View source for Ryan Benesch

{{Infobox lacrosse player
| position = Forward
| shoots = Left
| height_ft = 5
| height_in = 8
| weight_lb = 180
| nll_team = [[Buffalo Bandits]]
| league = [[Major Series Lacrosse|MSL]]
| team = [[Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks]]
| former_nll_teams = [[Minnesota Swarm]]<br>[[Edmonton Rush]]<br>[[Toronto Rock]]
| nationality = Canada
| nll_draft = 1st overall
| nll_draft_year = 2006
| nll_draft_team = [[San Jose Stealth]]
| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|1|30|mf=y}}
| birth_place = [[Kitchener, Ontario]]
| career_start = [[2007 NLL season|2007]]
| nickname = The Bullet
}}
'''Ryan Benesch''' (born January 30, 1985) is a [[Canadians|Canadian]] professional [[indoor lacrosse|lacrosse]] player who plays for the [[Colorado Mammoth]] in the [[National Lacrosse League]]. Benesch has also played for the Buffalo Bandits, Minnesota Swarm, Edmonton Rush, and Toronto Rock, and was the [[2011 NLL season|2011]] NLL scoring leader. Benesch was born in [[Kitchener, Ontario]], Canada.

==Professional career==
Benesch was drafted first overall by the [[San Jose Stealth]] in the 2006 [[National Lacrosse League entry draft|NLL entry draft]],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/news060913a.htm|title=Stealth doubles up with Benesch, Sorensen atop draft|author=Philly, R.A.|work=Outsider's Guide to the NLL|date=September 13, 2006|accessdate=2007-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121015951/http://lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/news060913a.htm|archive-date=November 21, 2008}}</ref> but was traded to [[Toronto Rock]] along with Chad Thompson and Kevin Fines for 2005 NLL [[National Lacrosse League MVP Award|MVP]] [[Colin Doyle (lacrosse)|Colin Doyle]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=2629|title=Colossal trade as season nears|work=NLL.com|date=December 27, 2006|accessdate=2007-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714190137/http://nll.com/article.php?id=2629|archive-date=July 14, 2011}}</ref> Benesch played his minor lacrosse in Kitchener-Waterloo as well as his Junior 'A' lacrosse. He is currently the second leading scorer all-time in [[Kitchener-Waterloo Braves]] history behind Colin Doyle.

Benesch was named [[National Lacrosse League Weekly Awards|Rookie of the Week]] three times in the [[2007 NLL season|2007 season]], in weeks 4, 11, and 12, and was also named [[National Lacrosse League Monthly Awards|Rookie of the Month]] in March. On May 8, 2007, Benesch was awarded the [[National Lacrosse League Rookie of the Year Award|Rookie of the Year Award]], and named to the All-Rookie team.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=2942|work=NLL.com|title=Benesch Named Rookie of the Year|date=May 8, 2007|accessdate=2007-05-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929142535/http://nll.com/article.php?id=2942|archive-date=September 29, 2011}}</ref>

Early in the [[2009 NLL season]], Benesch and veteran [[Derek Suddons]] were traded to the [[Edmonton Rush]] for future draft picks.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3724|title=Rock trade Benesch & Suddons to Rush|date=January 14, 2009|work=NLL.com|accessdate=2009-01-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612002002/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3724|archive-date=June 12, 2011}}</ref> After one season in Edmonton, he was traded again, this time to the [[Minnesota Swarm]] along with Scott Self and a draft pick for Scott Stewart, Ryan Ward, Justin Norbraten, and Richard Morgan.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=4013|title=Busy day on trading front|date=July 7, 2009|work=NLL.com|accessdate=2011-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612003811/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=4013|archive-date=June 12, 2011}}</ref>

After four seasons in Minnesota where he averaged 83 points per season (leading the league in 2011<ref name="Bandits">{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/news_article/show/271064|archive-url=https://archive.is/20130717082224/http://www.nll.com/news_article/show/271064|dead-url=yes|archive-date=July 17, 2013|work=NLL.com|title=Bandits land Benesch in trade|date=July 15, 2013|accessdate=July 15, 2013}}</ref>), Benesch was traded to the [[Buffalo Bandits]] along with [[Andrew Watt (lacrosse)|Andrew Watt]] for two first round draft picks and a third round pick.<ref name="Bandits" />  Benesch was traded to the Colorado Mammoth, along with a conditional third round draft pick in exchange for Callum Crawford and Alex Buque on August 1, 2017.

==Canadian Box career==
===Junior===
Benesch played five full years for the [[Kitchener-Waterloo Braves]] of the [[OLA Junior A Lacrosse League]]. In 2002, Benesch was given the "Joey Nieuwendyk Award" for Rookie of the Year.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wampsbibleoflacrosse.com/newstats/jrtrophy.txt|title=O.L.A. Junior A Trophy Winners|publisher=wampsbibleoflacrosse.com}}</ref> He finished his junior career with an outstanding 178 goals and 391 points in just 104 games.

