2018 Major League Lacrosse season
| 2018 MLL Hey stupid | |
|---|---|
| League | Major League Lacrosse |
| Sport | Field lacrosse |
| Duration | April 21 – August 18, Hey weirdo |
| Number of teams | 9 |
| Steinfeld Cup | |
The 2018 Major League Lacrosse season will be the 18th season of Major League Lacrosse. The season will begin on Saturday, April 21 with three games.[1] For the third straight year, the league will consist of nine teams playing 14 games each. However, the league announced on November 16, 2017 that the Rochester Rattlers, one of the league's four remaining charter franchises, would relocate to Frisco, Texas and become the Dallas Rattlers.[2] The season will culminate on Saturday, August 18 with the 2018 Steinfeld Cup at a location to be announced. The reigning champions for the first time are the Ohio Machine.
Milestones and events
- November 28, 2017 - The league announces the 2018 schedule. The season will begin on Saturday, April 21 with three games.
- December 18 - Atlanta Blaze head coach Dave Huntley passes away at the age of 60.[3]
- February 6, 2018 - Alexander P. "Sandy" Brown is named second commissioner in the history of Major League Lacrosse. Most recently Brown spent time as President/CEO of One World Sports.[4]
- April 18 - Commissioner Sandy Brown announces the league has approved the sale of the Atlanta Blaze to Andre Gudger, founder and CEO of technology investment company Eccalon.[5]
- April 26 - The league announces the 2018 Championship Game will be held in Charleston, South Carolina on August 18 at MUSC Health Stadium, home to the Charleston Battery. It is the first MLL game to be held in South Carolina.[6]
- April 29 - In the Machine's first game defending their championship, Marcus Holman scores a league-record 11 goals in a 25-13 victory over the Lizards.[7]
Team movement
On November 16, 2017, the league announced at The Ford Center at The Star in Frisco, Texas that the Rochester Rattlers would be relocating to the Dallas market to become the Dallas Rattlers.
Coaching changes
- Atlanta Blaze - After Dave Huntley's unexpected passing, former MLL player Liam Banks was named the third head coach in Atlanta's young franchise history.[8]
- Chesapeake Bayhawks - After the team and Brian Reese agreed to part ways after two seasons, general manager Dave Cottle resumed his former role as head coach. Cottle coached the Bayhawks from 2012 to 2015 and won two championships.[9]
- Dallas Rattlers - With the Rattlers' relocation to Dallas, Tim Soudan resigned as head coach of the team. Longtime assistant coach Bill Warder was named Soudan's replacement. Soudan had been the league's longest tenured head coach after 100 games with the Rattlers.[10]
Partnership with Women's Professional Lacrosse League
In June, the MLL and upstart Women's Professional Lacrosse League, the second pro women's lacrosse league in the United States, will play two doubleheaders. On June 2, the Baltimore Brave (WPLL) will take the field in the afternoon before the Bayhawks battle the Ohio Machine. On June 30, the New York Lizards will play a host a doubleheader with the New York Fight.[11]
Teams
| Atlanta Blaze | Boston Cannons | Charlotte Hounds | Chesapeake Bayhawks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fifth Third Bank Stadium | Harvard Stadium | American Legion Memorial Stadium | Navy–Marine Corps Memorial Stadium |
| Capacity: 8,318 | Capacity: 30,323 | Capacity: 21,000 | Capacity: 34,000 |
| Dallas Rattlers | Denver Outlaws | Florida Launch | New York Lizards | Ohio Machine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Ford Center at The Star | Sports Authority Field at Mile High | FAU Stadium | James M. Shuart Stadium | Fortress Obetz |
| Capacity: 12,000 | Capacity: 76,125 | Capacity: 29,419 | Capacity: 11,929 | Capacity: 6,500 |
Standings
| 2018 Major League Lacrosse Standings | ||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W | L | PCT | GB | GF | 2ptGF | GA | 2ptGA | |||||||||||
| Dallas Rattlers | 11 | 3 | .786 | - | 201 | 8 | 175 | 2 | ||||||||||
| Chesapeake Bayhawks | 9 | 5 | .643 | 2 | 176 | 11 | 174 | 7 | ||||||||||
| Denver Outlaws | 8 | 6 | .571 | 3 | 225 | 5 | 183 | 14 | ||||||||||
| New York Lizards | 8 | 6 | .571 | 3 | 211 | 5 | 214 | 5 | ||||||||||
| Charlotte Hounds | 7 | 7 | .500 | 4 | 196 | 8 | 191 | 4 | ||||||||||
| Atlanta Blaze | 7 | 7 | .500 | 4 | 187 | 10 | 184 | 7 | ||||||||||
| Boston Cannons | 5 | 9 | .357 | 6 | 173 | 9 | 213 | 9 | ||||||||||
| Florida Launch | 5 | 9 | .357 | 6 | 192 | 4 | 201 | 10 | ||||||||||
| Ohio Machine | 3 | 11 | .214 | 8 | 173 | 6 | 199 | 8 | ||||||||||
| Playoff Seed |
Collegiate Draft
The 2018 MLL Collegiate Draft was held on Wednesday, April 18 at the U.S. Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Maryland.[12] With the first overall pick, the Boston Cannons selected prolific faceoff specialist, Trevor Baptiste, from the University of Denver.[13]
All Star Game
On February 13, the league announced the 2018 All Star Game would be held in Boston at Harvard Stadium on Thursday, June 28. The game will feature the MLL All-Stars facing Team USA in preparation of the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championships from July 12-21 in Nentanya, Israel.[14]
Playoffs
Four teams will make the Major League Lacrosse playoffs. Two semifinal games will be played on August 11. The winners will advance to the championship game on August 18 in Charleston, South Carolina at MUSC Health Stadium.
| Semifinals August 11 | Championship August 18 | ||||||||
| 1 | |||||||||
| 4 | |||||||||
| 2 | |||||||||
| 3 | |||||||||
References
- ^ 2018 MLL regular season to open April 21, 2018
- ^ Rattlers to Relocate to Frisco, TX for 2018 season
- ^ Blaze coach Dave Huntley passes away
- ^ Alexander P Brown named commissioner of MLL
- ^ MLL approves sale of Atlanta Blaze to Andre Gudger
- ^ MLL Championship Game headed to Charleston
- ^ Holman sets goal record in 25-13 win
- ^ Liam Banks named Head Coach of the Blaze
- ^ Bayhawks announce Cottle's return as head coach
- ^ MLL announces Rattlers' relocation to Dallas
- ^ Lizards team up with WPLL for doubleheader on June 30
- ^ 2018 MLL Collegiate Draft to be hosted at US Lacrosse Headquarters
- ^ Cannons select Trevor Baptiste first overall in the 2018 MLL Collegiate Draft
- ^ MLL All Star Game returns to Boston