Kevin Crowley
2013 Major League Lacrosse MVP, 2013 MLL Offensive Player of the Year, and being a part of the 2013 MLL All-Pro team are just some things that Crowley can brag about. Throughout the 2013 season, Crowley was the most dominate player in the league. The Hamilton midfielder tied for the league lead in points, scoring 38 goals (three two-point goals), while dishing out 14 assists for a total of 55 points. Crowley led the Nationals to MLL Championship Weekend, ultimately dropping a tough semi-final to eventual champion Chesapeake. In that game, Crowley was able to score twice and had one assist, pushing Chesapeake to the limit before bowing out.
Chris Bocklet
Perhaps the best of the most prolific attack in the league, Chris Bocklet gave Crowley a fight for MVP until the last day of the season. Bocklet found himself tied with Crowley for the league lead in points, but led the league in goals with 42. Bocklet tallied a point in all but one game for the undefeated Outlaws this season. In the 2013 playoffs, the attackman was unable to put the ball in the back of the net, but he did his best to help his teammates score, sending out three assists in their loss to Charlotte.
Paul Rabil
Another 2013 MLL All-Pro, Rabil led his Boston Cannons in both points (54) and goals (32). Dishing off 19 assists also allowed Rabil to finish second in the league in total points. While the Cannons may have not finished where they would have liked in the standing at the end of the 2013 season, it is safe to say that they would have been worse of if it was not for Rabil.
Matt Danowski
When asked about Charlotte’s veteran leadership, rookie Mason Poli told us that the rookies tried to absorb all the information that the veterans could give them, and Matt Danowski is one of the leading teachers for the Hounds. While leading the Hounds to Championship Weekend in only their second year of existence, Danowski enjoyed a great season, finishing fourth in the league in total points with 49, fourth in goals with 33, and second in the league in two-point goals with six. While the Hounds may have fallen short of their ultimate goal in 2013, their future looks bright thanks to the likes of Danowski.
Jesse Schwartzman
The 2013 Goalie of the Year, Schwartzman had a season to remember leading the Outlaws to an undefeated season. The Outlaws strong defensive unit was led by Schwartzman who allowed the lowest goals against average in MLL history (9.67). Schwartzman played in and won each of Denver’s games and finished the 2013 season with an impressive .597 save percentage. In the 2013 playoffs, Schwartzman stood on his head a few times, turning away shot after shot from Charlotte.
Joe Walters
Arguably the most balanced player in the league, Walters was quietly one of the best players in the league in the shadows of Crowley’s MVP season. 22 goals and 26 assists made up Walters’ 48 point season for the Nationals, helping them to advance to Championship Weekend. After Chmampionship weekend, it was made known that at some point, Walters had his finger broken, but he still had a five point game with two goals and three assists in the Nationals loss.
Lee Zink
If Jesse Schwartzman is the leader of Denver’s defense, Lee Zink is his right hand man. Zink was named 2013 Defensive Player of the Year and a 2013 MLL All-Pro for his outstanding play during the season. The defenseman was a mainstay in the Outlaws backfield, playing in all 14 games for the stifling Denver D. Usually put on the opposing team’s leading scorer, Zink was recognized numerous times throughout the season for shutting that player down completely. The Outlaws had the top penalty-kill in the league, and that had much to do with Zink’s play.
Drew Westervelt
The first MLL champion on this list, Drew Westervelt had a great season in Chesapeake. On a veteran laden team like Chesapeake, Westervelt made sure his presence was felt. The attackman tied for fifth in the league in total points, using 36 goals and 12 assists to accumulate 48 points. On the road to the championship, Westervelt had five goals and an assist to help the Bayhawks win their second title in as many years.
Brodie Merrill
2013 was the eighth consecutive season that Brodie Merrill was named a MLL All-Pro and it was well deserved. Not only did the Nationals defenseman shut down opposing offenses, he also helped out his own offense by tying for the league lead in total points for defenseman with 11. In 2013, Merrill scored twice while dishing out nine assists. In Hamilton’s semi-final matchup with Chesapeake, Merrill picked up 11 groundballs and also added a goal in the loss.
Eric Law
Only playing in nine regular season games for Denver, Law still played a big part in his team finishing the first undefeated season in MLL history. Law finished tied for 16th in the league in total points, but most of the players who finished in front of him played in more games. On the season, Law scored 24 times (one two-point goal) and had 9 assists for 34 points. Law’s regular season stats are very impressive, but it was his 2013 playoff performance that cemented his place on this list. In a tight semi-final with Charlotte, Law put his team on his back and scored nine (!) goals, which is a new MLL record.
