Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 1/23/16
From Press Release
Four seniors on the 2016 University of North Carolina men’s lacrosse team were selected in Friday’s Major League Lacrosse Draft.
Senior attackman/midfielder Steve Pontrello (St. Augustine Prep) was the first Tar Heel chosen in the draft. He was chosen in the third round by the Florida Launch with the draft’s overall No. 25 pick.
Pontrello had 11 goals and 4 assists in 11 games last year.
Also Friday, Pontrello’s older brother, Nikko (Loyola grad, St. Augustine Prep), was traded by the Bayhawks to the Florida Launch in exchange for the No. 22 pick in the 2016 MLL Draft. They last played together in 2011 with the Hermits.
Senior midfielder Jake Matthai was taken in the fifth round of the draft with the overall No. 41 pick by the Boston Cannons.
Senior defenseman Zach Powers was taken in the sixth round of the draft with the overall No. 50 pick by the Ohio Machine, based in Powers’ hometown of Columbus, Ohio.
In the seventh round with the 54th pick the Charlotte Hounds chose UNC senior defenseman Evan Connell.
The draft was originally scheduled for Friday night but was moved up to the early afternoon hours due to Winter Storm Jonas. The draft was held in the Holiday Ballroom of the Hilton Baltimore Hotel.
UNC, #6 in the preseason USILA coaches poll, will scrimmage twice next week – meeting High Point Monday at 8 a.m. (Navy Field) and Limestone Thursday at 7 p.m. (site TBA).
Carolina opens its regular season against Michigan on Saturday, February 6, 2016 at 1 p.m. at Fetzer Field.
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