Major League Lacrosse hosted its 2009 Collegiate Draft at Stevens Tech University in Hoboken, N.J., Wednesday, May 27. Of the more than 160 eligible and registered players, 42 were scooped up by the MLL’s six remaining franchises. Some may find their way into play as early as this weekend.
Syracuse did well, posting five former players in the draft’s top 10, including #1 overall.

2009 MAJOR LEAGUE LACROSSE COLLEGIATE DRAFT RESULTS:

Round 1:
1) Chicago - Kenny Nims (A/Syracuse)
2) Denver - Max Seibald (M/Cornell)
3) Long Island - Zack Greer (A/Bryant)
4) Boston - Brandon Corp (M/Colgate)
5) Washington - Danny Glading (A/Virginia)
6) Toronto - Sid Smith (D/Syracuse)
7) Denver (Boston trades 7th pick to Denver) - Shane Walterhoefer (FO/North Carolina)
8) Denver - Dan Hardy (M/Syracuse)
9) Washington - Matt Abbott (M/Syracuse)

Round 2:
10) Chicago - John Glynn (M/Cornell)
11) Washington - PT Ricci (D/Loyola)
12) Long Island - Mark Kovler (M/Princeton)
13) Toronto - Doc Schneider (G/Umass)
14) Denver - Brian Christopher (M/Johns Hopkins)
15) Toronto - Brad Ross (M/Duke)
16) Boston - Jordan Burke (G/Brown)

Round 3:
17) Chicago - Ryan Hoff (A/Notre Dame)
18) Washington - Michael Evans (D/Johns Hopkins)
19) Long Island - Drew Adams (G/Penn State)
20) Boston - Peet Poillon (M/UMBC)
21) Denver - Shane Koppens (A/Loyola)
22) Toronto - Corey Small (A/Albany)
23) Washington - Jeff Reynolds (M/Maryland)
24) Long Island - Regis McDermott (D/Notre Dame)
25) Toronto - Mike Timms (LSM/Virginia)
26) Washington - Dan Groot (M/Maryland)

Round 4:
27) Chicago - Steven Bauer (D/Georgetown)
28) Washington - Ben Hunt (M/North Carolina)
29) Long Island - Anthony Muscarella (M/Hofstra)
30) Boston - Matt Messina (M/NYIT)
31) Denver - Chris O’Dougherty (D/Rutgers)
32) Toronto - Garrett Billings (A/Virginia)
33) Washington - Ryan McFadyen (D/Duke)
34) Long Island - Keith Galante (M/Molloy)
35) Denver - Alex Hopmann (M/UMBC)
36) Denver - Jeremy Blevins (G/UMBC)

Round 5:
37. Chicago - Thomas Kehoe (LSM/Gettysburg)
38. Washington - Kylor Berkman (M/Salisbury)
39. Long Island - Donny Moss (M/Adelphi)
40. Boston - Jake Beebe (A/Springfield)
41. Denver - Rocco Romero (M/Cornell)
42. Toronto - Chris Schongar (D/Albany)

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With all 42 picks made, we can now analyze how each organization did. The real challenge for rookies this year will be just making it onto a roster. With only 19 players eligible for game day, many of these recent grads won’t find themselves on a field very often this summer. After the league reshuffled players do to contracting from 10 teams to six, teams should be stacked with talent this year, hopefully making games that much more balanced and exciting.

NOTES: Some teams were granted more picks than others to compensate for players they lost or could not resign during the league’s reshuffling.
Teams may keep six players on their college inactive list until June 23, at which point they will need to activate, trade, or cut those players to get down to a 23 man roster. Teams can keep three players additional players on their practice squad, but other teams can claim those players off waivers.

Chicago
1) Kenny Nims (A/Syracuse)
10) John Glynn (M/Cornell)
17) Ryan Hoff (A/Notre Dame)
27) Steven Bauer (D/Georgetown)
37. Thomas Kehoe (LSM/Gettysburg)

The Machine could be fun to watch at attack with Nims reuniting with Mike Leveille, who already established chemistry with his brother Kevin last summer. Nims plays a very fluid, free flowing game, which should translate well to the MLL once he gets a feel for the league. Glynn is a great utility guy to add and should find a role somewhere. Grabbing him late, Kehoe is a good choice to experiment with at the new fourth pole.

