The 2012 MLL Collegiate Draft will take place on January 13 in Philadelphia, PA where the top NCAA players will be drafted by professional coaches and general managers of the league's eight teams. Each year they are charged with the responsibility of judging which collegiate players will make an impactful transition to the pro level. Sometimes stars emerge. Sometimes they don’t measure up.MLL takes you back to the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft to see how the six teams made their selections and how each rookie performed last season.
Boston Cannons
Shamel Bratton (Virginia) went in the first round and was a risky choice following a tumultuous career at the University of Virginia where he was ultimately removed from Dom Starsia’s team. However, of all the offensive threats emerging from the collegiate level, Bratton was one of the biggest weapons and the Cannons believed he would benefit the team. Despite his absence from the 2011 MLL season, the Cannons went on to win the elusive Steinfeld Trophy.
Long stick midfielder Brian Farrell (Maryland) was drafted in the third round (the 12thoverall selection). Though some speculated Farrell would be superfluous with Kyle Sweeney’s dominant defensive presence, he proved to be a staple in the Cannons road to victory. In Farrell’s 2011 season he appeared in nine total games, registering 6 goals, 3 assists, 27 groundballs and was named the Cannons Rookie of the Year.
Josh Amidon (Syracuse) was the Cannons’ second round pick but didn’t see any game time in 2011. John Lade (Syracuse), the 4th round selection, only saw action in 3 games and was recently traded to the Rochester Rattlers for draft picks. Kevin Kaminski (Delaware) and Pat Dowling (Delaware) were also drafted by Boston but each dressed for only one game. Of all the drafted players, only Brian Farrell remains on the 12 man protected list heading into the 2012 season.
Chesapeake Bayhawks
Last season the Chesapeake Bayhawks were the reigning MLL Champions after they took the Steinfeld Trophy in the 2010 Championship Game against the Long Island Lizards. Their first selection wasn’t made until midway through the draft with the 24th pick. Barney Ehrmann (Georgetown) was their first choice, a solid defender standing at 6’6”. He played in ten total games last season and recorded 29 groundballs for the Bayhawks.
Steve DeNapoli (Hofstra), a short stick defensive specialist saw action in 5 games and scooped 16 groundballs and added 1 assist on the year.
Dan Hostetler (Georgetown) saw action in 4 regular season games and in the semi final game totaling 6 groundballs.
Ehrmann is the only one from this draft class that made the 12 man protected list for the 2012 season.
Denver Outlaws
The Denver Outlaws (who tied for 1st place in the regular season for the past two years) entered the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft with the 1st overall selection, bring Billy Bitter (North Carolina) on board as the first overall pick. Last season Bitter proved that he can run with the big guns, contributing to a powerful attack in Denver including Brendan Mundorf and Drew Westervelt (who was recently traded to the Chesapeake Bayhawks). In 10 total games Bitter notched 20 points (15 goals, 5 assists). The Outlaws recently announced a drastic move in trading Bitter and shut down defensemen Brett Schmidt (Maryland) to the Charlotte Hounds for the 3rd and 6th round selections in the 2012 MLL Expansion Draft and the 5th round selection in the 2012 MLL Collegiate Draft.
Grant Catalino (Maryland) had an amazing NCAA run with his combined size and talent but the Outlaws decided to trade him to the Rochester Rattlers, where he scored 17 (four 2-point goals) goals and added two assists for 23 points in only eight games as a rookie. He also had nine goals in one game, tying for the league record for most goals scored in a single game.
The Outlaws initially placed Bitter and Schmidt on their 12-Man Protected Lists but now that they’ll both sport Charlotte Hounds jerseys, the Outlaws only have 10 protected players entering the 2012 MLL Collegiate Draft.
Hamilton Nationals
Following the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft, MLL Analyst Quint Kessenich graded The Nationals’ draft choices as the best in the league. The Nationals had ten total picks including two in the 1st round, and two in 3rd round. Kevin Crowley (Stony Brook) was perhaps the most highly anticipated NCAA player to join MLL. Despite a slow start, Crowley put up 22 points in 12 games for MLL.
The Nationals found a star in their final selection, Jeremy Boltus (Army), who had the most production out of their draftees with 30 points in the regular season, good for second on the team. He also tallied 3 points in two playoff games. After the 2011 season Boltus walked away with league-wide honors as Cascade Rookie of the Year. Boltus was not protected by the Hamilton Nationals and may not play in 2012 due to his service in the Army.
David Earl (Notre Dame), had 22 points (17 goals, 1 2-pt goal, and 4 assists) in just 10 games. Ryan Flanagan (North Carolina) was an All-American that missed the season due to multiple surgeries throughout the summer to repair shattered bones in both feet and a sports hernia. He has since been traded to the Charlotte Hounds and will play with former teammate Billy Bitter. Stephen Keogh only dressed for three games and totaled 7 points. Jeremy Thompson (Syracuse), who was the Nationals’ second pick, played in 7 games and notched 10 points. The Nationals named three 2011 rookies to their 12-man protected list: Crowley, Earl and Thompson.
Long Island Lizards
The Lizards contended for the championship game in 2010 before falling to Chesapeake after being on a 6 game winning streak. The Lizards took Zach Brenneman (Notre Dame) as their first selection. Brenneman played in nine games and recorded a mere 5 points.
Jay Card (Hofstra) and Ryan Young (Maryland) served as the point leader from the 2011 Lizards’ Collegiate Draft Class. Young played in 6 games while Card played in 9 games with the Lizards. Card has recently been traded to the Rochester Rattlers for an 18th overall pick in the 2012 MLL Draft.
Brian Karalunas (Villanova) played in 11 games and picked up 24 groundballs, good for second on the team. Karalunas had a great year playing defense, winning Defensive Player of the Week on June 19, 2011 after he posted a season-high seven ground balls.
Rhamel Bratton was drafted as the third round selection but never committed to playing for the team. Bratton may have been a spark that the Lizards lacked the past season.
Brenneman, Young, and Karalunas made the 12-Man Protected List.
Rochester Rattlers
A whopping seven of 12 protected players were part of the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft Class, whether they were originally drafted or came through trades. Joel White (Syracuse) is an outstanding long stick midfielder who raked in 71 groundballs, good for first on the team and second in the league, and netted three goals.
Jordan McBride (Stony Brook), put up 19 points in 7 games as an attackman, but has been left off of the 12-Man Protected List. Jovan Miller (Syracuse) played in 7 games and recorded 8 points and is known as a solid two-way midfielder. John Galloway (Syracuse) was drafted as the Rattlers 4th pick stepped up big taking responsibility for first string goalie after playing in 10 games. Galloway looks to be the go-to for goalie next season as the only protected goalie. The young Rattlers look to improve from their last place standing by keeping their young talented players.
For more: http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/3921/2011-mll-draft-lookback/
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