|
Recent News from the NLL Mammoth, Swarm Making History with Weekend Series DENVER – With its season opener just four weeks away, the Colorado Mammoth takes to the field for the first time since April with a pair of preseason games this weekend against the Minnesota Swarm. The Mammoth and Swarm – a National Lacrosse League expansion franchise beginning its inaugural season – initiate their home-and-home series on Friday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. The game (6:30 p.m. Mountain time) will be the first professional indoor lacrosse match ever to be played in the state of Minnesota. The Swarm announced this week that it expects more than 15,000 people to attend. The series shifts to Colorado on Saturday for another landmark event: the Mammoth’s first game at the Budweiser Events Center in Loveland. The game, which begins at 7 p.m., is the first lacrosse game to be played at the BEC and is the Mammoth’s only preseason home game of the year. The BEC is accessible via Exit 259 off of Interstate 25, south of Fort Collins. Tickets start at $15 and are can be purchased at the BEC box office, by phone at 1.877.544.8499, online at ComcastTix.com, or any ComcastTix outlet. Mammoth season ticket holders can also purchase tickets by calling 303.405.1101. ##### Bandits Sign Powless, Two Others Buffalo, N.Y. — Buffalo Bandits General Manager Kurt Silcott announced today the team has signed Delby Powless, Clay Hill and Rich Kilgour. As is club policy, terms of the deals were not disclosed. All transactions are subject to league approval. Delby Powless was the first-overall selection in the 2005 NLL Entry Draft. He earned first team All-ECAC and USILA honorable mention All-America honors for the second consecutive season after leading Rutgers during the 2004 season in goals (31) and tied for the team lead in points (38). Estimated to be one of the best pure goal scorers in the NCAA, Powless netted 63 goals in 29 career games for the Knights, including a career-high seven goals against Quinnipiac on March 13, 2004. During 2004, his goals per game average (2.21), was best in the ECAC. In his first season with Rutgers, Powless led the 2003 Knights in goals (32) and points (36) while starting 14 of 15 games. Clay Hill appeared in 15 games last season for the Six Nations Chiefs of the Ontario Lacrosse Association. In that span, he scored 22 points (6+15) and recorded 18 penalty minutes. He was a teammate of Delby Powless on that team. “We feel that we got one of the best free agents available in Clay”, commented Silcott. “He was not talked about much during the off-season but should have been. He was the captain of the Six Nations squad this past summer that took the eventual Mann Cup champions the distance in the OLA Eastern Conference semi-finals. He is a solid defensive player, his leadership and consistent play will help us this season.” Rich Kilgour is Buffalo’s all-time franchise leader in face-off wins (301) and ranks second in games played (140), assists (198), points (283), fourth in penalty minutes (204) and fifth in goals (85). Last season for the Bandits, Kilgour appeared in 13 games, registering 7 points (1+6). The Bandits will open the 2005 season against the Toronto Rock at the HSBC Arena on Friday, January 7, 2005, at 7:30 PM. Ticket packages are available by calling the Buffalo Bandits Ticket Office at 1-888-467-2273, or fans can purchase packages at the HSBC Arena Box Office or any Tickets.com locations. For more information, log on to www.bandits.com. ##### Status of Vancouver Ravens The following is a statement made December 7 by NLL Commissioner Jim Jennings with respect to the status of the Vancouver Ravens franchise: "We’re going to move forward with the Vancouver Ravens as a member club in the 2005 season provided that certain financial assurances are made to the league’s satisfaction in the next five business days. Pending the meeting of these conditions, the NLL has approved the Ravens business model for 2005. We commend the efforts by local management in working towards a positive, go-forward situation for the Ravens. This is the only comment we will make on the situation until the period to reach these financial obligations is completed." ##### Wings Acquire Andrew Burkholder from Toronto Three-Way Trade Sends Spencer Martin to San Jose The Philadelphia Wings indoor lacrosse team has acquired Andrew Burkholder from the Toronto Rock in a three-way trade, it was announced today by General Manager and Head Coach Lindsay Sanderson. The Wings traded forward Spencer Martin to the San Jose Stealth for forward Brian Beisel. They then traded Beisel to the Toronto Rock for Burkholder and a second round pick in the 2005 NLL Entry Draft. "Burkholder was someone that we had looked closely at drafting, but were unable to get with the picks that we had," said Sanderson. "He's a great offensive threat and will fit into our system well." Burkholder was acquired by the Toronto Rock in the second round (22nd overall) of the 2004 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft. The 5'9", 175 pound forward played junior lacrosse for the Spartan Warriors of the Ontario Lacrosse Association where he ranked second overall in point standing (97) and was the second overall leading goal scorer (54). Martin, a forward, was acquired by the Philadelphia Wings February 6, 2004 from the Columbus Landsharks. Martin had 13G, 18A for a total of 31Pts and was seventh overall scorer on the team last season. Guarantee great seats for the 2005 Wings season by reserving your season tickets now! Season tickets start as low as $80 and are available by calling the Wings ticket office at (215) 389-WING (9464). The Philadelphia Wings are owned and operated by Philadelphia Wings L.P. whose principal owners are Russ Cline, Chris Fritz, and Michael French. Comcast-Spectacor serves as the marketing, promotional, advertising, sponsorship, and publicity arm of the Wings. ##### New Jersey Pride Name Trey Reeder New GM WAYNE - The New Jersey Pride, New Jersey's premier professional outdoor lacrosse team, announced today that Trey Reeder has been named the team's new general manager. Reeder, the former GM of the Philadelphia Barrage, replaces team owner Bob Turco, who will remain in the owners' box for the fifth season of Major League Lacrosse. "After talking to Trey a few times, I really knew we had found our guy," said Pride President Bob Brown. "We got a guy who is going to come in and be able to hit the ground running. He has the experience of building a winning team, and the experience of taking a team to the championship game. More importantly he knows about how to win it." Reeder joins Assistant General Manager Steve Ferretti in the front office, who together comprise one of the youngest, most innovative front offices in the league. "Just working with Trey from when he was with Philadelphia, we developed a great relationship," Ferretti said. "I couldn't be happier to bring Trey on board and I really look forward to doing great things with him in 2005 and beyond." Reeder led the Barrage from a 1-11 record in 2003 to the MLL Championship in 2004, drafting players such as Conor Ford, as well as trading for Cascade Rookie of the Year Ryan Boyle in a draft-day blockbuster trade with the Rochester Rattlers. Reeder also helped oversee the trade for goalie Greg Cattrano, the 2004 Warrior MLL Goalie of the Year. Prior to 2004, Reeder served as the Bridgeport Barrage's General Manager before the team moved to Philadelphia, then served as the MLL's Director of League Operations prior to heading back to the Barrage before last season. |
Sponsored Links