With lacrosse taking off around the world, the sport has finally made its way on to the professional scene down South as the Florida Launch prepare to make their organizations inaugural MLL debut this season.
Based out of Boca Raton, the Launch is made up of the Hamilton Nationals who made it all the way to the 2013 MLL Semi Finals. After some really interesting off-season moves like the transactions of Brodie Merrill and Martin Cahill to Boston for the number 14 and 37 draft picks along with defender PT Ricci and middie Lee Coppersmith. Also in the off-season, local Florida resident Casey Powell will don a Launch jersey as the Bayhawks received Joe Walters in return.
2014 Florida Launch Roster:
Attack: Kevin Cunningham, Cody Jamieson, Stephen Keogh, Casey Powell, Garrett Thull
Midfield: Lee Coppersmith, Jeremy Thompson, Mike Poppleton (FO), Chris LaPierre, Cameron Lao-Gosney, Roman Lao-Gosney, Jordan Hall, Josh Amidon, Kevin Crowley
Defense: Reid Acton, Tucker Durkin, Matt Lovejoy, Donny Moss, Jason Noble
Goalie: Brett Queener, Adam Fullerton, Dillon Ward
2014 Florida Launch Supplemental Draft Picks:
| 1st (5th Overall) | Billy Eisenreich (A) – Bucknell |
| 2nd (8th Overall) | Brett Garber (M) – Massachusetts |
| 3rd (13th Overall) | Kyle Wimer (M) – UMBC |
| 4th (21st Overall) | Grant Kaleikau (A) – Delaware |
| 5th (29th Overall) | Chazz Woodson (A) – Brown |
| 6th (45th Overall) | Chris Mattes (M) – Rutgers |
| 7th (53rd Overall) | Nick O’Hara (D) – Duke |
| 8th (61st Overall) | Zach Palmer (A) – Johns Hopkins |
| 9th (69th Overall) | Trevor Timmerberg (M) – Bellarmine |
| 10th (77th Overall) | Steven Panarelli (D) – Syracuse |
| 11th (85th Overall) | Mario Ventiquattro (A) – Ohio State |
| 12th (93rd Overall) | Scott Kahoe (M) – Syracuse |
2014 Florida Launch Collegiate Draft Class:
1st Pick (5th Overall): (A) Kieran McArdle – St. Johns
2nd Pick (10th Overall): (D) Joe Meurer – Ohio State
3rd Pick (12th Overall): (M) Ryan Creighton – North Carolina
4th Pick (29th Overall): (G) Niko Amato – Maryland
5th Pick (45th Overall): (D) Bobby Lawrence – Colgate
6th Pick (53rd Overall): (M) Andrew Barton – Providence
7th Pick (61st Overall): (A) Duncan Clancy – Jacksonville
Something that will be in the back of everyone’s mind is, will the NLL season overlap make or break the Launch’s season with so many NLL players on their squad? Also, will their college draft picks make a big impact for them once they join?
Florida starts its 2014 inaugural campaign with a three game home stand. First, on April 26, against Head Coach Stan Ross’ former team of the Denver Outlaws. Followed by the Charlotte Hounds on May 3 and the Ohio Machine on May 10. All three games will starts at 7pm at Florida Atlantic University Stadium.
