New York Lizards

The New York Lizards, originally the Long Island Lizards, were a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) team based in Hempstead, New York, located on Long Island. They are original members of the MLL. They lost the league's inaugural game on June 7, 2001 to the Baltimore Bayhawks (now Chesapeake Bayhawks), 16–13.

New York Lizards

Sport	Lacrosse
Founded	2001
Folded	2020
League	MLL
Based in	Hempstead, New York
Stadium	Shuart Stadium
Colors	Green, White, Black
Owner	Medallion Sports Group
Chairman	Jeffrey Rudnick
Head coach	BJ O'Hara
General manager	Joe Spallina
League titles	3 (2001, 2003, 2015)
Division titles	4 (2001, 2002, 2003, 2005)
Local media	Newsday
Website	nylizards.com
Current season

History

In the MLL's inaugural season in 2001, the Long Island Lizards split their home games between Hofstra Stadium, now James M. Shuart Stadium, and EAB Park (now Bethpage Ballpark). For the 2002 season, they used Hofstra Stadium as their home field. As of 2003, the Lizards played all home contests at Mitchel Athletic Complex, in Uniondale, New York until 2008. The team returned to James M. Shuart Stadium for their home games in 2009.^[1] The Lizards have won American Division championships in 2001, 2002, and 2003, and Major League Lacrosse titles in 2001, 2003 and 2015. The team made the playoffs in 2005 as a wildcard despite a losing record. The team's name and logo are based on the Italian wall lizard, a small reptile that was imported to Long Island (which has no native lizards) in the 1960s and which populate areas of the team's hometown of Hempstead in Nassau County. On December 14, 2012, the Lizards changed their name to the New York Lizards.^[2]

Prior to the 2015 season, the Lizards made a trade with the Boston Cannons for Paul Rabil. In exchange for Paul Rabil and Mike Stone, the Cannons received Max Seibald, Brian Karalunas and three draft picks. That season, the Lizards won their third Steinfeld Cup and first in 12 years by defeating their instate rival Rochester Rattlers 15–12.^[3] The Lizards won the game at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia before a Steinfeld Cup-record 8,674 fans.

Prior to the 2019 season, Rabil and his brother Michael formed the Premier Lacrosse League, which would compete directly with Major League Lacrosse and lead to an attrition in talent.^[4] In the Lizards' first season after the pro lacrosse landscape changed vastly, they lost a franchise worst 11 games in 2019, and posted their second-worst winning percentage (.313). In 2020, a week-long, quarantined tournament thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lizards joined the 2006 Chicago Machine as the only two teams in league history to post a winless season.

Rivalry

Chesapeake Bayhawks

The Lizards' main rival were the Chesapeake Bayhawks. Between them, they hold 8 of the 15 MLL league championships awarded through the 2015 season. The two teams have played in the championship game five times, with Chesapeake winning 3 of those 5.

Boston Cannons

The Lizards have found a new rival in the Boston Cannons after they traded their All Star Mid Fielder Paul Rabil to New York in January 2015. That season the Lizards faced the Cannons in the MLL semi-finals and the game resulted in a dramatic overtime victory for the Lizards(16-15). The tension of that game continued into the 2016 MLL season when the Cannons came to James M. Shuart Stadium, which resulted in another intense over-time victory for the Lizards(13-12).

General managers

• Joe Spallina was the head coach and general manager of the New York Lizards.

Coaching staff

Current coaching staff

• Head coach – BJ O'Hara
• Assistant coach – Ted Garber
• Assistant coach – Mike Gongas

All-time head coaches

#	Name	Term	Regular season				Playoffs
			GC	W	L	W%	GC	W	L	W%
1	John Detommaso	2001–2004	51	33	18	.647	6	5	1	.833
2	Jim Mule	2005–2011	84	37	47	.440	5	2	3	.400
3	Joe Spallina	2012–2018	98	54	44	.551	6	2	4	.333
4	B.J. O'Hara	2019–	21	5	16	.238	-	-	-	-

Most recent roster

2020 New York Lizards
Number	Name	Nationality	Position	Height	Weight	College
1	Sean O'Brien		M	5 ft 10 in	180 lbs	Bucknell
4	Dylan Molloy (C)		A	6 ft 1 in	220 lbs	Brown
5	Nicky Galasso		M	6 ft 0 in	185 lbs	Syracuse
6	Mark Andrejack		FO	5 ft 7 in	175 lbs	Adelphi
7	Andrew Pettit		A	5 ft 11 in	195 lbs	Lehigh
11	Justin Reh		M	6 ft 1 in	185 lbs	Albany
12	Brian Corrigan		G	5 ft 11 in	205 lbs	Marist
14	Austin Kaut (C)		G	5 ft 10 in	200 lbs	Penn State
15	Steven Romano		M	6 ft 2 in	200 lbs	Hofstra
16	Nick Aponte		A	6 ft 0 in	190 lbs	Penn State
17	Thomas O'Connell		SSDM	6 ft 2 in	195 lbs	Maryland
18	Mike Mayer		D	6 ft 5 in	215 lbs	Georgetown
19	Bobby Duvnjak		D	6 ft 3 in	205 lbs	Harvard
20	Danny Dolan		G	6 ft 1 in	180 lbs	Maryland
22	Brendan Kearns		A	6 ft 1 in	195 lbs	Providence
23	Ian Kirby		A	6 ft 1 in	170 lbs	Adelphi
31	Andrew Bracy		FO	5 ft 11 in	196 lbs	Norwich
34	Mark Ellis		SSDM	5 ft 10 in	188 lbs	Hofstra
39	Tommy Wright		D	6 ft 0 in	190 lbs	Penn State
42	Colin Burke		M	6 ft 0 in	175 lbs	Utah
44	Decker Curran		M	6 ft 3 in	200 lbs	Michigan
71	Peter Welch		D	6 ft 2 in	205 lbs	Duke
77	Ben Randall		D	6 ft 3 in	210 lbs	Ohio State
88	Connor O'Hara		A	6 ft 0 in	175 lbs	Bucknell
90	Jack Carrigan		D	6 ft 3 in	220 lbs	Loyola
92	Alex Spring (C)		D	5 ft 11 in	185 lbs	Bucknell

