Derek Keenan Named Assistant Coach at All Star Game
Published on February 2, 2011 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Edmonton Rush News Release
Edmonton, AB--- The National Lacrosse League has announced the coaching staffs for the 2011 All-Star Game, presented by the Oneida Indian Nation. The game takes place at the Turning Stone Arena at the Turning Stone Resort & Casino in Verona, New York on Sunday, February 27 at 2 PM Eastern.
Edmonton Rush GM/Head Coach Derek Keenan will be the assistant coach of the West Team. .
Keenan direct the Rush to its best-ever season in 2010, reaching a 10-6 regular-season record and the franchise's first berth in the NLL playoffs. In the playoffs, the Rush knocked off the defending Champion's Cup title-holders, the Calgary Roughnecks, in the West Division semifinal, and then took the eventual league-champion Washington Stealth to overtime in the West Division final.
By turning the Rush into a formidable foe against the rest of the league, Keenan was duly rewarded at the end of the 2010 season by being named the NLL's General Manager of the Year on top of sharing the honor of receiving the Les Bartley Award as the NLL Coach of the Year with Washington's Chris Hall. Both head coaches tied with seven first-place votes and a total of 43 points in voting cast by the league's coaches, general managers, and governors.
With that recognition, Keenan became the first two-time winner of the Les Bartley Award in league history, and he also became only the second two-time winner of the GM of the Year Award. Keenan previously won both the GM and Head Coach of the Year Awards in 2006 while guiding the expansion Portland LumberJax.
Troy Cordingley, head coach of the Toronto Rock will serve as head coach of the East Team, while the West Team will be coached by Chris Hall, head coach of the Washington Stealth. Both coaches led their teams to last season's Championship Game, where the Stealth prevailed, 15-11. Colorado Mammoth assistant coach Ed Comeau will be assistant coach of the East Team.
Fans can help select the All-Star Game starters by casting their ballot at NLL.com/AllStar through Sunday, February 6. The All-Star team selections will be announced next week.
The 2011 NLL All-Star game presented by the Oneida Indian Nation will be televised live nationally on VERSUS. Details relating to the Canadian telecast of the game will be announced in the near future.
The Rush will take to the field at Rexall Place on Friday, February 11 at 7:00 p.m. against the Washington Stealth, where fans will see the return of former Rush captain Chris McElroy.
National Lacrosse League Stories from February 2, 2011
- Washington Stealth Place Koesterer on Hold out List, Activate Snider - Washington Stealth
- Minnesota Swarm Hits the Road this Weekend to Take on Buffalo - Minnesota Swarm
- Wings Head to Rochester in Week 5 - Philadelphia Wings
- Mammoth Assistant Comeau Named All-Star Game Coach - Colorado Mammoth
- Knighthawks Shawn Evans Named to Team Canada Roster - Rochester Knighthawks
- Derek Keenan Named Assistant Coach at All Star Game - Edmonton Rush
- Riggers Nab Three NLL Player of the Week Honours - Calgary Roughnecks
- Watson Named Defensive Player of the Week - Toronto Rock
- Wings Goaltender Brandon Miller Wins Overall Player of the Week - NLL
- Wings Brandon Miller Named Player of the Week - Philadelphia Wings
- Knighthawks Continue Homestand Against Red-Hot Wings - Rochester Knighthawks
- Cordingley Will Lead East All-Stars - Toronto Rock
- Toronto and Washington Head Coaches to lead the East & West squads on February 27 - NLL
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