Rochester Rattlers

Rochester Rattlers

Team logo
League	MLL
Founded	2001
Home stadium	Wegmans Stadium at Aquinas Institute
Based in	Rochester, New York
Colors	Black, Gold, Red, White
Head coach	Tim Soudan
Local media	Democrat and Chronicle (newspaper) WYSL (radio) Time Warner Cable SportsNet (television)
Steinfeld Cups	1 (2008)
Division Championships	1 (2004)
Website	rochesterrattlers.com

The Rochester Rattlers are a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) professional men's field lacrosse team based in Rochester, New York. They are a charter member of the MLL. From their inaugural season in 2001 to 2005, they were in the National Division. From 2006 to 2008, they were a member of the Eastern Conference.

After the 2008 season, the team was dissolved. The Rattlers' staff and roster was transferred to the new Toronto Nationals franchise; however, the history, colors, and name of the Rattlers franchise remained in Rochester so that they could be used for a future MLL team. On November 23, 2010, the Chicago Machine officially announced they would move to Rochester and resume play in 2011 under the Rochester Rattlers name.

Franchise history

Starting in 2016, the Rattlers will play home games at Wegmans Stadium on the campus of the Aquinas Institute in Rochester. In 2001 and 2002 the team played home games at Frontier Field. They played at Bishop Kearney Field from 2003 to 2005, and moved into the new PAETEC Park in 2006. In April 2015, negotiations between the Rattlers and Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester fell through, resulting in the team moving its home field to Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium on the campus of SUNY Brockport.^[1]

The Rattlers made the playoffs in 2001 and 2005 as a wildcard. They were the National Division champions in 2004. On June 16, 2007, the Rochester Rattlers won a 27–26 (in overtime) game over the Denver Outlaws in the highest scoring game in MLL history at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

In 2008, the Rattlers won their first and only MLL championship by defeating the Philadelphia Barrage 16–15 in overtime in the semifinals and the Denver Outlaws 16–6 in the championship game.

After the 2008 season, the team was dissolved and the rights to the team were sold to a Toronto, Ontario-based group on February 19, 2009.^[2] The Rattlers' staff and roster was transferred to the new Toronto franchise, named the Toronto Nationals;^[3][4] however, the Rattlers' history, team colors, and name remained in Rochester, thus allowing the Chicago Machine to be re-branded as the Rochester Rattlers in time for the 2011 season.^[5]

The Rochester Rattlers (gold) vs. the Long Island Lizards (white) at PAETEC Park in 2008.

Season-by-season

Rochester Rattlers
Year	W	L	%	Regular season finish	Playoffs
2001	8	6	.571	2nd in National Division	Lost semifinal, 13–12, to Lizards
2002	6	8	.429	3rd in National Division	—
2003	5	7	.417	3rd in National Division	—
2004	7	5	.583	1st in National Division	Lost semifinal, 18–17, (OT) to Barrage
2005	6	6	.500	2nd in National Division	Lost semifinal, 20–13, to Bayhawks
2006	5	7	.417	5th in Eastern Conference	—
2007	9	3	.750	2nd in Eastern Conference	Lost semifinal, 15–14, to Riptide
2008	9	3	.750	1st in Eastern Conference	Won semifinal, 16–15, (OT) over Barrage Won championship, 16–6, over Outlaws
2009	Did Not Play
2010	Did Not Play
2011	2	10	.167	6th in league	—
2012	7	7	.500	5th in league	—
2013	6	8	.429	5th in league	—
2014	10	4	.714	1st in league	Won semifinal, 15–11, over Machine Lost championship, 11–12, to Outlaws
2015	8	6	.571	3rd in League	Won semifinal, 12-8, over Machine Lost championship, 12–15, to Lizards
Totals	88	80	.524		Total Playoff Record 4-6 Playoff Win % = .400

