Swarm Signs Free Agent Mark Miyashita

Published on January 6, 2006 under National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Minnesota Swarm News Release


SAINT PAUL/MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Minnesota Swarm general manager Marty O'Neill announced today that the National Lacrosse League (NLL) team has signed free agent defenseman Mark Miyashita (pronounced Mee-ash-tah) to a 2006 contract and activated forward D'Arcy Berthiaume from the Physically Unable to Perform List. In addition the Swarm announced today that it has released defensemen Travis Hill and Shawn Summerfield.

Miyashita, 24 (2/17/81), recorded 17 points (10-7=17), 33 loose balls and 12 penalty minutes in 10 games with the Colorado Mammoth last year. The 6-foot-1, 210-pound defenseman notched 23 points (7-16=23) and picked up 63 loose balls in 12 games during his rookie season with the Vancouver Ravens in 2004. Vancouver originally selected Miyashita with the first overall pick in the 2004 NLL Entry Draft. He was born in Vancouver, British Columbia, and played college lacrosse at Canisius College in Buffalo, New York.

Berthiaume, 30 (8/4/75), recorded 32 points (14-18=32) and 20 penalty minutes in 13 games with Minnesota last year. The 6-foot, 200-pound alternate captain led the Swarm in face-offs taken (216) and face-offs won (99), ranked second in loose balls with 88 and sixth in scoring. The Vancouver, British Columbia-native tallied 17 points (10-7=17) in five games with the Victoria Shamrocks of the Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) this summer before suffering a torn Achilles tendon that forced him to miss the rest of the season.

Hill, 23 (6/30/82), appeared in five games with Minnesota last season and collected 22 loose balls after being signed as a free agent on March 9, 2005.

Summerfield, 24 (3/16/81), made his NLL debut against Philadelphia on April 15 after being signed as a free agent by the Swarm on March 25, 2005. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound native of Scarborough, Ontario recorded four assists and 22 penalty minutes in ten games with the Ajax-Pickering Rock of the Ontario Senior ‘B' Lacrosse Association this summer.

The Swarm opens its 2006 NLL regular season schedule at Xcel Energy Center tonight against the Philadelphia Wings at 7:00 PM. FSN North will telecast the Swarm's home opener on a tape-delayed basis immediately following the conclusion of University of Minnesota men's hockey game and FSN Live at approximately 10:00 PM. For more information on becoming a Minnesota Swarm season ticket holder please call (888) MN-SWARM.

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