PHILADELPHIA, September 26, 2018 – Ahead of the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) 33rd season, the 2018-19 Entry Draft took place on Tuesday, September 25 at Xfinity Live! in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. With the season set to begin on December 1, the newest batch of rookies will look to make their marks on their respective new teams.
“We are incredibly excited to welcome all of the players selected in tonight’s draft into our great league,” said NLL Commissioner Nick Sakiewicz. “We believe this season will see as much action and parity as ever with the inclusion of these players and are ecstatic for Face Off Weekend to come as soon as possible.”
After winning a coin flip against the Philadelphia Wings during halftime of Game 2 of the NLL Finals on June 2, the San Diego Seals were awarded the first pick and selected Austin Staats out of Onondaga Community College. Philadelphia followed by selecting Chris Cloutier from the University of North Carolina. Then, in back-to-back picks, the Buffalo Bandits selected Matt Gilray and Ian MacKay.
“We feel very fortunate to be able to add two impact players at the beginning of this draft,” said Bandits General Manager Steve Dietrich. “We feel that adding both of them to an already established young hungry group can only lead to good things for Banditland this season.”
Full details from the 2018-19 NLL Entry Draft, including all 74 selections, can be viewed below.
FIRST ROUND
1. San Diego – Austin Staats, Onondoga C.C.
2. Philadelphia – Chris Cloutier, University of North Carolina
3. Buffalo (from Vancouver) – Matt Gilray, Bucknell University
4. Buffalo – Ian MacKay, University of Vermont
5. Saskatchewan (from Toronto) – Connor Robinson, High Point University
6. Calgary – Shane Simpson, University of North Carolina
7. *Georgia (from New England via Calgary) – Brendan Bomberry, Syracuse University
8. Georgia – Adam Wiedemann, Belmont Abbey College
9. Rochester (from Colorado) – James Barclay, Providence College
10. San Diego (from Rochester via Saskatchewan) – Connor Fields, University of Albany
11. San Diego (from Saskatchewan) – Connor Kearnan, Canisius College
12. Calgary (compensatory selection) – Eli Salama, Rochester Institute of Technology
13. Calgary (compensatory selection) – Reece Callies, Colorado Mesa University
SECOND ROUND
14. Philadelphia – Trevor Baptiste, University of Denver
15. San Diego – Rylan Hartley, Orangeville Northmen, Jr A
16. Rochester (from Vancouver via Saskatchewan) – Luke Van Shepen, Siena College
17. San Diego (from Buffalo) – Graydon Bradley, Coquitlam
18. Georgia (from Toronto) – Joel Tinney, Johns Hopkins University
19. Georgia (from Calgary via Buffalo) – Steven Orleman, Brampton Excelsiors
20. Georgia (from New England) – LeRoy Halftown, New York Institute of Technology
21. **Vancouver (from Georgia) – Travis Burton, Brampton Excelsiors
22. Colorado – Kyle Killen, Rochester Institute of Technology
23. * Calgary (from Rochester via Georgia) Adam Dickson, High Point University
24. Toronto (from Saskatchewan via New England) – Brad Lyons, Peterborough Lakers
25. Philadelphia – James Leary, University of Vermont
26. New England (from San Diego) – Jackson Nishimura, Toronto Beaches
THIRD ROUND
27. San Diego – Derek Lloyd, Stony Brook University
28. Philadelphia – Justin Guterding, Duke University
29. Vancouver – Nate Wade, Tusculum University
30. Colorado (from Buffalo) – Dennon Armstrong, Coquitlam Adanacs
31. New England (from Toronto) – Ethan Woods, Barrie Lakeshore
32. Vancouver (from Calgary via New England) – Jean-Luc Chetner, Towson University
33. San Diego (from New England) – Connor Kelly, University of Maryland
34. ***New England (from Georgia) – Tal Bruno, Johns Hopkins University
