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NLL National Lacrosse League

First and Second Team All-Pros Announced

May 9, 2007 - National Lacrosse League (NLL) News Release


The National Lacrosse League has revealed today the players named to the 2007 First and Second All-Pro Teams. First Team All-Pro consists of the three players with the highest number of votes for the 2007 MVP Award, plus the Transition Player of the Year, the Defensive Player of the Year and the Goaltender of the Year. Second Team All-Pro consists of the runner-up for the Goaltender of the Year Award and the players with the next five highest vote totals in the 2007 MVP voting.

2007 FIRST TEAM ALL PRO: (no particular order)

John Tavares, Buffalo Bandits - Forward

John Tavares scored 42 goals and added 61 assists for 103 points, finishing fourth in the league in points this season. The 2007 First Team All-Pro honors are the 13th First Team honors and the 15th overall All-Pro honors of the veterans career. Tavares scored nine power play goals, two short handed goals and collected 77 loose balls in 2007. The Bandits finished the regular season 10-6 and secured their fifth straight playoff berth.

John Grant, Rochester Knighthawks - Forward

John Grant led the NLL in both goals scored with 51 and points with 111 this season, leading the Knighthawks to a league best 14-2 record. His 60 total of assists was tied for second in the league and his five short handed goals was tied for best in the league. The veteran also tallied 14 power play goals and collected 81 loose balls. The 2007 All-Pro selection is the fifth First Team All-Pro honor of Grant's career and seventh overall All-Pro selection as he also previously won second team honors twice.

Dan Dawson, Arizona Sting - Forward

Dan Dawson finished third in the league with 47 goals in 2007 and tied for first with 60 assists. His 107 points was the second highest total in the league. He also scored 12 power play goals, one short handed goal and collected 65 loose balls this season. The Sting finished 9-7 and secured their third consecutive playoff berth. The First Team All-Pro selection is Dawson's Second first team honors and third overall all-pro honor.

Steve Toll, Rochester Knighthawks - Transition

Steve Toll won the first ever Transition Player of the Year Award this season and earns First Team All-Pro honors. Toll collected 38 points on 14 goals and 24 assists for the first place Knighthakws. The veteran finished third in the league with 177 loose balls, helping Rochester to a league best 14-2 record. The All-Pro selection is the first of Steve Toll's career.

Ryan Cousins, Minnesota Swarm - Defenseman

Ryan Cousins serves as captain for the Swarm and lead the team to a 9-7 record this season and to their second consecutive playoff berth. He was the Defensive Player of the Year this season. Playing every game for the Swarm in 2007, Cousins lead Minnesota with 108 loose balls and also scored 23 points on nine goals and 14 assists. It is the first All-Pro selection of Cousins' career and he becomes the first player in Swarm history to receive First Team All-Pro honors.

Anthony Cosmo, San Jose Stealth - Goaltender

Anthony Cosmo tallied the NLL's best goals-against average, allowing only 10.22 goals per game this season, and the league's best saves percentage, stopping 79.2% of the shots he faced in 2007. Cosmo logged the sixth most minutes (810:00) of any goalie this season. He tallied a record of 8-5 this season. Cosmo also notched two assists and collected 29 loose balls. The veteran goaltender anchored a Stealth defense that allowed fewer goals (170) than any other team in the league this season, helping the club to a 9-7 record. At 9-7 San Jose secured their first playoff berth since 2004. The All-Pro selection is the first of Cosmo's career.

2007 SECOND TEAM ALL-PRO:

Gavin Prout, Colorado Mammoth - Forward

Gavin Prout lead the Colorado Mammoth to a 12-4 record and to a Western Division regular season championship in 2007. He scored the sixth highest number of points in the league with 89 this season, on 30 goals and 59 assists. His 59 assists was the fourth highest in the league in 2007. The veteran also scored 11 power play goals and two short handed goals and collected 85 loose balls.

Colin Doyle, San Jose Stealth - Forward

Colin Doyle lead the San Jose Stealth to a 9-7 record this season and to the team's first playoff berth since 2004. Joining the team just prior to the season, Doyle sparked a Stealth turnaround that saw the team go from 5-11 last season to 9-7 this year, and secured a playoff berth. Doyle finished tied for fourth in the league with 59 assists and he added 22 goals for 81 points. His 81 points was good for 13th in the league. Doyle scored nine power play goals and two short handed goals and collected 58 loose balls this season. It is the fifth Second Team All-Pro honor of Doyle's career. Doyle also previously has three First Team honors, including NLL MVP in 2005.

Casey Powell, New York Titans - Forward

Casey Powell serves captain of the expansion New York Titans, helping the expansion team to four wins in their first NLL season. Powell scored 29 goals and added 51 assists for 80 points, playing 13 games for New York. He also scored eight power play goals and collected 90 loose balls. It is the first All-Pro selection of Powell's career.

Lewis Ratcliff, Calgary Roughnecks - Forward

Lewis Ratcliff finished the season second in the league with 50 goals in 2007. The veteran forward also added 54 assists and totaled the league's third best points total with 104. He finished second in the league with 17 power play goals this season and also added three short handed goals and collected 98 loose balls. Ratcliff helped lead the Roughnecks to a 9-7 record and to their fifth consecutive playoff berth. It's Ratcliff's second career All-Pro selection.

Shawn Williams, Rochester Knighthawks - Forward

Shawn Williams finished fifth in the league with 91 points in 2007 on 36 goals and 55 assists. He added 15 power play goals and three short handed goals. Williams helped the Knighthawks to a league best 14-2 record and to their 13th consecutive playoff berth. The All-Pro selection is his second career All-Pro selection.

Nick Patterson, Minnesota Swarm - Goaltender

Nick Patterson earns his second consecutive Second Team All-Pro honors. Patterson anchored the Swarm defense as the team went 9-7 and secured their second consecutive playoff berth .The Minnesota goaltender recorded a saves percentage of 77.5% and a goals against average of 11.43.

The award winners are chosen by a vote of the leagues coaches, general managers, and executives.

The league is announcing its season award winners leading up to the 2007 National Lacrosse League Championship presented by Edge Active Care on Saturday, May 12th. The game will be played at Jobing.com Arena in Glendale, Arizona at 4PM Eastern/1PM Pacific. The Rochester Knighthawks and the Arizona Sting will meet in the championship game. The game will be broadcast live on VERSUS in the US. In Canada, Sportsnet will air the game in all regions in a same-day tape delay broadcast at 7PM Eastern/4PM Pacific.

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