Nationals Select Two RIT Tigers, Plus Local Lacrosse Products
December 14, 2011 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Hamilton Nationals News Release
(Hamilton, December 14)... The Hamilton Nationals tapped into the local lacrosse market with the selection of 11 players with ties to Western and Central New York. General Manager Jody Gage drafted players from RIT, Syracuse, Canisius College, Le Moyne College and Cornell University. The Nats also selected Penn Yan native Brice Queener, Orchard Park's Nick O'Hara and the Rochester Knighthawks' Jarrett Davis and Sid Smith.
Hamilton started going local when it reclaimed defensive midfielder Brice Queener. He played in eight games this past season. The Nats then selected former Cornell University captain Jack Dudley in the sixth round (42ndoverall).
Hamilton continued to tap into the Central/Western, NY, markets by drafting Brandon Spillett and MJ Kiekabelt. Spillett (Liverpool, NY) was selected in the seventh round (55th overall). The Le Moyne College star played in the MLL and won a championship in 2008 with the Rochester Rattlers. Kiekabelt, eight round (63rd overall), completed his career at RIT as the ECAC Division III Offensive Player of the Year. The long-stick midfielder was a two-time All-American. In the ninth round, the Nats took Kenny Nims from Syracuse University. Nims led the Orange to two straight NCAA tournament championships (2008 and 2009). The attackman played one season in the MLL, spending 2009 with the Chicago Machine.
In the 10th round, the Nationals selected Adam Jones, who played at Canisius College. Jones was the program's first All-American and recorded 129 points and 98 goals during his career with the Griffs. He led all midfielders nationally in goals during his freshman and sophomore campaigns, and helped Canisius to its first MAAC Championship during the 2008 season.
The Nats selected O'Hara (Duke), Sid Smith (Syracuse) and Dan McRae (RIT). O'Hara has played four seasons in the MLL after graduating from Duke and won titles with Rochester (2008) and Toronto (2009). Smith (Six Nations) enters his third season with the Nats and was a two-time NCAA champion at Syracuse. He begins his third season with the Rochester Knighthawks of the National Lacrosse League in 2012. McRae was a two-time Division III All-American as a defenseman and long stick midfielder for the Tigers.
The Nationals used its last two picks to select Davis (17th round) and Dan Coates (18th round). Davis made his MLL debut this season with the Nationals. Davis won his first Mann Cup this summer with the Brampton Excelsiors. He enters his second season with the Rochester Knighthawks. He finished his college career at Bellarmine University with 39 goals and 44 assists. Coates also returns to the Nationals. The standout player at Canisius College ranked first in the Metro Atlantic Athletic Conference (MAAC) among defenders in 2011 with 4.33 ground balls per game.
The Nationals will open the 2012 season against the Denver Outlaws, on Saturday, May 5th at INVESCO Field at Mile High. Hamilton makes its home debut on Friday, May 18th with an 11:00 a.m. contest against the Chesapeake Bayhawks at Ron Joyce Stadium at McMaster University. For ticket information, contact the Nationals Ticket Office at (905) 768-2225.
The Nats head into the 2012 season after an impressive 2011 campaign that landed the team in the league finals. After finishing with a 7-5 record, Hamilton knocked off the Outlaws to advance to the MLL title game. In the Finals, the Nationals fell one goal shy to the Cannons, 10-9.
MLL Supplemental Draft
Round (pick) Player Position
5 (39) Brice Queener Defensive Midfield
6 (42) Jack Dudley Midfield
7 (55) Brandon Spillett Attack
8 (63) MJ Kiekabelt Midfield
9 (71) Kenny Nims Attack
10 (79) Adam Jones Midfield
14 (111) Nick O'Hara Defense
15 (119) Sid Smith Defense
16 (127) Dan McRae Defense
17 (135) Jarrett Davis Midfield
18 (143) Dan Coates Midfield
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from December 14, 2011
- Denver Outlaws Select 18 in Supplemental Draft - Denver Outlaws
- Nationals Select Two RIT Tigers, Plus Local Lacrosse Products - Hamilton Nationals
- Defenseman John Orsen Selected With Chesapeake's First Supplemental Draft Pick - Chesapeake Bayhawks
- Ohio Machine Constructs 35-Man Roster in MLL Supplemental Draft - Ohio Machine
- MLL Announces Supplemental Draft Results - MLL
- Hamilton Nationals Take Clausen Seventh Overall - Hamilton Nationals
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