Waldt, Morrell selected in 2016 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft
SMITHFIELD, R.I. – Just weeks before the start of the 2016 season, Bryant University men's lacrosse senior captains Gunnar Waldt (Freeland, Md.) and Shane Morrell (Glen Mills, Pa.) become the seventh and eighth Bulldogs to be drafted into the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) ranks.
Waldt, a two-time All-American and two-time reigning NEC Defensive Player of the Year, becomes the fifth-highest draftee out of head coach Mike Pressler's Bryant program, selected with the 28th overall pick (fourth round) by the Florida Launch. Morrell becomes the third Bulldog drafted by the Charlotte Hounds, nabbed with the draft's 63rd selection (eighth round).
One of the nation's top goalies over the last two seasons, Waldt enters his senior campaign ready to lead the Bulldogs to their fifth-consecutive Northeast Conference title. A three-time all-conference pick, the Maryland native finished the 2015 campaign ranked inside the national top-20 in all three goalie statistics (save percentage, fifth; goals against average, ninth; saves per game, 17th) and anchored a Black and Gold defense ranked 10th in the NCAA. He enters his senior season ranked second in the program record books for career saves (574) and third for career wins (30).
Another three-time All-NEC pick, Morrell returns to lead the Bulldog attack after posting back-to-back 50-point seasons and leading the team with 51 points in 2015. The senior captain ranked third in the league in points per game (2.83), fourth in assists per game (1.11) and sixth in goals per game (1.72) and registered five hat tricks on the season. Morrell enters his final campaign ranked sixth in the program records for both points (159) and goals (103) and currently sits eighth in career assists (56), 11th in man-up goals (10) and third in game winners (7).
Waldt and Morrell join Bryant lacrosse alums Kevin Massa ('15), Colin Dunster ('14), Alex Zomerfeld ('14), Mason Poli ('13), Andrew Hennessey ('10) and Zack Greer ('09) as Bulldogs drafted into the MLL.
MLL DRAFTEES (Round/Pick)
2009 – Zack Greer, Long Island Lizards (Round 1 / 3rd overall)
2010 – Andrew Hennessey, Denver Outlaws (Round 2 / 11th overall)
2013 – Mason Poli, Charlotte Hounds (Round 4 / 27th overall)
2014 – Colin Dunster, Denver Outlaws (Round 4 / 30th overall)
Alex Zomerfeld, New York Lizards (Round 8 / 58th overall)
2015 – Kevin Massa, Charlotte Hounds (Round 4 / 26th overall)
2016 – Gunnar Waldt, Florida Launch (Round 4 / 28th overall)
Shane Morrell, Charlotte Hounds (Round 8 / 63rd overall)