NLL Free Agency Recap
September 2, 2024 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Ottawa Black Bears News Release
What started off as a busy morning for the Ottawa Black Bears with the NLL Dispersal Draft carried into a busy afternoon with NLL Free Agency. The Black Bears signed two players to kick off free agency: Jack Kelly and Liam Osborne.
Jack Kelly
Kelly, a native of Toronto, Ontario, was drafted by the New York Riptide 21st overall in the second round of the 2022 NLL Entry Draft. The 6'0, 175 lbs., right-handed forward recorded three goals and five assists for a total of eight points in seven games in the 2023 season with the Riptide.
Kelly previously played lacrosse at Penn State. In 53 career games, he scored 83 goals and added 19 assists for a point total of 102. In his junior year during the 2019 season, Kelly was named a USILA third-team All-American, as well as an honorable-mention All-American by Inside Lacrosse. That season, Kelly scored 42 goals while ranking first in the Big Ten conference and third nationally in shot percentage at .538%.
Kelly spent his Jr. A career with the Toronto Beaches of the Ontario Junior Lacrosse League. In the span of 64 career regular season games with the Beaches, Kelly tallied 52 goals and 91 assists for a total of 143 points. In seven playoff game appearances, the forward also added two goals and 12 assists for 14 points.
Liam Osborne
Osborne was selected 82nd overall by the Colorado Mammoth in the 2019 NLL Entry Draft. The right-handed forward made his NLL debut in 2020 with the Rochester Knighthawks.
Previously, the Bowmanville, Ontario native played NCAA lacrosse for Belmont Abbey College between 2017-2019. In 53 career games, Osborne scored 140 goals and added 79 assists for a total of 219 points. Osborne's 2019 season saw him finish with 61 goals (top five in the nation) and 95 points (fourth-highest in the country). That season, the forward was named to the USILA DII All-American Second Team.
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National Lacrosse League Stories from September 2, 2024
- Seals Re-Sign Defenseman Matt Sykes, Secure Two Picks in NLL Dispersal Draft - San Diego Seals
- Colorado Opens 2024-25 Free Agency by Signing Five Players Monday - Colorado Mammoth
- Mammoth Add Dalton Sulver, Conner Cook as Free Agent Frenzy Continues - Colorado Mammoth
- Colorado Opens 2024-25 Free Agency by Signing Three Players Monday - Colorado Mammoth
- NLL Free Agency Recap - Ottawa Black Bears
- Albany FireWolves Acquire Will Johnston from Ottawa Black Bears - Albany FireWolves
- Rock Acquire Rights to Defender Elijah Gash - Toronto Rock
- Black Bears Select Caputo, Patten, and Sharkey - Ottawa Black Bears
- Mammoth Select Will Malcom, Brent Mitchell During PCLC Dispersal Draft - Colorado Mammoth
- Saskatchewan Rush Select Hossack and Messenger from PCLC - Saskatchewan Rush
- Knighthawks Acquire Medeiros, Sisselberger in NLL Dispersal Draft - Rochester Knighthawks
- Bandits Acquire 2025 Second-Round Pick - Buffalo Bandits
- Weekly Sports League and Franchise Report - OSC Original by Dan Krieger
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