For the second year in a row, the Lizards are excited to announce one of their players has been named Cascade Rookie of the Year. Matt Gibson took home the award in 2012, and today, Major League Lacrosse announced that Rob Pannell will take over the title.
Playing in just ten games, Rob scored 25 goals and added 17 assists for 42 points, putting him at number nine among the League’s leading scorers this season. Of the top ten scorers in the League for 2013, Pannell has played in the fewest games, a distinction he holds for every category in which he ranks. Rob also finishes the 2013 season as the 12th leading goal scorer and ranks 9th in assists. His 25 goals ties him at number three for goals scored by a rookie (tied with Matt Poskay), 17 assists ties him at three with Steele Stanwick for assists by a rookie, and 42 points puts him as the second all-time leading rookie scorer behind Ryan Boyle. Pannell was one of three rookies who played in the 2013 MLL All-Star Game, presented by Moe’s Southwest Grill, scoring three goals and adding one assist in the game.
“I couldn’t be happier for Rob. No one is more deserving of this award,” said Lizard’s head coach Joe Spallina. “No one has come into this League and made as much of an impact as he has. New York has a bright future with Rob wearing our jersey.”
“With all the talent in this year’s rookie class, it’s an honor to be named Rookie of the Year,” said Pannell. “It says a lot about my team and their support in welcoming me to the League and all the plays they made all season long.”
The last few months have been filled with success for the rookie, breaking the NCAA points record by scoring his 354th career point in Cornell’s NCAA semi-final loss to Duke, being named the 2013 Tewaaraton Award Winner, and signing on as a member of Brine’s Team Elite. “It [the award] is the icing on the cake to what has been an unbelievable last few months!”
Pannell joined the Lizards on May 31 at Hofstra University when New York took on the Charlotte Hounds, scoring three goals and adding an assist in his debut. The outstanding debut earned Pannell Cascade Rookie of the Week honors for week five. Pannell was drafted by the Lizards as the first overall pick in the 2012 MLL Collegiate Draft. When Pannell suffered a Jones Fracture early in his senior season with the Big Red and decided to delay his professional career to use his final year of NCAA eligibility, his rights were protected by the Lizards until he completed his collegiate career in 2013.