===Senior===
Benesch currently plays for the [[Victoria Shamrocks]] of the [[Western Lacrosse Association]] after his playing rights were acquired from the [[Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks]] on 29 May 2010, along with those of [[Chet Koneczny]]. He was awarded the "Gene Dopp Memorial Trophy" for Rookie of the year in 2007.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wampsbibleoflacrosse.com./newstats/trophies.txt|title=Trophy Winners In O.L.A. Major/Senior|publisher=wampsbibleoflacrosse.com}}</ref> In 2009, Benesch won the [[Presidents Cup (box lacrosse)|Presidents Cup]] with the [[Owen Sound Woodsmen]] of the [[OLA Senior B Lacrosse League]].

==Statistics==
===NLL===
Reference:<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nll_stats.stats.pointstreak.com/playerpage.html?playerid=8206645|title=National Lacrosse League Pointstreak Stats|accessdate=April 7, 2019|work=NLL.com}}</ref>
{{NLLCareerStats
	|player_name_link=Ryan Benesch

	|season1_year=2007
	|season1_team_link=Toronto Rock
	|season1_games_played=15
	|season1_goals=33
	|season1_assists=25
	|season1_loose_balls=64
	|season1_penalty_minutes=6
	|season1_playoff_games_played=1
	|season1_playoff_goals=3
	|season1_playoff_loose_balls=8

	|season2_year=2008
	|season2_team_link=Toronto Rock
	|season2_games_played=14
	|season2_goals=19
	|season2_assists=31
	|season2_loose_balls=71
	|season2_penalty_minutes=38

	|season3_year=2009
	|season3_team_link=Edmonton Rush
	|season3_games_played=14
	|season3_goals=17
	|season3_assists=27
	|season3_loose_balls=71
	|season3_penalty_minutes=2

	|season4_year=2010
	|season4_team_link=Minnesota Swarm
	|season4_games_played=15
	|season4_goals=28
	|season4_assists=55
	|season4_loose_balls=85
	|season4_penalty_minutes=2
	|season4_playoff_games_played=1
	|season4_playoff_goals=1
	|season4_playoff_assists=3
	|season4_playoff_loose_balls=5

	|season5_year=2011
	|season5_team_link=Minnesota Swarm
	|season5_games_played=16
	|season5_goals=46
	|season5_assists=49
	|season5_loose_balls=79
	|season5_penalty_minutes=4
	|season5_playoff_games_played=1
	|season5_playoff_assists=3
	|season5_playoff_loose_balls=6
	|season5_playoff_penalty_minutes=2

	|season6_year=2012
	|season6_team_link=Minnesota Swarm
	|season6_games_played=13
	|season6_goals=33
	|season6_assists=39
	|season6_loose_balls=38
	|season6_penalty_minutes=18
	|season6_playoff_games_played=2
	|season6_playoff_goals=4
	|season6_playoff_assists=5
	|season6_playoff_loose_balls=9
	|season6_playoff_penalty_minutes=2

	|season7_year=2013
	|season7_team_link=Minnesota Swarm
	|season7_games_played=16
	|season7_goals=34
	|season7_assists=50
	|season7_loose_balls=59
	|season7_penalty_minutes=14
	|season7_playoff_games_played=2
	|season7_playoff_goals=7
	|season7_playoff_assists=9
	|season7_playoff_loose_balls=9

	|season8_year=2014
	|season8_team_link=Buffalo Bandits
	|season8_games_played=18
	|season8_goals=25
	|season8_assists=53
	|season8_loose_balls=88
	|season8_penalty_minutes=10
	|season8_playoff_games_played=4
	|season8_playoff_goals=8
	|season8_playoff_assists=9
	|season8_playoff_loose_balls=13

	|season9_year=2015
	|season9_team_link=Buffalo Bandits
	|season9_games_played=18
	|season9_goals=55
	|season9_assists=58
	|season9_loose_balls=99
	|season9_penalty_minutes=6
	|season9_playoff_games_played=1
	|season9_playoff_goals=2
	|season9_playoff_assists=4
	|season9_playoff_loose_balls=9
	|season9_playoff_penalty_minutes=5

	|season10_year=2016
	|season10_team_link=Buffalo Bandits
	|season10_games_played=17
	|season10_goals=39
	|season10_assists=53
	|season10_loose_balls=101
	|season10_penalty_minutes=17
	|season10_playoff_games_played=4
	|season10_playoff_goals=10
	|season10_playoff_assists=12
	|season10_playoff_loose_balls=32
	|season10_playoff_penalty_minutes=4

