Florida Launch
|
Team logo | |
| League | MLL |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2014 |
| Home stadium | FAU Stadium |
| Based in | Boca Raton, Florida |
| Colors |
Blue, gold, white |
| Head coach | Stan Ross |
| General manager | TBD |
| Steinfeld Cups | None |
| Website | floridalaunchlacrosse.com |
The Florida Launch is a professional men's field lacrosse team based in Boca Raton, Florida. They joined Major League Lacrosse (MLL) as an expansion team for the 2014 season. The team plays its home games at Florida Atlantic University Stadium.[1]
Franchise history
In November 2013, MLL granted an expansion franchise to Palm Beach County, Florida for the 2014 MLL Season. The formation of the Launch coincides with the dissolution of the Hamilton Nationals, and former National players have become members of the inaugural Launch squad.[2] Former Denver Outlaws assistant Stan Ross was named as the new team's first coach.
Ross faced his former team in the Launch's inaugural game on Saturday, April 26, 2014 in their home opener.[3] The Launch lost their first game to the Outlaws 14-10. Josh Amidon scored the first goal in franchise history.[4] The team's first victory came in their second game, an 11-8 win over the Charlotte Hounds.[5]
After coaching the Launch to a combined 13-29 record over their first three seasons, Ross resigned on November 17, 2016.[6]
When the 2017 schedule was announced on November 15, 2016, the Launch also announced that their first three homes games would be played at various cities in Florida as a part of their 2017 Florida Tour to grow the game of lacrosse throughout the state.[7]
Season-by-season
| Florida Launch | |||||
| Year | W | L | % | Regular season finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 5 | 9 | .357 | 7th in league | Didn't Qualify |
| 2015 | 5 | 9 | .357 | 7th in league | Didn't Qualify |
| 2016 | 3 | 11 | .214 | 9th in league | Didn't Qualify |
| Totals | 13 | 29 | .310 | Total Playoff Record 0-0 | |
Roster
| 2016 Florida Launch | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Number | Player's Name | Nationality | Position | Height | Weight | College |
| 1 | PT Ricci |  | D | 5 ft 10 in | 195 lb | Loyola |
| 2 | Miles Thompson |  | A | 5 ft 11 in | 185 lb | Albany |
| 3 | Dan Eipp | | A | 5 ft 10 in | 160 lb | Harvard |
| 4 | Lyle Thompson | | A | 6 ft 0 in | 180 lb | Albany |
| 6 | Kieran McArdle | | A | 6 ft 1 in | 175 lb | St. John's |
| 7 | Jovan Miller | | M | 6 ft 0 in | 205 lb | Syracuse |
| 11 | Roman Lao-Gosney | | M | 6 ft 0 in | 200 lb | Lehigh |
| 12 | Duncan Clancy | | M | 6 ft 2 in | 215 lb | Jacksonville |
| 13 | Owen Blye | | A | 6 ft 3 in | 185 lb | Maryland |
| 14 | Austin Kaut | | G | 6 ft 1 in | 200 lb | Penn State |
| 16 | Pat Farrell | | D | 6 ft 2 in | 185 lb | High Point |
| 18 | Nikko Pontrello | | M | 5 ft 11 in | 180 lb | Loyola |
| 19 | Cameron Lao-Gosney | | M | 6 ft 0 in | 190 lb | Lehigh |
| 20 | Connor Buczek | | M | 6 ft 2 in | 190 lb | Cornell |
| 22 | Casey Powell | | A | 6 ft 1 in | 195 lb | Syracuse |
| 23 | Brett Queener | | G | 5 ft 10 in | 180 lb | Albany |
| 25 | Erik Smith | | M | 5 ft 9 in | 185 lb | Air Force |
| 27 | Ken Clausen | | D | 6 ft 2 in | 195 lb | Virginia |
| 30 | Pat Fraizer | | D | 6 ft 1 in | 185 lb | Loyola |
| 33 | David Earl | | M | 6 ft 0 in | 185 lb | Notre Dame |
| 35 | John Ortolani | | M | 5 ft 7 in | 180 lb | Endicott |
| 37 | Bobby Lawrence | | D | 5 ft 11 in | 190 lb | Colgate |
| 39 | Kevin Randall | | D | 6 ft 2 in | 205 lb | Notre Dame |
| 44 | Steven Brooks | | M | 6 ft 1 in | 190 lb | Syracuse |
| 51 | Tucker Durkin | | D | 6 ft 2 in | 210 lb | Johns Hopkins |
| 58 | Connor Hunt | | D | 6 ft 3 in | 215 lb | North Carolina |
| 65 | Chris Mattes |  | M | 6 ft 2 in | 195 lb | Rutgers |
| 74 | Jeremy Thompson | | M | 5 ft 11 in | 195 lb | Syracuse |
- updated 2016-05-18
Head coaching history
| # | Name | Term | Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | W% | GC | W | L | W% | |||
| 1 | Stan Ross | 2014-2016 | 42 | 13 | 29 | .310 | - | - | - | - |
Award Winners
Most Valuable Player
- Casey Powell: 2014
Rookie of the Year
- Kieran McArdle: 2014
Offensive Player of the Year
Draft history
MLL Collegiate Draft
First round selections
- 2014: Kieran McArdle, St. John's (4th overall)[8]
- 2015: Lyle Thompson, Albany (1st overall); Connor Buczek, Cornell (2nd overall)[9]
- 2016: Matt Landis, Notre Dame (3rd overall)
References
- ↑ "MLL places team in Florida". Major League Lacrosse. November 21, 2013. Retrieved November 22, 2013.
- ↑ "Major League Lacrosse finally lands its long-desired South Florida franchise". Sun-Sentinel. November 22, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ↑ "MLL Places Team in Florida". Major League Lacrosse. November 21, 2013. Retrieved November 26, 2013.
- ↑ "Florida Launch lacrosse team rockets into fans' hearts". tribunedigital-sunsentinel. Retrieved 2016-06-08.
- ↑ "Florida Launch ignites to first pro lacrosse win". tribunedigital-sunsentinel. Retrieved 2016-06-08.
- ↑ Florida Launch accept resignation of head coach Stan Ross
- ↑ Florida Launch announce 2017 schedule
- ↑ Lacrosse, Major League. "2014 Collegiate Draft Results | Major League Lacrosse". Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved 2016-06-08.
- ↑ Lacrosse, Major League. "2015 Collegiate Draft Results | Major League Lacrosse". Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved 2016-06-08.
External links
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