winning percentage in over 700 face-offs in two years, and he led all MLL face-off specialists in 2008 in winning percentage. Huntley was drafted by the LA Riptide in the second round of the 2008 Collegiate Draft. He recorded 30 goals and 5 assists in 9 games en route to the Rookie of Year award. Huntley graduated from Johns Hopkins and helped lead the Blue Jays to the 2007 NCAA championship.
Jake Byrne is another local attackman that the Bayhawks have added to their roster. Byrne scored 20 goals in 12 games with the San Francisco Dragons in 2008. He graduated from Johns Hopkins in 2007 and was a teammate of Huntley's on the national title team. Byrne played in high school at Landon in Bethesda, MD.
The Bayhawks added a total of 18 players to their roster on Tuesday. The other players added were attackman Jed Prossner (Philadelphia Barrage), midfielders Ben Rubeor (Long Island Lizards), Lucius Polk (LA Riptide), Josh Funk (LA Riptide), Dan Chemotti (New Jersey Pride), Pat Heim (Chicago Machine), Ryan Cranston (San Francisco Dragons), and defensemen Trey Whitty (La Riptide) and Kyle Sweeney (Philadelphia Barrage).
The Bayhawks lost three players during the reallocation process. Attackman Matt Ward was moved to the Long Island Lizards. In three seasons with the Bayhawks, Ward led all active Bayhawks in career goals and points as a Bayhawk. He was named the 2006 MLL Cascade Rookie of the Year after being drafted fourth overall in the 2006 MLL Collegiate Draft. Ward currently resides in New York, NY. Brendan Healy, another three year Bayhawk veteran, will play for the Chicago Machine in 2009. Healy is currently in law school at Ohio State University. Healy scored 38 goals and 48 points over his three seasons with the Bayhawks. The third player to change teams was rookie Matt Bocklet. Bocklet resides in Dallas, TX and will now play for the Denver Outlaws. Bocklet was drafted by the Bayhawks in the second round of the 2008 Collegiate Draft.
MLL rosters have been increased from 35 players to 40 players for the 2009 spring training camps to accommodate the MLL player reallocation. To make roster space for the new players, the Bayhawks released midfielders Kevin Boland and Charles Gessner. Boland played in two games for the Bayhawks in 2008 after being acquired in a mid-season trade with the Pride. Gessner was drafted in the 2008 Supplemental Draft by the Bayhawks.
Bayhawks season tickets for all six home games are available now. Don't miss your chance to reserve the best seats for the fastest game on two feet. Group packages, team and corporate outings, and single game tickets are also available. To reserve your season tickets, contact the Bayhawks ticket office at 866-99-HAWKS (42957) or by going to the Bayhawks website at www.washingtonbayhawks.com.
Major League Lacrosse Stories from February 25, 2009
- Discounted Season Tickets - Boston Cannons
- Bayhawks Announce 40-Man Roster - Chesapeake Bayhawks
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