Nine Brooklin Players Selected In National Lacrosse League Entry Draft
By Sam Laskaris
It was an outstanding night for members of the Brooklin Lacrosse Club at this year’s National Lacrosse League (NLL) Entry Draft. For starters, four Brooklin players were selected in the opening round of the NLL draft, held Tuesday night in Philadelphia. And then five other members from the Brooklin squad, which competes in the Major Series Lacrosse, were also selected during the six-round draft.
Holden Garlent was the first Brooklin player selected. He was taken fourth over-all by the Saskatchewan Rush. The next Brooklin draftee was Justin Robinson, who was drafted ninth over-all, also by the Rush. A pair of Brooklin players were then selected back-to-back, with the 12th and 13th picks. The Buffalo Bandits scooped up Brent Noseworthy before the Georgia Swarm announced they were choosing Ryan MacSpayden with the ensuing selection.
By being selected by Saskatchewan, Garlent will be reunited with Rush head coach/general manager Derek Keenan. Garlent played for Keenan during the 2018 MSL campaign when the latter was the head coach of the Brooklin franchise. “He’s always thought highly of me,” Garlent said of Keenan. “And we had been in contact for sure. But you never know what will happen.” Garlent, who was projected to be an early first-round pick, said he had lengthy discussions from officials from all of the NLL clubs that had were choosing the first through eighth over-all draftees. Two minutes before the draft proceedings started, Keenan texted Garlent to see if he indeed was in the building. “He said if you’re there at (Number) 4, we’re going to take you,” said Garlent, a defender, who chipped in offensively with 13 points, including five goals, in 14 games with Brooklin this season.
Robinson was thrilled just to hear his name at the pro draft. “It’s very exciting,” said Robinson, a defender, who had 12 points in 12 outings with Brooklin this year. “It’s been a dream since I was a little kid.” Ironically it was the Rush who drafted Robinson since he was in a rush to join the NLL. He decided earlier this year he would give up his final year of NCAA eligibility with Pennsylvania’s Robert Morris University to enter the NLL draft. “I made the decision last February or March to leave school,” he said. “I just felt I was ready to go professional.”
As for Noseworthy, he had also been projected to be a first-round pick. But he was somewhat surprised to see the Bandits select him since he had no discussions with representatives of that squad prior to the draft. But the Toronto resident is indeed pleased the Bandits drafted him. “Buffalo is close to home,” he said. Noseworthy, a defender who had six points in 14 matches, was also pleased to see the large number of Brooklin players that were taken in the draft.
The club had its share of struggles during the 2019 season, posting a disappointing 4-14 record and missing out on the playoffs. “It’s a tremendous group of guys we have,” Noseworthy said of his Brooklin teammates. “We have a lot of young talent. You’re going to see this group really make a name for themselves in the coming years, even next season.”
MacSpayden was also happy not only about getting drafted himself but also with the fact eight of his Brooklin teammates were also chosen. He praised Brooklin head coach/GM Brad MacArthur for maintaining the club’s spirits high this season.
“Brad did a great job of keeping it positive for everybody,” said MacSpayden, a transition player who earned seven points in 15 outings. “The future is definitely bright for Brooklin.”
Meanwhile, Jake Fox was the only Brooklin player chosen in the second round. He was selected by the expansion New York Riptide with the second pick of that round.
A pair of Brooklin players were then picked up in the third round. John Wagner, a late-season acquisition from the Six Nations Chiefs, was the first player chosen in the round, becoming property of the Riptide. The Rochester Knighthawks utilized the last pick of the round and selected Sean Darroch.
Two other players with Brooklin connections were drafted in the sixth and final round.
For starters, Liam Osborne, who spent the majority of the 2019 campaign at the Senior B level with the Merchants Lacrosse Club, was selected by the Colorado Mammoth. Osborne, who appeared in two games with Brooklin, led the Merchants in playoff scoring with 16 points in five games.
And Travis Getz, who split the season between Brooklin and the Merchants, was the final pick of the draft. He was chosen by the 2019 NLL champion Calgary Roughnecks.