Merrill Named Warrior MLL Defensive Player Of The Year
Published on August 20, 2008 under Major League Lacrosse (MLL) News Release
BOSTON, Mass. - Major League Lacrosse, the premier professional lacrosse league, announced Wednesday that Rochester Rattlers defenseman Brodie Merrill has been named as the 2008 Warrior Defensive Player of the Year, according to Commissioner David Gross. The award was based on votes submitted by the general managers and head coaches of the ten MLL teams.
It is the third straight honor for Merrill, who has earned a season award in each of his first four seasons in the league. He is the first player in MLL history to be honored with the same award in three consecutive years. Merrill led the Rattlers to their second division title with a 9-3 record, including a five-game win streak to end the regular season.
In addition, the Rattlers earned the top seed in the upcoming NB ZIP MLL Championship Weekend, which will take place at Harvard Stadium on August 23 and 24.
A 2005 graduate of Georgetown University, Merrill ranked second on the team with 75 ground balls while leading all MLL defensemen with 18 points, scoring six goals with 12 assists. Merrill was honored as the MLL Defensive Player of the Week after leading the Rattlers to a victory over the New Jersey Pride on July 19 when he tallied a season-high 12 ground balls along with an assist. He also had 12 ground balls in the Rattlers' victory over Long Island on August 1.
Merrill scored two goals against Boston in the season opener on May 23 and against the Cannons on July 26 in a 26-19 victory at PAETEC Park. In the season finale against Chicago on August 10, Merrill recorded a goal with three assists.
Merrill won the award by just two points, beating out San Francisco Dragons defender Eric Martin. Merrill had 46 points, including five first place votes, while Martin tallied 44 points and earned six first place votes. Philadelphia Barrage defenseman Kyle Sweeney finished third in the voting with 40 points.
All-Time MLL Defensive Players of the Year 2001 Rob Doerr, Baltimore 2002 Christian Cook, New Jersey 2003 Ryan Curtis, Boston 2004 Nicky Polanco, Philadelphia 2005 Nicky Polanco, Long Island 2006 Brodie Merrill, Rochester 2007 Brodie Merrill, Rochester 2008 Brodie Merrill, Rochester
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