The 2013 MLL Collegiate Draft is quietly approaching and there are some very talented players to choose from.
Rob Pannell still has another year of collegiate eligibility but the Lizards maintain his rights. Still, the 2012 Tewaaraton winner and one finalist as well as the top defender and goalie will be back this season and will be prime for the picking.
Here’s a look at some of the bigger names to be aware of for the upcoming draft.
Peter Baum, A, Colgate
The Oregon-native and Colgate player was a surprise Tewaaraton winner last season, but he proved he is the best player in his class. He led Division 1 in goals (67) and points (96). He led the underdog Colgate to its first NCAA Tournament win. He’s got a quick first step and quick hands to get his shot off. Baum is a great talent and many will be excited to see how he fares in the league.
Will Manny, A, UMass
A Tewaaraton-finalst last season, Manny started all 16 of the Minutemen’s games. He led the team to a 15-1 record and finished first on the squad in goals (44), assists (33) and points (77). He was third in the NCAA in points. He was also extremely consistent, scoring at least two points in every single game.
Tucker Durkin, D, Johns Hopkins
He has been projected as the top defenseman in the 2013 class. He’s a big defender at six-foot-two and 210 pounds. He’s a two-time All-American and is the reigning defender of the year. Last season was his best yet, picking up a career-high 35 ground balls and causing 19 turnovers. His coach at Hopkins, Dave Pietramala, was a pretty good defenseman himself and can teach Durkin some good tricks of the trade.
John Kemp, G, Notre Dame
Kemp enters the season as the top collegiate goalie. He led the nation in save percentage last season as a junior (63.7 percent). That’s after his sophomore campaign where he was second in the nation in goals-against average and fourth in save percentage. Although he’s not the biggest goalie he more than makes up for it with his quickness and athleticism between the pipes.
Jake Tripucka, M, Duke
He comes from a long line of professional athletes and last season he made a nice impact on the Duke team. He finished fifth on the team in goals and points and fourth in assists. This year the Duke midfield won’t have Rob Rotanz or Justin Turri so he will be the go-to-guy in the midfield. He should be a very productive midfielder and the Blue Devils turn out some solid professionals.
JoJo Marasco, M, Syracuse
He’s Syracuse’s No. 22 captain, the highest honor a Syracuse player can have. He’s dependable, starting in every one of Syracuse’s games last year. His best asset is his passing skills. He was second on the team in assists (19) and was valuable in the transition game. He’s not a dominating player, and most likely won’t get picked up in the first round of the draft, but he provides some nice depth at the position and has a good head on his shoulders.
Mike Sawyer, A, Loyola
Last year Eric Lusby went undrafted and then had a breakout campaign for the Greyhounds as they went on to win the championship. Teams won’t let a healthier Sawyer slip through the cracks as well. Sawyer was second on the team in goals (52) and points (62). He only had 10 assists and deferred to Lusby in the NCAA tournament, but he still was a threat and an effective player. He will have to be the man this year but with 92 goals in 44 games he will most certainly get drafted.
