Buffalo's Byrne, Vancouver's Dilks, Halifax's Withers and Toronto's Rose Take NLL Positional Player of the Year Awards
May 16, 2024 - National Lacrosse League (NLL) News Release
PHILADELPHIA - Today the National Lacrosse League (@NLL) announced the winners of its 2023-24 regular season positional Player of the Year awards:
Offensive Player of the Year: Josh Byrne, Buffalo Bandits
Defensive Player of the Year: Ryan Dilks, Vancouver Warriors
Transition Player of the Year: Jake Withers, Halifax Thunderbirds
Goaltender of the Year: Nick Rose, Toronto Rock
Byrne led the NLL in points with 135, placing third in goals (53) and second in assists (82). He surpassed the career 200 goals and 400 points marks while helping the Bandits win six of their last seven games to earn the No. 4 seed in the NLL Playoffs in defense of their 2023-24 title. This is the first year of the NLL Offensive Player of the Year Award.
Dilks collected his second Defensive Player of the Year honor, having won in 2016 as a member of the Saskatchewan Rush. This year, he led the NLL in caused turnovers (46) while nabbing a career-high 102 loose ball recoveries and posting 14 blocked shots in his first year with the Warriors. He surpassed 800 career loose ball recoveries and 300 caused turnovers for his career, and was a major force in a late-season resurgence that saw the Warriors nearly grab a playoff berth after a 2-8 start.
Withers, a first-time winner of the Transition Player of the Year award, was the NLL's runaway leader in loose ball recoveries: his 282 total grabs surpassed the next closest competitor by nearly 100. Withers also led the NLL in total face offs won (360) and faceoff win percentage (74%, minimum 25 faceoffs). He also notched seven goals and nine assists and contributed 28 caused turnovers and 12 blocks.
Rose, another first-time positional winner, helped the Rock to the League's best regular season record at 15-3 with an NLL-best 9.18 goals against average and 81% save percentage. The 16-year NLL veteran had one of his greatest seasons to date, earning the 100th win of his career on February 4.
Below are the all-time winners of the Defensive Player of the Year Award:
2024 - Ryan Dilks, Vancouver Warriors
2023 - Latrell Harris, Toronto Rock
2022 - Mitch de Snoo, Toronto Rock
2020 - Graeme Hossack, Halifax Thunderbirds
2019 - Graeme Hossack, Rochester Knighthawks
2018 - Graeme Hossack, Rochester Knighthawks
2017 - Jason Noble, Georgia Swarm
2016 - Ryan Dilks, Saskatchewan Rush
2015 - Kyle Rubisch - Edmonton Rush
2014 - Kyle Rubisch - Edmonton Rush
2013 - Kyle Rubisch - Edmonton Rush
2012 - Kyle Rubisch - Edmonton Rush
2011 - Pat McCready, Rochester Knighthawks
2010 - Sandy Chapman, Toronto Rock
2009 - Billy Dee Smith, Buffalo Bandits
2008 - Ryan Cousins, Minnesota Swarm
2007 - Ryan Cousins, Minnesota Swarm
2006 - Brodie Merrill, Portland Lumberjax
2005 - Andrew Turner, Rochester Knighthawks
2004 - Cam Woods, San Jose Stealth & Taylor Wray, Calgary Roughnecks
2003 - Jim Moss, Albany Attack
2002 - Pat Coyle, Toronto Rock
Below are the all-time winners of the Transition Player of the Year Award:
2024 - Jake Withers, Halifax Thunderbirds
2023 - Zach Currier, Calgary Roughnecks
2022 - Zach Currier, Calgary Roughnecks
2020 - Challen Rogers, Toronto Rock
2019 - Challen Rogers, Toronto Rock
2018 - Joey Cupido, Colorado Mammoth
2017 - Brodie Merrill, Toronto Rock
2016 - Brad Self, Rochester Knighthawks