35. Colorado – Julian Garritano, Sacred Heart University
36. Rochester – Oran Horn, Mercyhurst University
37. Saskatchewan – Ryan McLean, Calgary Mountaineers
38. San Diego – Jules Heningburg, Rutgers University
39. Philadelphia – Kyle Staveley, Orangeville Northmen
FOURTH ROUND
40. ****Rochester (from Philadelphia) – Nick Demude, St. Catharines Athletics
41. San Diego – Austin Divitcos, Rutgers University
42. Vancouver – Dallas Wade, Tusculum University
43. Buffalo – Devlin Shanahan, Mimico Jr A
44. Toronto – AJ Kluck, University of Albany
45. Calgary – Carter Dickson, St. Leo University
46. Georgia (from New England) – Justin Lemcke, Whitby Warriors
47. Georgia – John Sexton, University of Notre Dame
48. Colorado – Dylan Laprade, Burlington
49. Rochester – Dawson Theede, Whitby Warriors
50. San Diego (from Saskatchewan) – Zach Bryant, Robert Morris University
51. Philadelphia – Christian Cuccinello, Villanova University
52. San Diego – Zac Christiansen, Robert Morris University
FIFTH ROUND
53. San Diego – Sean Mayle, University of Denver
54. Philadelphia – Connor Keating, University of Pennsylvania
55. Vancouver – Braylon Lumb, Victoria Jr A
56. Calgary (from Buffalo) – Sean Tyrrell, UMass Lowell
57. Toronto – Scott Dominey, Orangeville Northmen
58. Calgary – Tyson Kirkness, Coquitlam Adanacs
59. New England – Dereck Downs, Wheeling Jesuit University
60. Georgia – Tanner Poole, Barrie Jr A
61. Georgia (from Colorado) – Nolan Apers, Lehigh University
62. Rochester – Dylan Riley, Davenport University
63. Saskatchewan – Dalton Lupul, Wheeling Jesuit University
SIXTH ROUND
64. Philadelphia – Michael Rexrode, Rutgers University
65. San Diego – Jake Cook, Providence College
66. Vancouver – Jon Phillips, UMass Lowell
67. Saskatchewan (from Buffalo) – Tyler Gaulton, Limestone College
68. Toronto – Mitch Gustavsen, Toronto Beaches
69. Calgary – Chase McIntyre, Jacksonville University
70. New England – Matthew Lee, Wheeling Jesuit University
71. Georgia – Sawyer Howell, Mimico Jr A
72. Colorado – Steven Lee, Burlington Chiefs
73. Rochester – Leeland Powless, Six Nations Arrows
74. Saskatchewan – Zach Gould, Saskatchewan Jr A
*The Calgary Roughnecks have traded the 7th selection in the 2018 Entry Draft and Holden Cattoni to the Georgia Swarm for Jesse King and the 23rd selection in the 2018 Entry Draft.
**The Georgia Swarm have traded the 21st selection in the 2018 Entry Draft and a fourth round selection in the 2020 Entry Draft to the Vancouver Warriors in exchange for their second round selection in the 2019 Entry Draft.
***The Georgia Swarm have traded the 34th selection in the 2018 Entry Draft to the New England Black Wolves in exchange for their third round selection in the 2021 Entry Draft.
****The Philadelphia Wings have traded the 40th selection in the 2018 Entry Draft to the Rochester Knighthawks in exchange for their fourth round selection in the 2019 Entry Draft.
The 2018 National Lacrosse League Draft marked the NLL’s first broadcast with B/R Live ahead of the 2018-19 Season. Teaming up with B/R Live for the coming season, don’t miss all the National Lacrosse League action live at live.bleacherreport.com or on the B/R Live app.
About the National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s premier professional indoor lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of 12 franchises across the United States and Canada: Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, New England Black Wolves, Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, Vancouver Warriors and Halifax ‘18. The 2018-19 NLL season, commemorating the League’s 33rd year, will begin December 1st for #FaceOffWknd. For more information, visit NLL.com and find the NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.