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NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Knighthawks Go with Offense at NLL Draft

September 26, 2016 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


The Rochester Knighthawks went with offense by selecting forwards Josh Currier and Kyle Jackson with the sixth and seventh overall picks in the 2016 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft. Rochester used five of its six selections Monday night to take offensive players.

The 23-year-old Currier, who was selected sixth overall, was a three-time 30-goal scorer during his Junior "A" career with the Peterborough Lakers. In four seasons with the hometown Lakers, Currier posted 124 goals and 102 assists for 226 points in 71 games.

"It's really exciting," Currier said. "I loved playing for 'Haser' (Mike Hasen) and Paul (Day) over the summer, so I'm really excited to play for them again. When you're growing up watching Lakers' games it's kind of something you strive to do when you're older. It makes you practice harder, play harder so you can get up to that level."

During his collegiate career, the righty finished his tenure at Virginia Wesleyan as one of the greatest players to ever play at the Division III school. He was the only Marlin to be named an All-American all four years, earning First Team honors in 2016, Second Team accolades in 2014, and Honorable Mention status in 2013 and 2015.

He graduated as the Old Dominion Athletic Conference's (ODAC) all-time leader in career points with 353. He also ranked third in goals with 214 and second in assists with 139. Three times he was chosen as the ODAC Player of the Year (2013, 2014 and 2016), while earning First Team All-ODAC honors all four seasons.

In 2016, he made school history by becoming the first Virginia Wesleyan College men's lacrosse player to be named State Player of the Year. He preceded that honor by receiving a South Region First Team selection as he topped the conference charts with 88 goals and was second with 32 assists. He also led Division III lacrosse in points per game (7.06) and goals per game (5.18).

Jackson joins the Knighthawks after being taken seventh overall and becomes the first player in University of Michigan history to be selected in the NLL Entry Draft. Jackson, who was a four-year starter, was Michigan's all-time leading scorer with 88 goals and 25 assists for 113 points.

"Hopefully I'll be able to put up a couple points here and there," Jackson said. "Having five of the top ten picks from The Hill Academy is not bad so a big shout out to that program."

While playing for the Wolverines, the 5-foot-10, 180-pound lefty was a two-time team Offensive MVP (2015-16), an All-ECAC First Team selection (2014), and Michigan's Most Valuable Player (2016). As a senior, he posted 29 goals in nine games and set a new single-season school record for points with 36.

Before leaving to play in Ann Arbor, Mich., the Sarnia, Ontario native played at The Hill Academy. Jackson also played five seasons of Junior "A" ball with the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves, where he notched eye-popping numbers. In 87 games, he recorded 140 goals and 118 assists for 198 points.

The Knighthawks acquired the 16th overall pick in a trade that sent Brad Self to the Buffalo Bandits. Self was a mainstay for five seasons in Rochester and won three Champion's Cups with the team.

"Brad was a big piece to the puzzle and was always ready and willing to do anything you asked him to do," Hasen said. "He did so much for us and he's going to be missed."

Lomas comes to Rochester after an impressive collegiate career at High Point University, where he was the first player in the school's Division I era to earn All-American honors three times. The lefty forward departed High Point as the program's most decorated student-athlete in its four years of NCAA competition. While at High Point, Lomas was a two-time Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Year and a three-time all-conference selection. The attackman was also the Panthers' all-time leading scorer with 159 career goals.

Lomas has been a point producer his entire box career. At the Junior "A" level, he completed his four-year stint with the Burlington Chiefs with back-to-back 80-point seasons. The 23-year-old Burlington, Ontario native will now bring his offensive talents to the Knighthawks.

With the 34th pick, the Knighthawks welcomed transition man Tyler Albrecht from Loyola University. Albrecht played four seasons with the Greyhounds. The 23-year-old Oakville, Ontario native won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2012 U19 FIL World Championships. He played his Junior "A" career in Burlington where he played in 41 games, putting up 47 goals and 51 assists from 2012-14.

The Knighthawks used their 43rd pick to take Luke Laszkiewicz. An all-NEC First Team honoree, Laszkiewicz posted his second consecutive 30-goal season after achieving the program's first since 2012 last season. He registered a point in every game, but one this season and set a new program record after he scored eight goals at Canisius.

The Oshawa, Ontario native wrapped up his career ranked second in the nation in goals per game (3.53) and fifth in points per game (4.60). He paced the NEC in both categories and was named NEC Player of the Week three times this year. Laszkiewicz set the new individual career record at RMU in games started (56) and secured second place on the all-time list in points (167). He ranks second in RMU history in goals (125), eighth in assists (42) and third in man-up goals (18). Laszkiewicz was named to the 2016 Northeast Conference All-Tournament Team.

With their final pick of the evening, Rochester took another lefty forward in Brine Rice. Rice played his Junior "A" career in Peterborough where he put up 34 points (14+20) in 19 games. The 20-year-old forward also won the 2015 NJCAA Championship with Onondaga and earned NJCAA Second Team All-American honors.

All of the newest Knighthawks are ready get the season going and take on training camp with hopes of cracking the roster and playing for one of the most successful franchises in the league.

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