Roster

2014 Rochester Rattlers
Number	Player's Name	Nationality	Position	College	Height	Weight
1	John Kemp		G	Notre Dame	5 ft 9 in	170 lb
2	Dave Lawson		M	Duke	6 ft 1 in	203 lb
4	John Locascio		D	Villanova	5 ft 10 in	190 lb
5	Mike Manley		D	Duke	6 ft 1 in	204 lb
3	Jeremy Boltus		A	Army	6 ft 1 in	180 lb
9	Matt Miller		D	Notre Dame	6 ft 1 in	195 lb
10	Steven Boyle		A	Johns Hopkins	6 ft 1 in	185 lb
11	Joel White		D	Syracuse	6 ft 1 in	186 lb
12	Justin Turri		M	Duke	6 ft 3 in	215 lb
15	John Galloway		G	Syracuse	6 ft 0 in	188 lb
19	Kevin Leveille		A	Massachusetts	5 ft 10 in	185 lb
21	Sam Bradman		M	Salisbury	6 ft 0 in	165 lb
22	Dan Hardy		A	Syracuse	6 ft 4 in	210 lb
25	Kyle Denhoff		M	St. John Fisher College	6 ft 0 in	190 lb
27	MJ Kiekebelt		D	RIT	6 ft 3 in	205 lb
28	Will Koshansky		D	Penn	6 ft 2 in	188 lb
29	Jordan MacIntosh		M	RIT	6 ft 2 in	195 lb
30	John Ortolanii		M	Endicott	5 ft 7 in	180 lb
31	John Ranagan		M	Johns Hopkins	6 ft 3 in	218 lb
32	Jordan Wolf		A	Duke	5 ft 9 in	170 lb
39	Kevin Randall		D	Notre Dame	6 ft 2 in	205 lb
40	John Lade		D	Syracuse	5 ft 10 in	195 lb
41	Mark Cockerton		A	Virginia	5 ft 10 in	185 lb
72	Mark Matthews		A	Denver	6 ft 3 in	230 lb
6	Jeremy Thompson		M	Syracuse	5 ft 11 in	195 lb
80	Donny Moss		D	Adelphi	6 ft 2 in	200 lb
91	Ty Thompson		A	Albany	6 ft 0 in	185 lb
99	Jason LaShomb		G	Mercyhurst	5 ft 9 in	160 lb

MLL Award Winners

Most Valuable Player Ryan Powell: 2001 John Grant Jr.: 2007, 2008 Rookie of the Year Adam Doneger: 2003 Alex Smith: 2007 Coach of the Year Tim Soudan: 2014 Defensive Player of the Year Brodie Merrill: 2006, 2007, 2008 Michael Manley: 2014 Offensive Player of the Year John Grant Jr.: 2001, 2007, 2008 Casey Powell: 2005 Jordan Wolf: 2015 Most Improved Player Andrew Combs: 2005 Justin Turri: 2014 Coaches and others # Name Term Regular Season Playoffs GC W L W% GC W L W% 1 Guy Van Arsdale 2001–2003 36 19 17 .528 1 0 1 .000 2 B.J. O'Hara 2004–2008, 2011 66 36 30 .545 5 2 3 .400 3 Tim Soudan 2011– 62 33 29 .532 — — — — References http://www.thestylus.net/news/view.php/864090/Rochester-Rattlers-find-new-home-in-B-po Robin De Wind (February 19, 2009). "Rochester Rattlers rights sold to Toronto, Curt Styres to be part owner". News 10 NBC. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2009. David Naylor (February 10, 2009). "Investors finishing deal to move pro field lacrosse team to Toronto". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved March 9, 2009. Jecoliah Ellis (February 11, 2009). "Amerks Owner in Group Looking to Buy Rattlers, Move Them to Toronto". RochesterHomepage.net (WROC and WUHF). Retrieved March 9, 2009. Sal Maiorana (February 20, 2009). "Rochester Rattlers players find new MLL home in Toronto". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2009.