Five Griffs Land on NLL Opening-Night Rosters

When the National Lacrosse League begins its 33rd season of competition on Saturday, there will be plenty for Canisius men's lacrosse fans to watch for as five former Golden Griffins have been named to opening-night rosters for the 2018-19 campaign.

One of the biggest offseason moves was the return to the Nickel City of former Canisius Male Athlete of the Year Matt Vinc (2002-05), who signed a three-year deal with the Buffalo Bandits in early December.

Vinc, who won three Champions Cups during an eight-year stint with the Rochester Knighthawks, is one of the most experienced players in NLL history, owning the league's career postseason records for minutes and saves. He is also the active leader in regular-season minutes and saves as he gets set to begin his 14th year in the league.

In addition to his impact on the NLL record book, Vinc is also one of the most decorated players in league history, garnering NLL Goaltender of the Year honors on six occasions (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018) and All-Pro accolades seven times, including six first-team selections.

Across the border in Canada, Adam Jones (2008-11) is set for his second season with the Toronto Rock after enjoying a solid 2018 campaign that saw him rack up a team-best 37 goals to go along with a career-high 52 assists for 89 points. The NLL Rookie-of-the-Year in 2012, Jones also paced Toronto in shots on goal (190) while ranking third on the squad with a career-best 109 loose balls.

Recently graduated attackman Connor Kearnan (2016-18) will be the latest Griff to make the move to the professional ranks as he joins the expansion San Diego Seals for their inaugural season after the franchise made him the 11th overall pick in the 2018 NLL Entry Draft in September. Kearnan, who set a Canisius single-season record with 52 assists during his senior campaign last season, and the Seals will make their NLL debut Dec. 22 at Colorado.

In the Mile-High City, former Griffs Dan Coates (2008-11) and Tim Edwards (2012-15) will team up on the Colorado Mammoth. Coates makes his return to action after missing the entire 2018 campaign due to injury. Drafted by the Mammoth with the eighth overall pick in the 2011 Entry Draft, Coates is entering his fourth season as team captain.

Edwards, meanwhile, is in his second season with the Mammoth after posting the fifth best faceoff percentage in the league (.514) in 2017-18. He started all 18 games for Colorado last season, scoring a career-high three goals and tallying three assists for six points.

Canisius has seen a total of 12 former players move on to play in North America's premier professional indoor lacrosse league. Nine former Griffs have been selected in the league's entry draft, with seven having been taken in the first round.

Carey '05 Named General Manager/Vice President of Rochester Expansion Franchise

There was more news involving former Griffs in the NLL on Thursday as Dan Carey (2005) was named General Manager and Vice President of Lacrosse Operations for the Rochester/NLL 2019-20 expansion franchise that will debut in the league as the Knighthawks next season.

In his new role, Carey will manage and oversee all aspects of lacrosse operations of the Rochester/NLL 2019-20 expansion franchise, including team services, player acquisitions and contracts, and personnel development.

Carey joins the Knighthawks after serving two years as the general manager of the Mammoth. Named just the second general manager in Colorado franchise history on July 13, 2017, Carey was instrumental in assembling a Mammoth roster that posted a combined 20-16 regular-season record over the last two seasons, culminating in back-to-back postseason appearances. During the 2018 season, Colorado finished second in the Western Division with an 11-7 record, marking its second runner-up finish in three years, while advancing to the NLL's Champion's Cup Playoffs for an unprecedented eighth straight season.

A native of Peterborough, Ontario, Carey was the Mammoth's first-round selection (seventh overall) in the 2005 NLL Entry Draft. He was named an NLL All-Star in each of his first three seasons in the league was instrumental in Colorado winning the Champion's Cup during his rookie season. In 60 career regular-season games with Colorado, Carey scored 89 goals and assisted on 147 others during his six-year professional playing career.

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Players Mentioned

#92 Connor Kearnan: A; 5' 8"; Senior

Players Mentioned

#92 Connor Kearnan
: 5' 8"; Senior
: A

Players Mentioned

#92 Connor Kearnan

Players Mentioned

#92 Connor Kearnan