(January 2, 2015)… The Rochester Knighthawks announced today that they have activated transition man Brad Self for the 2015 National Lacrosse League season. The move comes one day prior to the Knighthawks’ home and season opener, which will take place on Saturday, January 3rd against the Toronto Rock.
“I can’t wait to play in Rochester in front of our fans on opening night,” said Self. “It’s just nice to be able to put the gear back on and get back on the floor with the boys. It beats watching from the sidelines.”
Self enters his ninth season in the NLL after an impressive 2014 campaign in which he led the team in loose balls with a career-high 131. His 25 points were the third most of his career and good enough for third in the NLL in points among NLL defensemen/transition men. In the postseason, he was tied for second on the team with 21 loose balls.
The former second-round selection has played in 90 career games and recorded 61 goals, 110 assists and 537 loose balls. Before arriving in Rochester, Self played for teams in Ottawa, Colorado, Philadelphia and Chicago. His best seasons, however, have been with the Knighthawks, where he has won three Champion’s Cups in three seasons.
Brad has been a member of one of the top defenses in the league in all three seasons, while providing timely goals and valuable loose balls. His versatility makes him one of the team’s most valuable assets.
“He’s the ultimate two-way player on our team,” said Knighthawks Assistant Captain Mike Kirk. “He gets that loose ball, makes that big defensive stop, and scores for us. On a team who plays primarily five-on-five, to have a guy like Brad is a huge advantage in our lineup.”
Self, who signed a four-year deal with Rochester in November of 2013, has also collected three straight 20-point seasons for the first time in his career. As a Knighthawk, the 34-year-old has posted 23 goals, 47 assists and 314 loose balls in 50 games. He will be a welcomed addition to the lineup on Saturday.
“It will be great to have him and ‘Soupy’ (Scott Campbell) clearing the ball and creating offensive chances in transition,” said Knighthawks Assistant Coach Paul Day.
This summer, Self had another impressive season with his hometown Peterborough Lakers of Major Series Lacrosse. He recorded 21 points in 16 games and helped the Lakers advance to the MSL Finals. In his MSL career, he has won two Mann Cups and was named the Peterborough Lakers’ 2012 Transition Player of the Year.
On Saturday, Self will begin his fourth season with the Knighthawks with the goal of extending the streak he was a part of since Day One. Rochester will open the season that night with a 7:30 p.m. showdown against the Toronto Rock at 7:30 p.m. at Connors & Ferris Field at The Blue Cross Arena.
