Atlanta Blaze

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Atlanta Blaze
Atlanta Blaze.png
SportLacrosse
Founded 2016;9 years ago (2016)
League Major League Lacrosse
Based in Atlanta, Georgia
Stadium Atlanta Silverbacks Park
ColorsBlack, red, gold, white
    
OwnerAndre Gudger
PresidentSpencer Ford
Head coachLiam Banks
Division titlesNone
Website blaze.majorleaguelacrosse.com

The Atlanta Blaze were a professional men's field lacrosse team in Major League Lacrosse (MLL). The Blaze became the ninth team in MLL as an expansion team for the 2016 season and played its home games at Atlanta Silverbacks Park in Atlanta, Georgia.

Contents

Franchise history

On August 7, 2015, the MLL granted an expansion franchise to Atlanta, Georgia for the 2016 MLL season. The league had previously held several games there before including the 2014 and 2015 championship games which drew 8,149 and 8,674 people (the latter is a Steinfeld Cup record). The league suspended the Blaze for the 2020 season. [1]

2016 inaugural season

The Blaze hosted the first game in franchise history on Saturday, April 23, 2016 against the storied Chesapeake Bayhawks. Kevin Rice scored the first goal in franchise history only 44 seconds into the game, and Conrad Oberbeck scored 14 seconds later as Atlanta took a 6-0 lead to start the game. Despite the great start, the Blaze were not able to finish it out and lost 16-13 in front of 4,145 fans. After losing in Boston, the Blaze came back home on May 14 where they smoked the Denver Outlaws for their first win in franchise history by a score of 23-12. [2]

The rest of the Blaze's first year included some very questionable moves. On June 14, the Blaze traded their top draft pick, Myles Jones, to the Bayhawks after Jones had only played two games for the Blaze. [3] On July 21, the team released Hall of Fame head coach John Tucker and replaced him with assistant coach David Huntley after a 3-7 start. The Blaze finished their inaugural season in eighth place at 4-10, ahead of only the Florida Launch. Former Atlanta Hawks and Thrashers executive Jim Pfeifer was named the team's new president on December 29. [4]

2017 season

In 2017, the Blaze returned much more competitive. The team still had playoff hopes as they entered the second-to-last week of the regular season, but a loss to the Rochester Rattlers eliminated them. However, they were still able to post an improved 6-8 record. Highlights from the season included a 17-4 drubbing of the Florida Launch on July 1, playing in their first Fourth of July game in Denver, and Kevin Rice becoming the first Atlanta Blaze player to score 100 points in a Blaze uniform.

On December 18, 2017, Blaze coach Dave Huntley died at the age of 60. [5] Former MLL player Liam Banks was named the Blaze's third head coach.

Before the 2018 Collegiate Draft on April 18, MLL commissioner Sandy Brown announced the league had approved the sale of the Blaze to Andre Gudger, founder and CEO of technology and investment company Eccalon. [6] This came five months after former owner Peter Trematerra sold the team back to the league, a move that also included a lawsuit. [7]

2018 season

The 2018 summer season was the best season that the Blaze had since their inception, posting a 7-7 record. They were one win away from their first playoff berth, but lost to the Denver Outlaws on the final week of the season to be eliminated. [8]

2019 season and dissolution

During this season they had to move to Atlanta Silverbacks Park because their Grady Stadium was being renovated.

After, they ceased operations and were relocated to Philadelphia as the second incarnation of the Philadelphia Barrage. [9]

Attendance

Despite drawing near sellouts for the 2014 and 2015 Steinfeld Cup championship games, the Blaze have so far failed to draw similar numbers for their home games. [10]

SeasonGamesTotalAverageSeason High
2016723,1943,3134,297
2017714,2592,0372,811
2018711,6601,6652,326

Season-by-season

Atlanta Blaze
YearWL%Regular season finishPlayoffs
2016 410.2868th in LeagueDidn't qualify
2017 68.4298th in LeagueDidn't qualify
2018 77.5006th in LeagueDidn't qualify
2019 88.5004th in LeagueSemifinalists
Totals2533.431Total Playoff Record 0-1
Playoff Win % = .000

Head coaches

#NameTermRegular SeasonPlayoffs
GCWLW%GCWLW%
1 John Tucker 2016 1037.300----
2 David Huntley 20162017 18711.389----
3Liam Banks 20181477.500----

