Rattlers Draft Picks Have Local Flavor
December 5, 2007 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL)
Dallas Rattlers News Release
(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Rattlers selected seven players, three of those from area colleges, in today's Major League Lacrosse Supplemental Draft. With their first-round pick (eighth overall), the Rattlers brought back goalie Greg Havalchak and then used the 12th overall pick to take perennial National Lacrosse League All-Star and current Calgary Roughneck Tracey Kelusky.
The Rattlers also drafted SUNY Geneseo products Owahn Bazydlo and Phil Gardner, and Nazareth College grad Ryan Hotaling. Further, Rochester selected Rutgers attackman Chris Doctor and Cortland midfielder Mike Abbott.
Havalchak appeared in one game for the Rattlers in 2008. The native of Corning, NY, arrived in Rochester after a trade with the Boston Cannons on July 11, 2007. In 2006, he played in eight games for the Baltimore Bayhawks and led team goalies in minutes (356:40), goals-against average (15.31), and save percentage (.500). He was a four-year starter for Rutgers and played in 55 career games. He ended his career with a 7.91 goals-against average and a .600 save percentage. He was named a Second Team All-American as a sophomore. In addition, he was named First Team All-ECAC as a freshman and a sophomore.
Kelusky is a five-time NLL All-Pro and was a member of the 2005 NLL Champion Calgary Roughnecks. The Peterborough, Ontario, native has played sevens seasons in the NLL and has 511 points (252+259) in 107 games. He also won the Mann Cup with the Peterborough Lakers in 2006 and 2007.
The forward has also played for the Rattlers in their inaugural season in 2001. He notched 12 goals and six assists in 13 games. In 2004, he also won a gold medal with Team Canada at the World Field Lacrosse Championship.
In the second round (18th overall), Rochester also selected Chris Doctor. While attending Rutgers, the Skaneateles, NY, native was a four-year letterman on the lacrosse team. In his final season, he totaled a career-high 14 goals and eight assists in the 2007 season.
Rochester then tabbed two Geneseo grads with their next two picks. Bazydlo was taken in the fourth round (38th overall) and Gardner was taken in the fifth round (48th overall). In 2007, the duo helped the Knights to a 9-5 record, their second SUNYAC title, and their third trip to the NCAA Division III championship in four years. Gardner was named a First Team All-American, while Bazydlo earned Third Team honors. Bazydlo and Gardner were also named co-Most Valuable Players of the SUNYAC tournament.
Abbott was taken in the sixth round (58th overall). In 2006, he helped lead the Cortland Red Dragons to the NCAA Division III title. Abbott, who also won a Division I national championship while at Virginia, was a two-year member of the Red Dragons and scored 114 career points. The Syracuse, NY, native was a two-time, first team All-American and was named the ECAC Upstate New York and SUNYAC Player of the Year as a junior.
Rochester used its last pick (68th overall) to take attackman Ryan Hotaling. Hotaling was a three-time All-American for the Nazareth Golden Flyers (2005-07). The Syracuse native finished his college career third in school history with 232 points (139+93) in 59 games. In 2007, he was named the Empire 8 Conference Player of the Year. In 2005, he was honored with the Lt. Col. J.I. (Jack) Turnbull Award as the Outstanding Attackman in Division III as Nazareth advanced to the national semifinals.
Rochester finished the 2007 season with a 9-3 record and a second-place finish in the Eastern Conference. The Rattlers concluded the regular season with nine wins in their last 10 contests and set a team single-season record for wins. Rochester also hosted the 2007 NB ZIP Major League Lacrosse Championship Weekend at PAETEC Park, but its season ended in the league semifinals.
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Major League Lacrosse Stories from December 5, 2007
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