	|season11_year=2017
	|season11_team_link=Buffalo Bandits
	|season11_games_played=14
	|season11_goals=33
	|season11_assists=35
	|season11_loose_balls=62
	|season11_penalty_minutes=7

	|season12_year=2018
	|season12_team_link=Colorado Mammoth
	|season12_games_played=18
	|season12_goals=36
	|season12_assists=57
	|season12_loose_balls=96
	|season12_penalty_minutes=6
	|season12_playoff_games_played=1
	|season12_playoff_goals=2
	|season12_playoff_assists=3
	|season12_playoff_loose_balls=7

	|season13_year=2019
	|season13_team_link=Colorado Mammoth
	|season13_games_played=10
	|season13_goals=17
	|season13_assists=30
	|season13_loose_balls=55
	|season13_penalty_minutes=2

	|season14_year=2019
	|season14_team_link=Rochester Knighthawks
	|season14_games_played=5
	|season14_goals=7
	|season14_assists=6
	|season14_loose_balls=19
}}

===OLA===
{| BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0"
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" | &nbsp;
! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | &nbsp;
! colspan="5" | Regular&nbsp;Season
! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" | &nbsp;
! colspan="5" | Playoffs
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
! Season !! Team !! League !! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM !! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2001 || [[Kitchener-Waterloo Braves]] || [[OLA Junior A Lacrosse League|OLA Jr.A]] || 3 || 3 || 3 || 6 || 0|| -- || -- || -- || -- || --
|- ALIGN="center" 
| 2002 || Kitchener-Waterloo Braves || OLA Jr.A || 19 || 25 || 35 || 60 || 4|| -- || -- || -- || -- || --
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2003 || Kitchener-Waterloo Braves || OLA Jr.A || 19 || 37 || 57 || 94 || 17|| 5 || 2 || 11 || 13 || 14
|- ALIGN="center" 
| 2004 || Kitchener-Waterloo Braves || OLA Jr.A || 19 || 28 || 36 || 64 || 25|| 5 || 4 || 3 || 7 || 2
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2005 || Kitchener-Waterloo Braves || OLA Jr.A || 22 || 43 || 43 || 86 || 19|| 7 || 8 || 9 || 17 || 2
|- ALIGN="center" 
| 2006 || Kitchener-Waterloo Braves || OLA Jr.A || 22 || 42|| 39 || 81 || 34|| 5|| 3|| 4|| 7 || 4
|- ALIGN="center" 
| 2006 || [[Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks]] || [[Major Series Lacrosse|MSL]] || 0 || 0|| 0 || 0 || 0|| 4|| 7|| 9|| 16 || 0
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2007 || Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks || MSL || 17 || 29 || 30 || 59 || 4|| 3 || 6 || 5 || 11 || 2 
|- ALIGN="center" 
| 2008 || Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks || MSL || 18 || 30 || 36 || 66 || 0|| 3 || 5 || 4 || 9 || 0
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2009 || Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks || MSL || 17 || 31 || 41 || 72 || 6|| 1 || 2 || 1 || 3 || 0
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| 2009 || [[Owen Sound Woodsmen]] || [[OLA Senior B Lacrosse League|OLA Sr.B]] || 6 || 24 || 21 || 45 || 0|| 3 || 8 || 7 || 15 || 0
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0"
| [[Presidents Cup (box lacrosse)|Presidents Cup]] || Owen Sound Woodsmen || [[Canadian Lacrosse Association|CLA]] || -- || -- || -- || -- || --|| 5 || 16 || 10 || 26 || 4
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
!colspan="3" |Junior A Totals!!104!!178!!213!!391!!99!!22!!17!!27!!44!!22
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
!colspan="3" |Senior A Totals!!52!!90!!107!!197!!10!!40!!20!!19!!39!!2
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
!colspan="3" |Senior B Totals!!6!!24!!21!!45!!0!!3!!8!!7!!15!!0
|- ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0"
!colspan="3" |Presidents Cup Totals!!--!!--!!--!!--!!--!!5!!16!!10!!26!!4
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Awards==
{{s-start}}
{{succession box | before = [[Brodie Merrill]] | title = [[National Lacrosse League Rookie of the Year Award|NLL Rookie of the Year]] | years = [[2007 NLL season|2007]] | after = [[Craig Point]] }}
{{s-end}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Benesch, Ryan}}
[[Category:1985 births]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Buffalo Bandits players]]
[[Category:Canadian lacrosse players]]
[[Category:Edmonton Rush players]]
[[Category:Lacrosse forwards]]
[[Category:Lacrosse people from Ontario]]
[[Category:Minnesota Swarm players]]
[[Category:National Lacrosse League major award winners]]
[[Category:Sportspeople from Kitchener, Ontario]]
[[Category:Toronto Rock players]]