The University of Denver-to-Denver Outlaws pipeline flowed freely Wednesday night when the Outlaws used their first pick in the Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft to select midfielder Geoff Snider from DU.
Snider, taken in the second round, 17th overall, is the fifth former Pioneer on the Outlaws’ 23-man roster.
“I’ve seen him play a bunch. He’s hard-nosed and he loves to win,” said Outlaws general manager Brian Reese, whose wife, Cathy, is the DU women’s lacrosse coach.
Brian Reese, who traded away three earlier picks, including the second overall pick in the deal, which brought Josh Sims to the Outlaws, was surprised Snider was available.
“Maybe I’m biased because you like the guys you see more often, but he was the best player available,” Reese said. “He’s a warrior. He doesn’t have a weakness, and he can play right away.”
That could be Saturday, against defending MLL champion Baltimore at Invesco Field at Mile High, if Snider’s ankle heals in time.
A Calgary, Alberta, transplant, Snider set NCAA records for groundballs per game (11.4) and total (194), ranked second in faceoff percentage (.684) and scored 26 goals with eight assists while helping DU advance to the NCAA Tournament for the first time.
With the 18th pick, Reese chose defenseman Brett Moyer, a first-team All-American from Hofstra.
The other picks were: midfielder Casey Cittadino (20th pick), attackman Brendan Mundorf (21st), and defenseman Sean McCarthy (43rd).
Chicago took a former DU player, midfielder Adam Goodwin with the 42nd pick.
Footnotes
Denver’s Mike Law, a DU graduate, leads the MLL in goals with eight and is tied with teammate Jeff Sonke, among others, for sixth in points scored with eight. Sonke has five goals, including two two-point goals, and one assist. Sims led the league in groundballs after one game with 10, but didn’t play in last Saturday’s 15-11 victory over San Francisco because his wife was due to give birth. … Matt Brown, another former DU standout, was a healthy scratch from the Outlaws’ season-opening 24-14 victory over Chicago. Against the Dragons, he started at attack and scored three goals. “When our attack steps up like that’s huge,” said Law, a midfielder. … In an attempt to entertain, the Outlaws’ public address announcer was less than charitable in his comments to Chicago players during the franchise debut May 20. Fans complained, and such comments will not continue, Reese said.
