B. J. Prager

Last updated

B. J. Prager
NationalityAmerican
PositionAttackman
NLL draft70th overall, 2002
Vancouver Ravens
MLL teams Bridgeport Barrage (2002 – 2003)
Philadelphia Barrage (2004 – 2006)
NCAA team Princeton University
Pro career2002–2006
Website MLL webpage
Career highlights
College highlights
Records
  • Princeton freshman year goals (25, 1999–2010)
Professional highlights

William J. "B. J." Prager is a retired professional lacrosse attackman who played professional field lacrosse in the Major League Lacrosse (MLL). He starred as a member of the Princeton Tigers men's lacrosse team from 1999 through 2002, where he was Ivy League rookie of the year, a three-time United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA) All-American (twice third-team, once honorable mention), a four-time All-Ivy League selection (three-time first team), a team captain and an NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player of a national champion team. For over a decade, he held the freshman goal scoring record at Princeton.

Contents

During his time at Princeton, the team qualified for the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship all four years, reached the championship game three times, won the championship game once and won four Ivy League championships. In his career, he has scored game-winning overtime goals in both state high school and national collegiate championship games as well as participated on two championship MLL teams.

Background

Prager is from Garden City, New York on Long Island. [1] He began playing lacrosse in fifth grade and continued through to high school. [2] He led Garden City High School to an undefeated 21–0 season culminating on his overtime game-winning goal in the 1997 New York State Public High School Athletic Association Class B Lacrosse Championship. [3] In 1996, the team had a 13–0–1 streak that included the Nassau County and Long Island Championships. [4] During his high school career, he scored 154 goals. [3]

College career

Prager attended Princeton where he earned the 1999 Men's Ivy League Rookie of the Year [5] and the 2001 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament Most Outstanding Player. [6] His 25 goals as a freshman in 1999 was a Princeton freshman record. [7] In 2010, Ivy League Rookie of the Year Mike Chanenchuk totaled 28 as a Princeton freshman to surpass Prager's record. [8] [9] [10] He served as co-captain of the 2002 team. [11]

During his four years at university, Princeton won the Ivy League Conference outright each year, achieving undefeated 6–0 records in 1999–2001 and having a 5–1 record in 2002. [12] [13] [14] [15] In both 2000 and 2002, he was a third team USILA All-American Team selection, [16] [17] while he was an honorable mention in 2001. [18] He was a first team All-Ivy League selection in 1999, 2000 & 2002 and a second team selection in 2001. [12] [13] [14] [15] He was a 2002 USILA Scholar All-American. [19]

In 2000, Prager tore his anterior cruciate ligament while he was the leading scorer with 23 goals in his first 8+ games and was lost for the remainder of the season. [20] In the 2001 NCAA championship semifinals, Prager scored three goals against Towson State in a 12–11 victory. [21] In the finals, he scored a total of four goals, including the game-winning goal in overtime with an assist from Ryan Boyle as well as the ninth goal in the 10–9 victory over Syracuse. [22] [23] [24] In the 2002 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship semifinals, he scored five goals in an 11–9 victory over Johns Hopkins, [25] but in the 13–12 finals loss, Syracuse defenseman Solomon Bliss held him to one goal. [26]

Professional career

After graduating, Prager worked for Lehman Brothers in an analyst training program. [2] He played with the Bridgeport Barrage during the 2002 and 2003 MLL seasons and then the Philadelphia Barrage from 2004 to 2006. [27] On July 19, 2003, Prager scored five goals in a 22–17 victory against the Baltimore Bayhawks. [28] The Barrage won the Steinfeld Cup in both 2004 and 2006. In 2006, he scored the goal that ended the Denver Outlaws' last lead possession of the game. [29] He was second in the league in power play goals in 2004 and led both the 2004 and 2006 teams in shooting percentage. [30] [31] After retiring from professional play, Prager represented the New York Athletic Club. [32]

Personal

His father is Bill Prager. Prager is from a family of competitive lacrosse players: His younger brother, Matt, who was in the class of 2005, played at Princeton. The 2002 season was the first time the two of them played on the same organized team. Another brother, Pat, played lacrosse at C.W. Post. [2]

Statistics

Princeton University

   
SeasonGPGAPtsPPG
19991325------
2000823427--
20011536440--
20021534236--
Totals51118------

MLL

The following are his MLL career stats: [27]

  Regular Season Playoffs
SeasonTeamGPG2ptGAPtsLBPIMGPG2ptGAPtsLBPIM
2002Bridgeport89011070.5———————
2003Bridgeport1113011453———————
2004Philadelphia1116001642.52401510
2005Philadelphia11270330132.5———————
2006Philadelphia10220729101.52301430
MLL Totals51870129939104702940

