MLL Names Mike Chanenchuk Maverick Most Improved Player of 2016
August 11, 2016 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Charlotte Hounds News Release
BOSTON, MA - Major League Lacrosse today announced that Charlotte Hounds midfielder Mike Chanenchuk has been named 2016's Maverick Most Improved Player. The award is voted on by head coaches and general manager of each of the league's nine teams.
The 2016 season featured several standout players, but Chanenchuk earned the honor with 36 points. Atlanta Blaze attack Kevin Rice finished second with 28 points, and Chesapeake Bayhawks attack Brendan Mundorf was third with 25 points. First place votes are worth five points, second place worth three and third place worth one.
"For the other coaches and teams to recognize me as improved in this league is definitely a true honor," said Chanenchuk. "There's so many good players, I look at it as an All-Star Game every weekend. You're going up against All-Americans and All-Pros and guys on the USA Team. So being recognized for working hard in the offseason and getting back and keeping it going is definitely a great honor."
Chanenchuk finished the regular-season with a personal best 53 points, just one shy of team leader Joey Sankey (54). He set a new Hounds single-season record for goals scored, notching a team-high 34, including two 2-pointers, over the 14-game season. The previous team record was 33 goals, set by Matt Danowski in 2013. In addition, Chanenchuk tallied 17 assists and a shot-on-goal percentage of 47.2%.
The Hounds drafted Chanenchuk out of the University of Maryland with the 11th overall pick in the 2014 Collegiate Draft. In his first two MLL seasons, Chanenchuk played in 19 games, recording 25 goals (one 2-pointer) and 12 assists for a total of 36 points. The midfielder's previous single-game highs were four points, four goals and two assists.
In 2016, Chanenchuk tallied five or more points in five different games. He set a new personal best for goals in a single game, scoring six against both the Denver Outlaws on July 30 and Atlanta Blaze on July 1. He added two assists against Atlanta for a new high of eight points in a single game. There also were two games in which Chanenchuk earned three assists.
Several adjustments were made in the most recent Hounds offseason that seemed to benefit Chanenchuk and the team as a whole. Not only did the Hounds roster get shuffled in 2016, but the team made a major coaching change as well. Mike Cerino moved to the General Manager role, while MLL veteran Jim Stagnitta was brought in as Head Coach.
"Coach Stagnitta doesn't care if you're first on the depth chart or last, everybody has to play together and be unselfish and run a system," said Chanenchuk. "When we do buy into that, we are successful. So he holds everyone accountable and if you're not doing what you're supposed to be doing, then you're not going to play. We are young this year but we have some veteran leaders that have been on the team or around the league a little bit more with John Haus, (Kevin) Crowley, and now (Joey) Sankey and myself. But I think we've been a lot more unselfish this year and spread the ball around a lot. When we are unselfish and patient we've been a lot more successful."
In addition to new teammates and a new coaching staff, the 2016 season was the first in which Chanenchuk was truly 100% healthy. Coming out of college the midfielder was playing with a small fracture in his wrist, which was corrected after the 2014 MLL season concluded. Prior to the 2015 season, Chanenchuk had meniscus surgery and missed the first four Hounds game. Even when he returned to action he wasn't at full strength.
"I think that is definitely one of the biggest reasons for why I was able to play a lot better this year," said Chanenchuk. "Being able to stay healthy throughout the offseason and come in this year in great shape has helped tremendously."
The Hounds finished the 2016 season at 8-6 and advanced to the postseason as the No. 4 seed. The team will face the top-seeded Ohio Machine (8-6) at National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine, MN, on Saturday, Aug. 13. Faceoff is scheduled for 6:30pm ET and the game will be broadcast live on CBS Sports Network.
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from August 11, 2016
- MLL Names Mike Chanenchuk Maverick Most Improved Player of 2016 - Charlotte Hounds
- Chanenchuk Named 2016 Maverik Most Improved Player - MLL
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