Brodie Merrill Name MLL's Top Defenseman for Fifth Straight Year
from press release
Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the premier professional outdoor
lacrosse league, announced Wednesday that Toronto Nationals
defenseman Brodie Merrill has been selected as the 2010 Warrior
Defensive Player of the Year, according to MLL Commissioner David
Gross. The award was based on the votes submitted by the head
coaches and general manager of each of the League's six teams.
Merrill broke records by becoming the Defensive Player of the Year
for three years in a row in 2008, this season he breaks his own
record by becoming the Defensive Player of the Year for an
unprecedented five consecutive years.
The Ontario native attended Georgetown University and graduated in
2005. Picked up by the Rochester Rattlers in the 2005 MLL
Collegiate Draft, Merrill has played for Baltimore, Rochester, and
Toronto during his six year tenure in the MLL. Merrill took home
the Steinfeld Cup the past two seasons. In 2008, he put up 18
points throughout that season while anchoring Rochester's defensive
efforts. In 2009, as a National, he scored a season high eight
goals and recorded 20 points leading the defense to victory.
This season Merrill played ten regular season games for the
Toronto Nationals, contributing 12 points and 55 ground balls.
Merrill received three first-place, two second-place and three
third-place votes to outnumber the competition for the award.
Denver's Lee Zink and Long Island's Nicky Polanco tied for second
with three first-place votes each.
All-Time Defensive Players of the Year
2001 - Rob Doerr, Baltimore Bayhawks
2002 - Christian Cook, New Jersey Pride
2003 - Ryan Curtis, Boston Cannons
2004 - Nicky Polanco, Philadelphia Barrage
2005 - Nicky Polanco, Long Island Lizards
2006 - Brodie Merrill, Rochester Rattlers
2007 - Brodie Merrill, Rochester Rattlers
2008 - Brodie Merrill, Rochester Rattlers
2009 - Brodie Merrill, Toronto Nationals
2010 - Brodie Merrill, Toronto Nationals