2015 - Joey Cupido, Colorado Mammoth
2014 - Jordan MacIntosh, Minnesota Swarm
2013 - Jordan MacIntosh, Minnesota Swarm
2012 - Andrew Suitor, Minnesota Swarm
2011 - Jeff Shattler, Calgary Roughnecks
2010 - Brodie Merrill, Edmonton Rush
2009 - Brodie Merrill, Portland Lumberjax
2008 - Mark Steenhuis, Buffalo Bandits
2007 - Steve Toll, Rochester Knighthawks
Below are the all-time winners of the Goaltender of the Year Award:
2024 - Nick Rose, Toronto Rock
2023 - Christian Del Bianco, Calgary Roughnecks
2022 - Matt Vinc, Buffalo Bandits
2020 - Doug Jamieson, New England Black Wolves
2019 - Matt Vinc, Rochester Knighthawks
2018 - Matt Vinc, Rochester Knighthawks
2017 - Dillon Ward, Colorado Mammoth
2016 - Evan Kirk, New England Black Wolves
2015 - Matt Vinc, Rochester Knighthawks
2014 - Matt Vinc, Rochester Knighthawks
2013 - Matt Vinc, Rochester Knighthawks
2012 - Mike Poulin, Calgary Roughnecks
2011 - Matt Vinc, Rochester Knighthawks
2010 - Matt Vinc, Orlando Titans
2009 - Ken Mountour, Buffalo Bandits
2008 - Bob Watson, Toronto Rock
2007 - Anthony Cosmo, San Jose Stealth
2006 - Steve Dietrich, Buffalo Bandits
2005 - Steve Dietrich, Buffalo Bandits
2004 - Gee Nash, Colorado Mammoth
2003 - Pat O'Toole, Rochester Knighthawks
2002 - Rob Blasdell, Albany Attack
The NLL will continue to announce its award winners throughout the week, in advance of Friday's Game 1 of the 2024 NLL Finals presented by AXIA Time between the Buffalo Bandits and the Albany FireWolves (7 p.m., TSN, TSN+, ESPN+) from MVP Arena in Albany.
2023-24 NLL Awards announcement schedule and summary:
Monday, May 13
Executive of the Year - John Catalano, President and Chief Executive Officer, Halifax Thunderbirds
Tom Borrelli Award (Media Person of the Year) - Adam Levi, NLL.com, Inside Lacrosse
Tuesday, May 14
Sportsmanship Award - Lyle Thompson, Georgia Swarm
Teammate of the Year (via NLLPA) - Zack Greer, Las Vegas Desert Dogs
Wednesday, May 15
Les Bartley Award (Coach of the Year) - Glenn Clark, Albany FireWolves
General Manager of the Year - Glenn Clark, Albany FireWolves
Thursday, May 16
Offensive Player of the Year - Josh Byrne, Buffalo Bandits
Defensive Player of the Year - Ryan Dilks, Vancouver Warriors
Transition Player of the Year - Jake Withers, Halifax Thunderbirds
Goaltender of the Year - Nick Rose, Toronto Rock
Friday, May 17
Most Valuable Player and the All-NLL First and Second Teams
Rookie of the Year and the NLL All-Rookie Team
National Lacrosse League Stories from May 16, 2024
- Albany FireWolves Sign 10-Year-Old with Cancer to One-Day Contract - Albany FireWolves
- San Diego Seals Cap a Record-Breaking 14-Win Season with a Trip to the Semifinals - San Diego Seals
- Bandits vs. FireWolves: How to Watch, Schedule, and Storylines Ahead of the NLL Finals - Buffalo Bandits
- Ryan Dilks: Exceeding Expectations as NLL's Top Shutdown Defender - Vancouver Warriors
- Ryan Dilks Named 2023.24 NLL Defensive Player of the Year - Vancouver Warriors
- Nick Rose Wins NLL Goalie of the Year Award - Toronto Rock
- Withers Wins NLL's Transition Player of the Year Award - Halifax Thunderbirds
- Byrne Named NLL Offensive Player of the Year - Buffalo Bandits
- Buffalo's Byrne, Vancouver's Dilks, Halifax's Withers and Toronto's Rose Take NLL Positional Player of the Year Awards - NLL
- National Lacrosse League: Ten Things to Know for NLL Finals Presented by AXIA Time - NLL
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