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NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Rochester Knighthawks Take Sid Smith With First Overall Pick

September 9, 2009 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


(Rochester, NY)... The Rochester Knighthawks selected Syracuse University and Six Nations defender Sid Smith with the first overall pick in today's 2009 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft. Smith becomes the fourth Knighthawk selected first overall, joining John Grant (2000), Casey Powell (1999) and Cam Bomberry (1995).

Smith heads to Rochester after winning two championships in the past four months. He was instrumental in Syracuse's 10-9 victory over Cornell in the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Finals in May. Then in August, he celebrated the expansion Toronto Nationals' Major League Lacrosse title. With SU, he also earned All-American honors for the second straight season.

For Smith, winning has become second nature as his resume also includes a 2008 NCAA title with Syracuse, a 2007 Minto Cup with the Six Nations Arrows and a 2006 National Junior College championship with Onondaga County College. The 23 year old also won four straight Ontario Championships while playing his junior ball with Six Nations (2004-07).

While playing junior lacrosse, Smith was the recipient of the 2007 John "Gus" McCauley Memorial Trophy as the Ontario Junior "A" League's Defender of the Year and was named a First Team All-Star. Further, he won B.W. "Bill" Evans Trophy as the top graduating player in the OLA Junior series after helping guide the Arrows to a 17-0-1 record. He capped that season with a championship and the Dean McLeod Award as the Ontario Junior "A" Playoff MVP. In 2006, he was named the Aboriginal Athlete of the Year and competed for the Iroquois Nationals at the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) World Lacrosse Championship.

This summer, he played in 10 games with the Six Nations Chiefs of Major Series Lacrosse and collected two goals, six assists and won 32 faceoffs. Smith, who was picked sixth overall in the MLL Draft, also played field lacrosse for Toronto Nationals. In his rookie season, he appeared in eight games and recorded one goal and 16 ground balls.

The Knighthawks also have the second overall pick in the NLL Entry Draft at HSBC Arena in Buffalo. The Knighthawks have a total of seven picks in the draft, including the 18th overall pick in the second round and the 28th and 34th picks in the third round. Rochester will be excluded from the fourth round and will complete its selections with the 47th and 57th picks in the fifth and sixth round, respectively.

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