MLL Florida Launch

Looking Ahead to 2016

Published on September 24, 2015 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Florida Launch News Release


With the 2015 MLL season behind us, the road to the 2016 Championship has already begun for the Florida Launch.

The Launch goes into the 2015 offseason looking to build on the strong finish at the end of the 2015 regular season. The team won four of its last five games, including a decisive 18-11 victory over MLL Championship runner-up Rochester in the final week of the season and a 16-12 victory over the eventual MLL Champion New York Lizards.

After starting play as an expansion team in 2014, the Launch has posted back-to-back 5-9 seasons, missing the playoffs both years. However, despite the record, the Launch saw some impressive individual performances in 2015. MLL veteran Casey Powell tallied his 500th career point during the season, while budding superstars Kieran McArdle and Lyle Thompson each etched their names in the MLL record books as well. McArdle recorded the second most points in the league (and the 9th most all time in a single season) with 65, while Thompson tallied the fourth most points in a single season by a rookie ever with 38. Given the team's strong performance to close the 2015 season and the presence of top talent such as Kieran McArdle and Tucker Durkin on the roster, the Launch look poised to take the league by storm in 2016. McArdle and Durkin anchor an impressive roster for the Launch that also features 2014 MLL MVP Casey Powell, MLL veteran and All-Star Steven Brooks, and back-to-back Tewaaraton Trophy winner Lyle Thompson; all of whom tallied 30 or more points this past season.

With months to go until the Launch's roster is finalized for the 2016 season, there are still some areas the team will look to improve upon, specifically on the defensive side of the ball. Despite the team's strong finish to the season and the presence of top defenseman Tucker Durkin, 2015 saw the Launch go just 1-6 on the road, giving up an average of 15.5 goals per game in those six losses and an overall goal differential of -13 for the season. However, the Launch will have plenty of opportunities to improve on defense throughout the offseason, as well as add some extra firepower on offense to compliment McArdle, who led MLL with 47 goals in 2015, and Thompson who led all rookies with 22 goals.

While the start of the 2016 season is still seven long months away, the Launch has already pared down its roster down to 23 players, and will further cut it to 12 by October 7th prior to the MLL Expansion Draft. The draft is scheduled for November 17th in advance of the Atlanta Blaze joining the league as its newest expansion team. Following this, the Launch will have the chance to bolster its roster further with the MLL Supplemental Draft in December and the Collegiate Draft in early 2016.

It may still be too early to tell what lies in store for the Launch this offseason, but after only two seasons in the league and having to endure some growing pains as the league's newest franchise, things look to be changing. The Launch has weathered the storm and now looks ready to capitalize on its strong finish to the 2015 season with a trip to the 2016 MLL Championship.

Make sure you're there for all the 2016 action with your own season tickets! To reserve yours today call (561) 923-9067.

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Major League Lacrosse Stories from September 24, 2015


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