Hounds Trim Roster to 12 in Advance of MLL Expansion Draft
October 8, 2015 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Charlotte Hounds News Release
BOSTON, MA (Oct. 8, 2015) - Major League Lacrosse today announced its 10 or 12-Man Protected Rosters for 2016, provided by the coaches and general managers of each team. If a team protected two goalies, they were only allowed to keep a total of 10 players. If one or no goalies were protected, teams were allowed to increase their roster to 12 men. These lists are parred down from the 23-man protected rosters turned in on September 9. Charlotte's 12 players are listed below along with key statistical contributions made during the 2015 season.
Mike Chanenchuk (#1, M) - The second-year pro missed the first four games of the 2015 season with a lingering injury from the offseason. Upon return, Chanenchuk made immediate contributions to the midfield. He finished the year with 14 goals, including his first 2-point tally, and seven assists. In a July 3 match at the Florida Launch, Chanenchuk recorded a personal best of four goals.
Kevin Crowley (#21, M) - The Hounds acquired the 2013 league MVP in a trade with the Chesapeake Bayhawks just prior to the 12-man roster deadline on Oct. 7. Only able to appear in six Bayhawks games last season, the midfielder posted five goals and five assists. During his MVP season with the now defunct Hamilton Nationals, Crowley amassed 38 goals (three 2-pointers) and 14 assists for 55 points. He was the first overall selection in the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft.
Kevin Cunningham (#29, A) - A trade with the Florida Launch in May 2015 brought the attackman to Charlotte. He immediately improved the offense, tallying 13 goals and 10 assists in nine games. Cunningham added another three goals and two assists in three games with the Launch prior to the trade. During the Hounds' June 27 victory over the Denver Outlaws, Cunningham recorded a personal best seven points, with four goals and three assists.
Kevin Drew (#19, M) - Drew has been with the Hounds since 2013 and remains a key piece in the team's transition play and on the faceoff wing. In 14 games last season, the d-middie collected five goals, two assists and 23 groundballs. He also earned Week 3 Warrior Defensive Player of the Week honors following a 12-11 overtime victory against the Cannons in Boston.
Michael Ehrhardt (#28, D) - A nagging knee injury caused the second-year pro to miss three games in 2015, but that didn't prevent Ehrhardt from having an all-star like season. The defenseman finished the year with seven goals (two 2-pointers), one assist and 47 groundballs. The groundball total is more than double what he recorded in his rookie season, despite only playing in two more games. During the team's 13-12 upset of the New York Lizards on June 20, Ehrhardt made a smart play in the last 20 seconds after a holding penalty on the Hounds by not picking up the ball, killing some of the clock and solidifying the Hounds victory.
Ryan Flanagan (#24, D) - Named an MLL All-Star for the fourth straight season, the long pole is a force to reckon with on the faceoff wing. His 48 groundballs in 2015 were second only to faceoff specialist Brendan Fowler. Flanagan also scored a personal best three goals last season, including two against the Denver Outlaws on May 3.
Brendan Fowler (#3, M/FO) - Faceoffs were one of the Hounds' biggest improvements in 2015. Fowler was a lone soldier at the X, taking 411 draws and winning 207 (50.4%). The second-year pro, who lead the team with 94 groundballs, earned his first MLL All-Star nod in 2015. Fowler's best performance came in a June 27 victory over the Denver Outlaws, when the specialist went 20-26 (76.9%) at the X. He was twice named MLL's FOA-thlete of the Week, presented by the Faceoff Academy.
John Haus (#26, M) - Serving as team captain, Haus had a breakout season in 2015 and was selected to his first MLL All-Star Game. He recorded 26 goals (one 2-pointer) and six assists for 33 points, which ranked second on the team. The midfielder had back-to-back four point games on May 30 and June 5. There was only one game in 2015 in which Haus failed to record a point.
Will Haus (#6, M) - The younger brother of team captain John Haus, Will was the Hounds' first pick in the 2015 Collegiate Draft (third overall). A talented two-way midfielder, Haus finished the year with three goals, three assists and 13 groundballs in 10 games.
Joey Sankey (#11, A) - Voted 2015 Cascade Rookie of the Year, Sankey averaged 3.8 points per game for the Hounds last season. He finished the year with a team-high 34 points (22 goals, one 2-pointer, 11 assists) despite playing in only nine games. Sankey tied the Hounds' single-game record of eight points in his May 23 debut, tallying five goals and three assists. He was twice named Cascade Rookie of the Week and earned a place in the 2015 MLL All-Star Game. Sankey was the Hounds' second pick (ninth overall) in the Collegiate Draft.
Brett Schmidt (#44, D) - Schmidt has been a steady presence on the Hounds defense since 2012. He missed two games with a groin injury in 2015, but still managed to put up two goals and one assist while collecting 28 groundballs. Schmidt did lead the team in penalty minutes last year, recording 10.5 in the box.
Garrett Thul (#9, A) - The Hounds selected Thul with the first overall pick in the 2015 MLL Supplemental Draft. Due to military obligations, Thul spent most of the season on the Military Inactive List. The lefty attackman was activated late in the year and joined the team for the July 25 season finale at Chesapeake, where he recorded one 2-point goal.
The 2016 MLL Expansion Draft will be held on Wednesday, Nov. 18, at 2:00pm ET via conference call. The Expansion Draft will consist of 15 total rounds, where the Atlanta Blaze will make 15 straight picks, barring any trades. The 2016 MLL Supplemental Draft will follow one month later on Wednesday, Dec. 16, at 2:00pm ET via conference call. The Supplemental Draft will give teams the opportunity to build-out their protected rosters to a 40-man preseason roster.
The final opportunity for the Hounds and other MLL teams to round out their rosters will be the 2016 MLL Collegiate Draft. Typically held in conjunction with the US Lacrosse National Convention, the MLL has not yet announced a date or location for the 2016 Collegiate Draft. MLL training camps will begin in late March, with a 25-man active roster and 6-man practice squad to be determined the week before the first games are played. The MLL season will commence in mid- to late-April.
To place a 2016 ticket deposit, call 704-206-1515 or visit www.charlottehounds.com/tickets. Your $25 seat deposit can be applied to season tickets, mini plans or single-game tickets.
• Discuss this story on the Major League Lacrosse message board...
Major League Lacrosse Stories from October 8, 2015
- Cannons Announce Protected Roster for Next Month's Expansion Draft - Boston Cannons
- Dave Lawson Joins New York as Ned Crotty Heads to Rochester - New York Lizards
- Lizards Announce 12-Man Protected Roster - New York Lizards
- BayHawks Announce 12 Man Protected Expansion Draft Roster - Chesapeake Bayhawks
- Denver Outlaws Announce 12-Man Protected Roster - Denver Outlaws
- Machine Announces 12-Man Protected List Ahead of Expansion Draft - Ohio Machine
- Hounds Trim Roster to 12 in Advance of MLL Expansion Draft - Charlotte Hounds
- Florida Launch Makes Major Cuts to Roster - Florida Launch
- BayHawks Receive High Draft Choices for Kevin Crowley - Chesapeake Bayhawks
- Cannons Hire New Head Coach - Boston Cannons
- Hounds Acquire Kevin Crowley at MLL Roster Deadline - Charlotte Hounds
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