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References

  1. ↑ Wallace, William N. (May 19, 1999). "Lacrosse: Notebook; Johns Hopkins Tries For Revenge at Hofstra". The New York Times . Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 Russell, Chandra (March 15, 2002). "Q & A with B. J. Prager of m. lacrosse". The Daily Princetonian . Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  3. 1 2 "Season Highlights". GardenCityLacrosse.com. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  4. ↑ Molinet, Jason (November 16, 1996). "Garden City Marches On / Prager keys boys victory". Newsday . p. A36. Archived from the original on November 4, 2012. Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  5. ↑ "Men's Ivy League Outstanding Performers". IvyLeagueSports.com. Archived from the original on October 28, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2010.
  6. ↑ "Men's Lacrosse" (PDF). Princeton University. p. 23. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  7. ↑ "From Princeton Athletics". Inside Lacrosse . Street & Smith's Sports Group. Archived from the original on March 11, 2012. Retrieved August 16, 2010.
  8. ↑ "Men's Lacrosse" (PDF). Princeton University. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  9. ↑ "Chanenchuk Named Ivy Rookie Of the Year; Four Tigers First-Team". Princeton University. May 4, 2010. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  10. ↑ "Men's Lacrosse: Pannell, balance rule All-Ivy honors". Inside Lacrosse . Street & Smith's Sports Group. May 4, 2010. Archived from the original on June 11, 2010. Retrieved August 23, 2010.
  11. ↑ "Men's Lacrosse" (PDF). Princeton University. p. 21. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  12. 1 2 "1999 Ivy Men's Lacrosse". IvyLeagueSports.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  13. 1 2 "2000 Ivy Men's Lacrosse". IvyLeagueSports.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  14. 1 2 "2001 Ivy Men's Lacrosse". IvyLeagueSports.com. Archived from the original on January 22, 2005. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  15. 1 2 "2002 Ivy Men's Lacrosse". IvyLeagueSports.com. Archived from the original on January 13, 2005. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  16. ↑ "2002 Division I USILA All-American Team" (PDF). United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association . Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  17. ↑ "USILA 2000 Division I All-Americans" (PDF). United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association . Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  18. ↑ "USILA 2001 Division I All-Americans" (PDF). United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association . Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  19. ↑ "Men's Lacrosse" (PDF). Princeton University. p. 25. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  20. ↑ Litsky, Frank (April 27, 2000). "Lacrosse: Notebook; Share of Title Proves Costly". The New York Times . Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  21. ↑ Litsky, Frank (May 27, 2001). "Lacrosse; Syracuse and Princeton Earn Rematch for Title". The New York Times . Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  22. ↑ "Men's Lacrosse" (PDF). Princeton University. p. 1. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 25, 2011. Retrieved August 12, 2010.
  23. ↑ Litsky, Frank (May 29, 2001). "Lacrosse; Tigers Come Through When It Counts for the Title". The New York Times . Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  24. ↑ "Men's lacrosse team wins national championship". Princeton University. May 28, 2001. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  25. ↑ Litsky, Frank (May 26, 2002). "Lacrosse; Princeton and Syracuse to Meet Again in Final". The New York Times . Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  26. ↑ "Lacrosse; Syracuse Holds Off Princeton for the Title". The New York Times . May 28, 2002. Retrieved August 18, 2010.
  27. 1 2 "2010 Major League Lacrosse Player Encyclopedia" (PDF). Major League Lacrosse. p. 109. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 10, 2011. Retrieved August 19, 2010.
  28. ↑ Zrebiec, Jeff (July 20, 2003). "Bayhawks can't stop Barrage, lose, 22-17: Previously winless team hands defending champs 2nd straight home defeat". The Baltimore Sun . Retrieved October 27, 2010.
  29. ↑ "Barrage roll over Outlaws en route to 2nd MLL Championship". Lax.com. August 27, 2006. Archived from the original on July 13, 2011. Retrieved August 27, 2010.
  30. ↑ "2007 Major League Lacrosse Record Book: 2004" (PDF). Major League Lacrosse. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 10, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  31. ↑ "2007 Major League Lacrosse Record Book: 2006" (PDF). Major League Lacrosse. Archived from the original (PDF) on May 10, 2011. Retrieved August 20, 2010.
  32. ↑ Sweeney, Kyle. "NYAC Men's Lacrosse Championship Game". New York Athletic Club . Retrieved August 20, 2010.
Preceded by NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship Tournament Most Outstanding Player
2001 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Men's Lacrosse Ivy League Rookie of the Year
2000		Succeeded by

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