Stealth add seven players in 2006 NLL Entry Draft
September 13, 2006 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
San Jose Stealth News Release
SAN JOSE - San Jose Stealth General Manager Johnny Mouradian completed the 2006 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft by shoring up the Stealth roster with seven selections tonight in Madison Square Garden in New York.
"We were very happy with the draft," said Mouradian. "Everyone we drafted has shown an interest to coming to San Jose to play.
"This is huge for us. We got everyone that we wanted."
Round 1, Overall 1
Ryan Benesch, Forward, 5-9, 190 pounds, 1985 in Bloomingdale, Ontario
Notes: Ryan Benesch played Canadian Junior A lacrosse for the Kitchener Waterloo Braves and finished sixth in Ontario Lacrosse Association with 81 points on 42 goals and 39 assists this season. His 42 goals ranked fourth best in the OLA Junior A in 2006. The five-foot-eight, 185 pound forward served as captain of the club and led the team to a 10-10-2 record.
Round 1, Overall 2
Kyle Sorenson, Defense, 6-2, 220 pounds, June 22, 1986 in Peterborough, Ontario
Notes: Kyle Sorensen enters the draft after helping lead the Peterborough Lakers to a Minto Cup just last week. Sorensen scored a goal in the Lakers 9-5 win over the Six Nations Arrows to take the Canadian Junior A lacrosse championship in Hagersville, Ontario. The six-foot-two, 220-pound defenseman from Peterborough also played one season for the Bellarmine University Knights in 2006 and collected a team high 66 ground balls playing in all 15 games.
Round 1, Overall 7
Paul Dawson, Goaltender, 6-5, 225 pounds
Notes: Paul Dawson is one of the top goaltenders in this year's draft. The younger brother of Arizona Sting All-Pro forward Dan Dawson, Paul played for the Brampton Excelsiors in Canadian Junior A lacrosse this summer where he scored 12 assists in 22 games.
Round 2, Overall 16
Wes Green, Attacker, 6-0, 185 pounds, March 6, 1982 in Adelaide, Australia,
Notes: Wes Green is the top scorer for the Adelphi University with a conference leading 79 points (62 goals, 17 assists) in 13 games. This season Green was the Division II Player of the Year and a 1st Team All American Selection. He was selected as the New York Collegiate Athletic Conference Player of the Year. A native of Adelaide Australia he participated on the Australian National Team in the 2006 World Games in London Ontario. Green also played for the Long Island Lizards of the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) where he scored three points (two goals, one assist) in seven games.
"Wes us a tremendous shooter who goes to the goal hard," said Mouradian. "He plays a very physical game and should adapt well to the NLL."
Round 4, Overall 42
Brad Trottier, Transition, 5-9, 205 pounds, 1985 in Barrie, Ontario
Notes: Brad Trottier is a tenacious defender with great speed and strength. Trottier played with the Barrie Tornado Junior B's where he scored five points (three goals, two assists) with 17 PIMS in eight games. Trottier was on a call up basis with the Rama Kings Junior A team where he has racked up four points on three goals and one assist in seven games.
Round 5, Overall 55
Joe Vasold, Midfield, 5-10, 180 pounds, August 13, 1984 in Wantagh, New York
Notes: Joe Vasold is the top face off man for the New York Institute of Technology leading the team with a .687 win percentage last season (167-243) and picking up 126 ground balls. Vasold earned STX/USILA Geico Honorable Mention All-American honors and NYCAC Second-Team All-Conference honors in 2005.
Round 6, Overall 68
Steve Holmes, Defense, 6-1, 180 pounds, Born, Birthdate
Notes: Steve Holmes is the one of the leaders on defense and served as the team captain for the University of Virginia. In 2005, Holmes anchored the defense with 44 ground ball pick ups and two assists. Holmes is an athletic player who can play both close defense and long stick middle. Holmes was selected in the third round (22nd overall) by the San Francisco Dragons where he picked up 15 ground balls and scored four points (three goals, one assist) in nine games.
About the San Jose Stealth
The San Jose Stealth professional lacrosse team opens the 2007 NLL season on Jan. 5 vs. Rochester at HP Pavilion at San Jose. Additional information on the eight-game home schedule can be uncovered at sjstealth.com.
Season tickets, which include a host of newly created benefits, for the club's fourth season are available by calling 408-999-5700 or visiting sjstealth.com. Details on the thrilling Sports Pak were recently announced and the package includes Stealth season tickets as well as seats to other HP Pavilion events such as Fight Night at the Tank and the San Jose Sharks for one exciting price.
The National Lacrosse League is North America's professional indoor lacrosse league, featuring the best lacrosse players in the world. The league is entering its 21st season with thirteen teams playing in the major markets of the United States and Canada. NLL teams play a 16-game schedule followed by the Champion's Cup Playoffs.
The teams are: Arizona Sting, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Chicago Shamrox, Colorado Mammoth, Edmonton Rush, Minnesota Swarm, New York (name TBD), Philadelphia Wings, Portland LumberJax, Rochester Knighthawks, San Jose Stealth and Toronto Rock. Most NLL clubs are owned and/or operated by the National Hockey League (NHL) and/or National Basketball Association (NBA) teams and play in the same arenas used by those teams.
Professional indoor lacrosse combines the physical play of hockey with the high scoring (average of 25 goals per game), fast pace and play-making style of basketball. It is played inside the confines of a NHL hockey rink, with glass and rink boards intact, while the playing surface consists of a green turf carpet laid down over the hockey ice.
The league has a national broadcasting agreement with VERSUS (formerly OLN) in 2007 featuring a live NLL game every Saturday night throughout the 2007 season, consisting of 16 weekly broadcasts.
Attendance is at an all-time high for the league with average attendance for the 2006 season at nearly 11,000 fans per game, with several games played in front of crowds in excess of 16,000 fans. The 2006 Championship Game aired live nationally on ESPN2. For more information, visit the official website of the National Lacrosse League at NLL.com.
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National Lacrosse League Stories from September 13, 2006
- Stealth add seven players in 2006 NLL Entry Draft - San Jose Stealth
- Sting acquire bevy of talent at 2006 NLL Entry Draft - Arizona Sting
- Minnesota Swarm Selects Six Players in 2006 NLL Entry Draft - Minnesota Swarm
- Mammoth selects six players in NLL draft - Colorado Mammoth
- Roughnecks take Wailes - Calgary Roughnecks
- Mammoth selects Bining in first round of NLL draft - Colorado Mammoth
- Sting acquire All-Star forward in draft day trade - Arizona Sting
- Tracey Kelusky helps Lakers win 2006 Mann Cup - Calgary Roughnecks
- Stealth acquire third first round pick in tonight's draft - San Jose Stealth
- Calgary Roughnecks Charitable Foundation to make donations - Calgary Roughnecks
- Wings To Make Three First Round Selections In 2007 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft - Philadelphia Wings
- New York Titans release game schedule - Orlando Titans
- New York Unveils Name and Logo - Orlando Titans
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