(C)- captain

• As of 21 May 2020^[update]

MLL Award winners

Most Valuable Player

• Jay Jalbert: 2003
• Greg Gurenlian: 2015
• Rob Pannell: 2018

Rookie of the Year

• Matt Gibson: 2012
• Rob Pannell: 2013

Coach of the Year

• John DeTommaso: 2001
• Jim Mule: 2010
• Joe Spallina: 2012

Offensive Player of the Year

• Rob Pannell: 2016, 2018

Defensive Player of the Year

• Nicky Polanco: 2005
• Joe Fletcher: 2015

Goalie of the Year

• Brian Dougherty: 2003
• Drew Adams: 2010, 2011, 2015

Most Improved Player

• Stephen Peyser: 2011

Retired numbers

• 2 – Greg Cattrano
• 9 – Tim Goettlemann
• 10 – Jay Jalbert
• 29 – Pat McCabe
• 21 – Brodie Thoms

Season-by-season

Long Island Lizards
Year	W	L	%	Regular season finish	Playoff results
2001	10	4	.714	1st in American Division	Won semifinal, 13–12, over Rattlers Won championship, 15–11, over Bayhawks
2002	9	5	.643	1st in American Division	Won semifinal, 19–11, over Pride Lost championship, 21–13, to Bayhawks
2003*	8	3	.727	1st in American Division	Won semifinal, 20–14, over Cannons Won championship, 15–14 (OT), over Bayhawks
2004	6	6	.500	3rd in American Division	—
2005	4	8	.333	2nd in American Division	Won semifinal 19–14 over Cannons Lost championship, 15–9, to Bayhawks
2006	5	7	.417	4th in Eastern Conference	—
2007	5	7	.417	4th in Eastern Conference	—
2008	5	7	.417	5th in Eastern Conference	—
2009	6	6	.500	3rd Overall	Lost semifinal, 14–13, to Toronto Nationals
2010	7	5	.583	3rd Overall	Won semifinal, 16–12, over Denver Outlaws Lost championship, 13–9, to Chesapeake Bayhawks
2011	5	7	.417	5th Overall	—
2012	8	6	.571	4th overall	Lost semifinal, 13–12, vs Outlaws
New York Lizards
2013	4	10	.286	7th overall	—
2014	9	5	.643	3rd overall	Lost semifinal, 14–13, to Outlaws
2015	10	4	.714	1st overall	Won semifinal, 16–15, over Boston Cannons Won championship, 15–12, over Rochester Rattlers
2016	8	6	.571	2nd overall	Lost semifinal, 20–17, vs Denver Outlaws
2017	7	7	.500	5th overall	—
2018	8	6	.571	4th overall	Lost Semifinal, 15–12, vs. Dallas Rattlers
2019	5	11	.313	6th overall	-
2020	0	5	.000	6th overall	-
Totals	129	125	.508		Total playoff record 9–8 Playoff win % = .529

* August 17 game against Baltimore canceled due to rain

• 2001 Long Island Lizards season
• 2002 Long Island Lizards season
• 2003 Long Island Lizards season
• 2004 Long Island Lizards season
• 2005 Long Island Lizards season
• 2006 Long Island Lizards season
• 2007 Long Island Lizards season
• 2008 Long Island Lizards season
• 2009 Long Island Lizards season
• 2010 Long Island Lizards season
• 2011 Long Island Lizards season
• 2012 Long Island Lizards season
• 2013 New York Lizards Season
• 2017 New York Lizards season
• 2018 New York Lizards season
• 2019 New York Lizards season

MLL collegiate draft history

See also: Major League Lacrosse draft

First round selections

• 2001: Eric Wedin, Johns Hopkins (4th overall)
• 2002: None
• 2003: None
• 2004: None
• 2005: None
• 2006: None ^[5]
• 2007: Matt McMonagle, Cornell (10th overall)^[6]
• 2008: None ^[7]
• 2009: Zack Greer, Bryant (3rd overall)^[8]
• 2010: Peter McKee, Duke (4th overall) ^[9]
• 2011: Zach Brenneman, Notre Dame (5th overall) ^[10]
• 2012: Rob Pannell, Cornell (1st overall)
• 2013: None ^[11]
• 2014: Joe Fletcher, Loyola (3rd overall); Luke Duprey, Duke (4th overall) ^[11]
• 2015: None ^[12]
• 2016: None ^[12]
• 2017: None ^[12]
• 2018: Joel Tinney, Johns Hopkins (5th overall)
• 2019: None ^[13]