NLL Celebrates Players’ Summer Successes

With the conclusion of the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships, the summer lacrosse season is officially over and everyone’s focus turns to the upcoming 2024-25 National Lacrosse League season.

One of the things that makes our game so great is the passion that players display for the game at every level. We would be remiss if we didn’t shout out the many NLL players and prospects who pursued their dreams this summer and won national and international tournaments, and send them our hearty congratulations.

WORLD BOX LACROSSE CHAMPIONSHIPS – INTERNATIONAL

Champions: Canada

NLL Connections: (ALB) Head coach Glenn Clark, Nick Chaykowsky, (BUF) Josh Byrne, Ian MacKay, Steve Priolo, Dhane Smith, (CGY) Tanner Cook, Christian Del Bianco, Eli Salama, (COL) Dillon Ward, (GA) General Manager Ed Comeau, Assistant coach Sean Ferris, Bryan Cole, Shayne Jackson, (HFX) Graeme Hossack, Jake Withers, (OTT) Jeff Teat, (ROC) Matt Gilray, Ryan Smith, (SASK) Robert Church, (SD) Wes Berg, Zach Currier, (TOR) Mitch de Snoo, Latrell Harris, Challen Rogers, Nick Rose, (VAN) Assistant coach Curt Malawsky

In the sixth edition of the World Lacrosse Box Championships, Team Canada won its sixth gold medal, earning the victory by going a perfect 5-0 in the tournament and beating Team USA 13-7 in the final game.

Jeff Teat led Canada over the USA with a hat trick and four assists. Shayne Jackson scored a hat trick, and Dhane Smith scored twice and was busy dishing the ball as usual, collecting six assists. Christian Del Bianco made 51 saves in the game.

Canada led 3-0 and then 4-3 by halftime. Special teams came into play in the second half as a close game gave way to a more physical game with everything on the line. Nine of the half’s 13 goals were scored either with an extra attacker on the floor, on the power play or shorthanded. Canada pulled away with six goals in the first 9:07 of the third quarter for a 10-3 lead.

Christian Del Bianco, Jack Hannah, Connor Kirst, Steve Priolo, Randy Staats and Jeff Teat made up the All-World Team, and Teat was also named MVP.

MINTO CUP – CANADIAN JR. A

Champion: Coquitlam Adanacs

NLL Connections: NLL Draft Picks Remo Schenato (VAN) and Robbie Turpin (SD); Head coach Pat Coyle (COL), Assistant coaches Chris Gill (formerly VAN/COL), Ethan Ticehurst (CGY)

The Adanacs hosted and won the 2024 Minto Cup. They went 2-1 in the round-robin, beating the Raiders 10-8 and Port Coquitlam 17-7 before falling to Orangeville 12-9. They still finished first and got the bye through to the final best-of-three series, which they won over Orangeville in two games, 14-7 and 9-6. Schenato led the Adanacs as an assistant captain and was one of the first to lift the coveted trophy in front of a packed and frenzied Poirier Sport and Leisure Complex.

PRESIDENT’S CUP – CANADIAN SR. B

Champion: Ladner Pioneers

NLL Connections: (CGY) Christian Del Bianco, Haiden Dickson, Tyler Pace, (PHL) Mitch Jones (SD) Ryan Benesch, (SASK) Assistant coach Mike Mallory, (VAN) Assistant coach Matt Beers, James Rahe

The President’s Cup is serious business in Canadian lacrosse. With Sr. A rosters so hard to crack due to limited space, the Sr. B loop has become a popular second choice for several NLL players. Some say the Mann Cup is the hardest trophy to win, but that’s a seven-game series between two teams, whereas the President’s Cup is a tournament between seven different teams. That’s a lot of opponents to beat!

The Pios went 5-1 in the round-robin before slipping past Snake Island 10-9 in overtime in the semifinals. They pulled off the three-peat, beating the Edmonton Miners 9-2, and this season they won it on their home floor at the Ladner Leisure Centre in Delta, BC. Hometown boy Tyler Pace led the Pios in the championship game with three goals and four assists, and 10 goals and 26 points overall. Christian Del Bianco made 44 saves in the game and was named tournament MVP.

MANN CUP – CANADIAN SR. A

Champion: Six Nations Chiefs

NLL Connections: (ALB) Doug Jamieson, Ty Logan, Travis Longboat, (BUF) Head Coach John Tavares, Ian MacKay, Steve Priolo, Dhane Smith, (CGY) Liam LeClair, (COL) Tim Edwards, Eli McLaughlin, Dillon Ward, (GA) Brendan Bomberry, Bryan Cole, Shayne Jackson, Jerry Staats, Jeremy Thompson, Lyle Thompson, (HFX) Tyson Bell, Cody Jamieson, Randy Staats, Nonkon Thompson, Warren Hill, (OTT) Larson Sundown, (PHL) Sam LeClair, (ROC) Tyler Biles, (SD) Kellen LeClair, Kyle Rubisch, (TOR) Brad Kri, Justin Martin.

The Chiefs defended their 2023 Mann Cup title on home floor this season at the Iroquois Lacrosse Arena on the Six Nations Reserve. They hosted the Victoria Shamrocks from the WLA and won the series 5-1. It was the team’s eighth national championship, with previous wins in 1994, 1995, 1996, 2013, 2014, 2016 and 2023.

Victoria won the opening game 9-8, and held early leads in games 3, 4 and 5 only for the Chiefs to roar back and win them all.

Lyle Thompson led the series in scoring with 10G/11A/21 points. Eli McLaughlin led in goals with 10, and Dhane Smith and Victoria captain Jesse King led with 14 assists each.

A number of the Chiefs went on to represent either Canada or Haudenosaunee in the World Box Lacrosse Championships.

NCBS – AMERICAN BOX

Champion: Hawkeyes

NLL Connections: (ROC) Head Coach Dan Coates, Conner Fingar, Assistant Coach Thomas McConvey, Assistant Coach Ryland Rees

The NCBS, which features college-aged players, has allowed American-born players the opportunity to showcase their box lacrosse skills to a national audience. This year the championship tournament featured eight teams from across the country.

In the final, the Hawkeyes (Rochester) dethroned three-time champion Royals (San Diego) 14-13 in overtime, avenging their 2023 loss to the Royals. Hawkeyes’ captain Conner Fingar, recently drafted by the Knighthawks at 27^th overall, scored a goal in the game as his team completed a perfect 14-0 season.

Check out our full game recap here.

PLL – AMERICAN PRO FIELD

Champions: Utah Archers

NLL Connections: (ALB) Dyson Williams, (BUF) Cam Wyers, (COL) Warren Jeffrey, (GA) Brett Dobson, (HFX) Graeme Hossack, (ROC) Connor Fields, (SD) Tre Leclaire, Mac O’Keefe, (TOR) Tom Schreiber

The Utah Archers had an okay season with a 6-4 record, but ended up exactly where they wanted to be – defending their 2023 title. It made it that much harder when Tom Schreiber went down with an injury, but the Archers brought the heat in the championship game, where they defeated the Maryland Whipsnakes 12-8.

It was a pair of Seals’ forwards that led the Archer’s offense – Mac O’Keefe scored three times and Tre Leclaire twice. Dyson Williams also made an impact, finding the back of the net once to assist in securing the championship win in his first professional field lacrosse summer.

Brett Dobson continued to watch his stock rise in goal and as he made 20 saves against Maryland, just a week after he almost made history. In the semifinals, he kept the Carolina Chaos (featuring Josh Byrne and Tye Kurtz) scoreless until 56 seconds remained in the game in a 10-1 win.