2009 Major League Lacrosse season
| 2009 MLL season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| League | Major League Lacrosse |
| Sport | field lacrosse |
| Duration | May 2009 – August 2009 |
| Number of teams | 6 |
The 2009 Major League Lacrosse season will be the 9th season of the league. The season began on May 15, 2009 and will conclude with the championship game on August 23, 2009.
Milestones & events
Rule changes
Major League Lacrosse announced some major rule changes in the off-season. The league will introduce a fourth long–stickman to play. For the first eight seasons the league operated, each team could only field three long–stick defenders on the field at a time. This rule was unique from the traditional men's field lacrosse rules played in high schools and colleges. The league will maintain the two–point goal and shot clock that differentiates Major League Lacrosse rules from high school and college lacrosse. In addition, the league announced that each team would be permitted to have one additional roster position to a total of nineteen players.[1]
Team movement
- The Washington Bayhawks will move from the Washington D.C. area to Annapolis, Maryland. The Bayhawks have signed a three–year contract with the Naval Academy to play their home games at the Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium. This move will be the Bayhawks sixth different home field in their nine years of existence.[2][3]
- The Long Island Lizards will move their home games back to James M. Shuart Stadium, where they played in 2001 and 2002.
- The MLL announced on February 19 that the Los Angeles Riptide, Philadelphia Barrage, New Jersey Pride, Rochester Rattlers and San Francisco Dragons folded and a new team will play in Toronto. The league will consist of 6 teams. The Eastern and Western Conferences have been eliminated.[1]
- The Rochester Rattlers' roster and staff will be transferred to the new Toronto Nationals team; however, the name, colors, and history are staying behind in Rochester to be potentially used by a future MLL team.
- For their home games, The Toronto Nationals will play their inaugural season at BMO Field.
Pre-season
- Casey, Ryan, and Mikey Powell, three of the best and most popular players in the league, will all sit out for the 2009 season. The three brothers did not report to their respective teams as of the April 1st contract deadline - which means they are ineligible to play for anyone for the remainder of 2009. This will be Mikey's third season sitting out, while it is Casey's second, and Ryan's first.
Standings
W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = Winning Percentage, GB = Games Back of first place, GF = Goals For, 2ptGF = 2 point Goals For, GA = Goals Against, 2ptGA = 2 point Goals Against
Final
| Qualified for playoffs |
| Team | W | L | PCT | GB | GF | 2ptGF | GA | 2ptGA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Denver Outlaws | 9 | 3 | .750 | - | 166 | 8 | 138 | 6 |
| Toronto Nationals | 7 | 5 | .583 | 2 | 184 | 4 | 172 | 9 |
| Long Island Lizards | 6 | 6 | .500 | 3 | 125 | 4 | 144 | 9 |
| Boston Cannons | 6 | 6 | .500 | 3 | 173 | 12 | 150 | 6 |
| Washington Bayhawks | 5 | 7 | .417 | 4 | 148 | 14 | 175 | 9 |
| Chicago Machine | 3 | 9 | .250 | 6 | 159 | 8 | 176 | 11 |
Long Island finished ahead of Boston base on head to head record 3-0.
All Star Game
The 2009 game toke place July 16 at Denver's INVESCO Field. The Old School beat the Young Guns 22-21 in overtime. Brian Langtry (Denver) was named the MVP for the game.
Playoffs
The 2009 New Balance MLL Championship Weekend will take place on Saturday and Sunday, August 22 and 23 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland. The two semifinal games will take place at 12 PM ET and 3 PM ET on Saturday. The two semifinal winners will advance to the New Balance MLL Championship Game which will take place at 1 PM ET on Sunday.
| Conference Semifinals | Steinfeld Cup Final | ||||||||
| 1 | Denver Outlaws | ||||||||
| 4 | Boston Cannons | ||||||||
| Eastern Conference | |||||||||
| 2 | Toronto Nationals | ||||||||
| 3 | Long Island Lizards | ||||||||
. . . was named MVP for the playoffs
Awards
Annual awards
| Award | Winner | Team |
|---|---|---|
| MVP Award | TBA | |
| Rookie of the Year Award | Dan Hardy | Denver |
| Coach of the Year Award | Brian Reese | Denver |
| Defensive player of the Year Award | TBA | |
| Offensive player of the Year Award | TBA | |
| Goaltender of the Year Award | TBA | |
| Sportsman of the Year Award | Tim Goettelmann | Long Island |
| Most Improved Player of the Year Award | Chris Eck | Boston |
References
- ^ "League announces expansion of rosters to 19 and addition of fourth long pole for 2009". Inside Lacrosse. October 22, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
- ^ "Bayhawks to play games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium". Inside Lacrosse. October 21, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
- ^ "Pro lacrosse team moving to Annapolis". Capital Gazette Newspapers. October 22, 2008. Retrieved 2008-10-24.
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