Roster

2019 Atlanta Blaze
No.NameNation­alityPositionHeightWeightCollege
3Alex Woodall Flag of the United States.svg FO6 ft 0 in215 lbs Towson
6Carlson Milikin Flag of the United States.svg DM6 ft 0 in195 lbs Notre Dame
10Colton Jackson Flag of the United States.svg M6 ft 1 in200 lbs Denver
11Chris Madalon Flag of the United States.svg G6 ft 3 in210 lbs North Carolina
12Joe Reid Flag of the United States.svg M6 ft 0 in210 lbs Denver
21Liam Byrnes Flag of the United States.svg D6 ft 3 in195 lbs Marquette
24Brendan Sunday Flag of the United States.svg M6 ft 5 in200 lbs Towson
26Christian Mazzone Flag of the United States.svg M5 ft 9 in165 lbs Rutgers
29Brock Turnbaugh Flag of the United States.svg G5 ft 11 in195 lbs Johns Hopkins
30William Nowesnick Flag of the United States.svg D6 ft 5 in200 lbs Salisbury
31Chad Toliver Flag of the United States.svg M6 ft 1 in200 lbs Rutgers
32 Shayne Jackson Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg A5 ft 9 in175 lbs Limestone
33Matt Whitcher Flag of the United States.svg M6 ft 3 in200 lbs York
41Dylan Gaines Flag of the United States.svg D6 ft 2 in205 lbs Denver
43Erik Evans Flag of the United States.svg D6 ft 4 in203 lbs Ohio State
44Fred Freibott Flag of the United States.svg LSM6 ft 0 in200 lbs Ohio State
45Leo Stouros Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg LSM6 ft 1 in185 lbs Colgate
55Bryan Cole Flag of Canada (Pantone).svg M6 ft 3 in175 lbs Maryland
59David Manning Flag of the United States.svg D6 ft 3 in210 lbs Loyola
83Randy Staats Flag of the Iroquois Confederacy.svg A6 ft 2 in200 lbs Syracuse
84Tommy Palasek Flag of the United States.svg A/M5 ft 11 in185 lbs Syracuse
91TJ Comizio Flag of the United States.svg DM5 ft 10 in165 lbs Villanova
99Dylan Maher Flag of the United States.svg A5 ft 10 in180 lbs Dickinson

MLL award winners

Rookie of the Year

Defensive Player of the Year

David Huntley Man of the Year

Draft history

Collegiate Draft
YearRoundOverall Pick #PlayerPositionCollege
201611Myles JonesM Duke
2016210Deemer ClassM Duke
2016215Tyler AlbrechtM Loyola
2016319Greg DanseglioD Maryland
2016536Warren HillG Syracuse
2016753Case MatheisA Duke
201719Jake WithersM Ohio State
2017218Garrett EppleD Notre Dame
2017320Christian BurgdorfD Denver
2017321Adam OsikaM Albany
2017436Tate JozokosM North Carolina
2017647Tom MooreA Binghamton
2017974Brian MasiM Sacred Heart
20171083Connor HansonG Kennesaw State
201812Connor KellyM Maryland
2018210Kyle McClancyM Albany
2018320Austin SimsM Princeton
2018432Christian CuccinelloA Villanova
2018538Griffin FeinerM Hartford
2018540Hunter ForbesFO Jacksonville
2018647Erik EvansD Ohio State
2018651Will McBrideM North Carolina
2018756Jack KorzeliusM Dartmouth
Supplemental Draft
YearRoundOverall Pick #PlayerPositionCollege
201611Jeremy BoltusA Army
201617Josh DionneA Duke
2016210Hakeem LeckyM Syracuse
2016319Michael PellegrinoD Johns Hopkins
2016428Patrick ReschM Duke
2016537David PlanningM Ohio State
2016646Josh AmidonM Syracuse
2016755Johnny RodriguezG Salisbury
2016864Matthew PoillonG Lehigh
2016973 Geoff Snider M/FO Denver
20161082Chase CarraroM Denver
20161191Brendan PorterM Rutgers
201612100Brian CooperD Maryland
201613109Drew KennedyFO Johns Hopkins
201614117Rick LewisM Ohio State
201615123Jonathan GillD Lynchburg
201712Callum RobinsonD Stevenson
2017320Anthony KellyM/FO Ohio State
2017323Gunnar WaldtG Bryant
2017647Adam FullertonG Army
2017756Callum CrawfordM Dowling
2017865Craig BunkerM/FO Colby
2017975Jessie KingM Ohio State
20171083Henry LobbD Duke
20171192James PannellA Virginia
201712101Spencer ParksA Towson
2017Aux.109Paul BitettiD Detroit Mercy
2017Aux.112John EnglishM Adelphi
201812Dylan DonahueA Syracuse
2018211Jack BrucknerM Duke
2018320Jason NobleD Cornell
2018429Chris MadalonG North Carolina
2018538Mike BegleyM Marist
2018647Jeremy NobleM Denver
2018756Jeff GeorgeD Rutgers
2018865Ryan KilpatrickM North Carolina
2018974Sam LinaresA Hofstra
20181073Nicholas GormanD Towson
20181192Ronnie FernandoG Adams State
201812101Matt GarzianoM Albany
2018Aux.109Stephen IanzitoM Syracuse

References

  1. "MLL Announced It Will Cease Operations of the Atlanta Blaze". Major League Lacrosse. February 16, 2020. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved February 17, 2020.
  2. Atlanta Blaze Grabs First Franchise Win [ usurped ]
  3. "Blaze Trade No. 1 Pick Myles Jones to Bayhawks". Archived from the original on 2016-08-19. Retrieved 2016-08-07.
  4. Atlanta Blaze Name Jim Pfeifer Team President
  5. Blaze coach Dave Huntley passes away
  6. "MLL approves sale of Atlanta Blaze to Andre Gudger". Archived from the original on 2018-04-21. Retrieved 2018-04-21.
  7. Atlanta Blaze owner Peter Trematerra sued Major League Lacrosse
  8. "Atlanta Blaze - Major League Lacrosse - team stats | Pointstreak Sports Technologies".
  9. BizJournals
  10. League Attendance