Denver
2) Max Seibald (M/Cornell)
7) (*from Boston) - Shane Walterhoefer (FO/North Carolina)
8) Dan Hardy (M/Syracuse)
14) Brian Christopher (M/Johns Hopkins)
21) Shane Koppens (A/Loyola)
31) Chris O’Dougherty (D/Rutgers)
35) Alex Hopmann (M/UMBC)
36) Jeremy Blevins (G/UMBC)
41) Rocco Romero (M/Cornell)

For a team already deep at midfield, the potential for a Seibald, Hardy, Christopher line is scary. This league loves middies that can bring it, particularly on the run. If Walterhoefer is durable enough to last a season, that could be a big pick-up. If Koppens can take the abuse dished out on MLL attackmen, he could have a big upside. His quick change of direction and crafty moves are good fits for this league.

Long Island
3) Zack Greer (A/Bryant)
12) Mark Kovler (M/Princeton)
19) Drew Adams (G/Penn State)
24) Regis McDermott (D/Notre Dame)
29) Anthony Muscarella (M/Hofstra)
34) Keith Galante (M/Molloy)
39) Donny Moss (M/Adelphi)

Long Island might be the biggest beneficiary of the leagues contraction, swallowing up a lot of the talented players that live in the tri-state area, particularly most the talented rookie class New Jersey brought in last year. Obviously reuniting Greer and Matt Danowski is intriguing, though the Lizards are pretty attack-heavy right now. Adams will have a hard time getting any minutes behind two proven keepers in Brian Dougherty and Matt McMonagle. Muscarella is a smart pick-up: an athletic middie who also may attract local fans, especially with the Lizards playing at Hofstra this summer.

Boston
4) Brandon Corp (M/Colgate)
16) Jordan Burke (G/Brown)
20) Peet Poillon (M/UMBC)
30) Matt Messina (M/NYIT)
40. Jake Beebe (A/Springfield)

Brandon Corp could be a lot of fun to watch in this league. Though he has been an attackman the past few seasons, he began his career at Colgate as a middie. The improvisational style he brings to offense could translate well to the MLL. Reuniting with teammates Chris Eck and Matt Lalli won’t hurt either. Put Corp and Paul Rabil on a middie line together and see who eats up more shorties. Burke could easily be in the mix for some playing time in net. *The Cannons also picked up Greg Downing via a trade with Denver.

Washington
5) Danny Glading (A/Virginia)
9) Matt Abbott (M/Syracuse)
11) PT Ricci (D/Loyola)
18) Michael Evans (D/Johns Hopkins)
23) Jeff Reynolds (M/Maryland)
26) Dan Groot (M/Maryland)
28) Ben Hunt (M/North Carolina)
33) Ryan McFadyen (D/Duke)
38) Kylor Berkman (M/Salisbury)

Washington gathered a solid group of middies, though no one who necessarily scares a defense. I can’t wait to see how a player like Abbott takes to this league. Versatile guys who can run forever do very well in the MLL, but Abbott will need to work on creating shots, particularly on the run, before he is seen as a real offensive threat. It will be interesting to see if Danny Gladding is quickly established as a quarterback for the offense. PT Ricci is a nice addition in the first year of LSM play.

Toronto
6) Sid Smith (D/Syracuse)
13) Doc Schneider (G/Umass)
15) Brad Ross (M/Duke)
22) Corey Small (A/Albany)
25) Mike Timms (LSM/Virginia)
32) Garrett Billings (A/Virginia)
42) Chris Schongar (D/Albany)

Being the team from Canada, the Nationals are an offensively leaning club from the get-go. Between most of the Rochester roster crossing the border and a smattering of NLL players, Toronto should not want for scoring. Collecting three defensemen, particularly Smith and Timms, should strengthen a defensive end that already boasts Brodie Merrill, Nick O’Hara, and Dan Cocoziello. Though Rob Scherr and Brett Queener are already proven commodities in the cage, Doc Schneider could find some time too.