Thunderbirds Select Four in 2024 NLL Draft
September 16, 2024 - National Lacrosse League (NLL)
Halifax Thunderbirds News Release
HALIFAX, NS - The Halifax Thunderbirds added four players to the roster on Sunday night through the 2024 NLL Draft.
The organization selected defender Ajax Zappitello (third round, 38th overall), goaltender Ashton Brown (fourth round, 52nd overall), and defenders Louis Alfred Jr. (fifth round, 67th overall) and Josh Fairey (sixth round, 82nd overall).
Zappitello is a graduate of the University of Maryland, where he was a staple of the Terrapins' defence over four years.
The Portland, Oregon product appeared in 62 career games during his collegiate career, finishing with five goals, 10 points, 92 loose balls and 75 caused turnovers. He sits tied for fifth all-time in Maryland program history in CTOs.
During his 2024 campaign, Zappitello finished as a Tewaaraton nominee along with Big 10 Defensive Player of the Year honours. He was also named a First-Team All-American - he was the lone unanimous selection by Inside Lacrosse and USILA.
Zappitello was also selected third overall in the 2024 PLL Draft by the Maryland Whipsnakes. He helped the team make it to the finals while playing close defence as a rookie.
Brown, 19, hails from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, and was the backbone for the Port Coquitlam Saints this summer.
The goaltender spent two seasons of Junior lacrosse at home, playing for the ECJLL's Dartmouth Bandits.
In his first season in the BCJALL, Brown finished the year with a 7-4-1 record, taking over as the team's start mid-season and never looking back. He had an 8.77 goals-against average and a .822 save percentage in 18 games played while helping the Saints to their first Minto Cup appearance in franchise history.
Alfred Jr., a product of Kahnawake, Quebec, has played mainly with the Six Nations Arrows over the past three summers - playing a handful of games with his hometown Jr B Hunters as well.
The 20-year-old defender appeared in 19 games for the Arrows this past summer, finishing with a point while providing big minutes on the back end for Six Nations.
Across 50 career Junior A games, Alfred has four goals and 10 points.
Fairey, 22, spent the majority of his junior lacrosse career as a member of the Toronto Beaches of the OJLL.
In his last OJLL season last summer, Fairey appeared in 19 games, putting up three goals and eight points over that span.
The Guelph, Ontario product played in 54 career Junior A contests, finishing with 13 goals and 28 points.
In four years at Loyola, Fairey had a goal as well as seven loose balls and nine caused turnovers.
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