Kevin Rice, attack, Syracuse – Rochester Rattlers
Without even playing a single MLL game, Kevin Rice has already been traded. About a week before being named a Tewaaraton Award finalist, the Florida Launch sent him packing. He was traded to Rochester with faceoff specialist Mike Poppleton and a 2016 supplemental sixth-round draft pick. All of that in exchange for Miles Thompson and a 2016 fourth-round pick.
Rice will have the chance to team up with current SU attack Randy Staats and SU defender Sean Young, who were also drafted by the Rattlers. Rice is in the middle of a stellar season and ranks sixth in the country in points per game. He has 29 goals and 39 assists and is the quarterback of arguably the most lethal offense in all of college lacrosse.
Kevin Massa, FOGO, Bryant – Charlotte Hounds
After making a name for himself in the 2014 NCAA tournament by spearheading an earth-shattering upset over Syracuse, Kevin Massa’s 2015 tournament performance was underwhelming. With a chance to play Syracuse again, Bryant came up short in the play-in game against Marist.
While Bryant won 13-of-20 faceoffs, Massa was just 3-of-8 in the first quarter. That gave Marist the confidence and realization that they had a chance, and in the end, the Red Foxes took advantage and took the W.
Wes Berg, attack, Denver – Denver Outlaws
Wes Berg is arguably the most important player on Denver right now. And when the college season ends — he hopes on Memorial Day — he won’t have to acclimate to much different circumstances. Berg, the Canadian native, was picked by the hometown Outlaws. He was named a Tewaaraton finalist on Thursday and with a faceoff specialist as good as any in the country, this might be the Pioneers’ best shot at a national championship.
Legendary former Princeton coach Bill Tierney went to Denver to build a powerhouse out west — and he has — but he still has as many national championships as I do sitting on my couch. This could be Denver’s year and Berg could be the reason why. He currently has 43 goals and 17 assists, but his ability to make things happen and cause havoc for defenses can’t be quantified in numbers.
Michael Pellegrino, defender, Johns Hopkins – New York Lizards
Michael Pellegrino was the first defender taken in the MLL Draft in January and he was selected by the New York Lizards in the second round. The Lizards are currently 4-0, the only undefeated team left in the league. If there’s one thing the Lizards don’t need right now, it’s offense — which works out perfectly for Pellegrino. Paul Rabil, Rob Pannell and Matt Gibson are running train on the rest of the league. In the Lizards’ last two games though, they’ve allowed 26 goals.
Meanwhile, at Hopkins, the Blue Jays are averaging an allowed nine goals per game in the last four contests. In a competitive Big Ten, those numbers are impressive. And it’s Pellegrino who is at the forefront of that defensive charge.
