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MLL Ohio Machine

MLL Veteran and Machine Defenseman Ray Megill Announces Retirement

November 12, 2013 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Ohio Machine News Release


COLUMBUS, Ohio (November 12, 2013) - The Ohio Machine (Machine) announced today the retirement of Major League Lacrosse (MLL) veteran and Machine defenseman Ray Megill after playing in MLL for seven years.

"Playing in the MLL has been a great experience for me on and off the field. It has kept me motivated in the off season to continue training hard and passionately in the sport I love," said Megill. "And I want to personally thank the Ohio Machine staff for establishing such a first-class organization and always going above and beyond for us players both on and off the field. I'll miss the unique team camaraderie found in the MLL and the traveling to all the various cities and getting to play in front of such great fans wherever we go. Thank you to everyone for all the support given to me throughout my career."

Megill has spent the last two seasons with the Machine after being drafted in the second round of the 2012 MLL Supplemental Draft for the Machine's inaugural season. As one of the primary leaders on the field for the Machine, Megill has played in 24 games for Ohio where he has tallied seven goals and one assist. In the 2012 inaugural season, Megill was named the Machine's Unsung Hero Award for his unselfish work and leadership on and off the field. Megill has played in a total of 63 MLL games, tallying 11 goals and picking up 122 groundballs.

"Ray is a dynamic athlete and leader who will be greatly missed on and off the field next season," said Head Coach Bear Davis. "His ability to transition from long-stick to short-stick defensive midfielder and do a solid job at both is a true testament to his unselfishness and athletic abilities. The Ohio Machine would like to thank him for his outstanding service and hard work put in for this team."

Megill began his lacrosse career at Arthur L. Johnson High School where he was not only a three-sport star but was an All-American his senior year in lacrosse and was named Team MVP and All-New Jersey. Because of his standout high school performance, Megill went on to play all four years for the University of Maryland starting in 2004. While playing for the Terps, Megill was named 2007 Second-Team All-American, 2007 Preseason First Team All-American, 2006 USILA Third Team All-American, 2006 All-ACC, 2006 Preseason Honorable Mention All-America, 2005 USILA Honorable Mention All-American and 2005 ACC All-Tournament Team.

After finishing his college tenure, Megill was drafted in the first round of the 2007 MLL Collegiate Draft by the Boston Cannons. Megill played in 29 games over three seasons for the Cannons, picking up 49 groundballs and tallying three goals and two assists. While with the Cannons, Megill was named the Cannon's Rookie of the Year in 2007 and an MLL All-Star in 2009. Megill went on to play for the Chesapeake Bayhawks for two seasons and helped lead the Bayhawks to the 2010 MLL Championship.

"It will be hard to replace the skill and character of Ray Megill," said Machine President and GM John Algie. "Day one Ray came into our locker room and set the tone for hard work and the character that is a staple of this team. Ray will definitely be missed but I know there are players on this team that have learned from him and are ready to step up and fill that void."

Ohio Machine Players on Megill's Retirement:

#1 Chazz Woodson - "It was an honor to play with Ray, both on the Cannons and on the Machine. He's a quiet leader that commands the respect of everyone on the team. And he's a guy that is not only capable of playing any role asked of him but is willingly to do so. Congrats on a great career!"

#6 Steele Stanwick - "Ray is a great teammate and friend that I've gotten to know these past few seasons. He is one of the most competitive and hardworking teammates I have ever had. We will miss him on the Machine."

#28 Marshall Burkhart - "It was a privilege to play alongside of Ray. He brought great energy, leadership and skill to our team and I personally loved playing with him. Ray was a great teammate and always played his hardest for the guys on his team. He'll be missed greatly by the team and organization."

#30 Brian Phipps - "I had the privilege of playing with Ray in college at Maryland and in the pros. He was always someone you could count on to help the team in any way possible. He's a very versatile player, as well as a true team player. One thing for certain was that Ray would always put in the time and effort off the field to help improve on the field. He will be missed next season but congratulations on a great career!"

#81 Kyle Hartzell - "Seeing Ray leave is a sad day. Ray is a great player and even better teammate. We will miss his energy and what he brought to this team on and off the field. Ray was a great leader and example of what guys should strive to be in this League. He will definitely be missed."

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