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NLL Rochester Knighthawks

Seven Knighthawks Named to Team Canada

April 14, 2015 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Rochester Knighthawks News Release


Knighthawks on Team Canada
Knighthawks on Team Canada
(Rochester Knighthawks)

Seven members of the three-time defending National Lacrosse League champion Rochester Knighthawks have been named to Team Canada's 37-man training roster for the 2015 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. The roster includes Knighthawks Matt Vinc, Dan and Paul Dawson, Jordan Hall, Scott Campbell, Brad Self and Cory Vitarelli.

"The coaching and scouting staff and I were extremely impressed by the quality of players in our selection pool," said Team Canada head coach Ed Comeau. "We had tough decisions to make to narrow down this field to the current group. We will continue to watch and evaluate each candidate as we move toward our final roster of 23 players."

Vinc has been named to Team Canada for the second straight World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. In 2011, he backstopped Canada to its third straight gold medal en route to Championship Game MVP, All-World team and the Top Goaltender honors. At the professional level, the St. Catharines, Ontario native is the only goalie in NLL history to win four Goaltender of the Year awards. He has also won three straight Champion's Cups with the Knighthawks. In the field game, he won gold in 2006 and 2014, and silver in 2010 with Canada as a long-pole defenseman at the FIL World Lacrosse Championships.

Dan Dawson returns to Team Canada after finishing second in the 2011 tournament with 19 points. Dawson served as one of Canada's assistant captains at the 2011 Worlds, which were held in Prague, Czech Republic. The Oakville, Ontario native also won gold with Team Canada in 2007, and won a silver in 2010 with Team Canada at World Lacrosse Championships. The former NLL MVP has won back-to-back Champion's Cups in Rochester. At the Senior "A" level, Dawson is a five-time Mann Cup champion.

Paul Dawson is bidding to play in his first World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. Dawson has nine years of NLL experience, spending the past three seasons with the Knighthawks. The defenseman has won two straight Cups in Rochester. The Oakville, Ontario native played with Team Canada at the 2013 Heritage Cup. Dawson has also won two Mann Cups with the Brampton Excelsiors.

Hall is a veteran of the national team, having worn the maple leaf in four World Championships. The transition man won a gold medal with Team Canada at the 2011 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. At the World Lacrosse Championships, he captured gold in 2006 and 2014, and silver in 2010. The Vancouver native, who is in his eighth season in the NLL, won the 2012 Champion's Cup with the Knighthawks.

Campbell, who plays defense in Rochester, played in the 2007 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships with Scotland. The Markham, Ontario native is one step away from representing his home nation. The 11-year NLL pro has won three straight Champion's Cups with Rochester. In 2014, he led the team with 24 forced turnovers and in 2011 he was named the Knighthawks Unsung Hero.

Self is one of the top transition players in the game and has been one of the key members of the Knighthawks run of three straight championships. The Peterborough, Ontario native is in his ninth season in the NLL and has amassed over 600 loose balls and nearly 200 points in 104 games. He has won two Mann Cup titles with the hometown Peterborough Lakers.

Vitarelli, who plays with Self in Rochester and Peterborough, has become a steady goal scorer in the NLL. The forward, who is in his fifth season in the NLL, has collected 170 points in 60 games. Vitarelli has also won three straight Champion's Cups and has captured three Mann Cups with the Peterborough Lakers. In 2013, he played for Team Canada at the Heritage Cup.

Team Canada will once be coached by former Knighthawks head coach Ed Comeau. Current Rochester assistant coach Paul Day will serve as the defensive coach, while Derek Keenan will handle offensive duties and Glenn Clark will oversee the goaltenders. Former Knighthawks assistant coach Sean Ferris will support the staff as the Team Coordinator.

Team Canada will pare down the roster in the coming months. The 2015 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championships are being hosted by the Iroquois Nationals on Haudenosaunee Territories. Fourteen nations will compete for gold from Friday, September 18th to Sunday, September 27th.

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Knighthawks on Team Canada
Knighthawks on Team Canada
   



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