Rush’S Bold, Mammoth’S Noble Win March Awards

The National Lacrosse League has announced Player of the Month and Rookie of the Month award winners for March of the 2015 NLL regular season.

Edmonton Rush goaltender Aaron Bold, who leads the league in wins (7), goals against average (8.78) and save percentage (.793), won the NLL Player of the Month award for March after posting a 3-1 record along with a 7.63 goals against average and .817 save percentage for the month.

“Our recent run of success starts with Aaron Bold,” said Rush general manager and head coach Derek Keenan. “He’s been solid and gives us a chance to win every week.”

The 10-year NLL veteran helped the Rush tie an NLL record for fewest goals allowed in a single game with 31 saves on 34 shots in the team’s 16-3 win in Rochester in Week 13. Bold made 43 saves in a Week 12 road win over the league’s top team in Toronto and earned the game’s First Star in both wins over Rochester and Toronto. He also made 24 stops in Week 11 against Vancouver, with his only setback for the month coming in an overtime loss to Calgary.

The 29-year-old anchored the Rush to three-straight wins to end the month and sole possession of first place in the West Division with a 7-4 record. The Victoria, B.C. native, who helped Edmonton to a league-best 16-2 record and set the new NLL record with an 8.73 goals against average in 2014, was the 29th overall pick in the 2005 NLL Entry Draft.

Colorado Mammoth forward Jeremy Noble won the NLL Rookie of the Month award by registering 18 points (8+10) in his first three career games while helping Colorado go 3-0 with him in the lineup. Noble recorded seven points (2+5) in his NLL debut, which earned him the Pinty’s Wingman award for Week 11. Noble leads all rookies with a six points-per-game average and his eight goals on 34 shots are good for an impressive .235 shooting percentage.

Noble has five or more points in all three of his games and had a game-high 10 loose balls in his debut with 17 overall. He has been named the game’s First Star twice, first in his Week 11 debut and again in Week 12, where he scored four goals with two assists in Vancouver.

“It doesn’t mean too much,” said Noble about the award. “I’m just glad we had a good month and won three in a row. We have to continue to string wins together.”

The 23-year-old, who was the second overall selection in the 2014 NLL Draft, was a three-time All-America selection at the University of Denver and was named the BIG EAST Midfielder of the Year in 2014. He set a Pioneer record as a senior, averaging 1.89 assists per game. Last summer, the Orangeville, Ont. native was the offensive leader of Team Canada when it won the gold medal at the 2014 FIL World Lacrosse Championships. Noble was acquired by the Mammoth in a trade with the Rochester Knighthawks in early March.

The NLL Monthly Player Awards are determined by a vote of the league’s general managers and head coaches.