TORONTO, ON --- The Rochester Knighthawks held three picks in the first 25 selections of the 2022 NLL Entry Draft, picks 1,18, and 25. 1st overall was Thomas McConvey, University of Vermont/Virginia, 18th was Austin Hasen, Belmont Abbey/Brampton, and 25th was Thomas Vela, Burnaby.
Knighthawks GM Dan Carey and 1st Overall Pick Thomas McConvey
With number one Rochester took Thomas McConvey, a graduate of The University of Vermont and currently a graduate student at The University of Virginia. While at Vermont he scored a program record 60 goals his senior year, finished 7th all time in Points at UVM (172) and registered at least a point in every collegiate game of his career. During that time he also played Junior A lacrosse in Toronto with the Mimico Mountaineers. This summer McConvey was selected to captain Team Canada, leading them to a silver medal, Knighthawks General Manager Dan Carey was able to serve on that coaching staff.
“I couldn’t be more impressed with the professionalism and just the type of character he has” - Dan Carey
Carey made a massive trade during the Las Vegas Desert Dogs Expansion Draft this summer. Moving the team from the second selection to the first as well as sending Charlie Bertrand and next years first round pick for lefty forward Connor Fields and Goaltender Riley Hutchcraft. McConvey brings size, stick skill and major on-ball ability to the left side of the Rochester offense which was lackluster last season. He will sit a year though, as he heads to The University of Virginia to play one more year of college lacrosse with longtime Mimico teammate Peyton Cormier.
NLL Commissioner Brett Frood and 18th pick Austin Hasen
With the 18th pick, which Rochester traded a 2024 second rounder and goaltender Joel Watson for, The Knighthawks selected Austin Hasen, son of Head Coach Mike Hasen and former Brampton Excelsior. He has always been consistent in Junior As, but he also had a break out year in college in 2022 notching 3.9 points per game. He was selected 11th overall in the Major Series Lacrosse draft earlier this year, also with his father as the head coach.
He has netted 19 goals and 18 assists in the regular season and the playoffs as they continue their Mann Cup run. A player who thrives without the ball in his stick, Hasen creates space for other players to score more than he finds the back of the net himself. He will come to Rochester this season and fight for a roster spot in training camp.
Rochester held four selections in the lower rounds of the draft. With the 25th pick they took Burnaby Lakers standout Thomas Vela, he led the British Columbia Junior Lacrosse Association with 71 points, 36 goals and 35 assists in 14 games. He also averaged two points per game in six Senior A games for multiple teams in the BCLA. The Knighthawks next pick came at number 45, they took Minto Cup winner Parker Pipher from the Whitby Warriors. The player who scored the final goal of the game to seal Whitby’s eighth title.
2022 NLL Entry Draft First Round Selections
Rochester’s last two selections came at 60 and 65. First The Knighthawks selected Fairport native and RIT alumni, Spencer Bell. A player for the Rochester Hawkeyes in the Upstate Collegiate Box Lacrosse League, he notched a career high 34 goals this past season along with back to back NCAA Division three national championships with The Tigers. His time in the UCBLL is what cemented him as a pick for The Knighthawks, working directly with Dan Coates and Bradley Voigt, current Knighthawks players & Hawkeyes coaches. With the 65th pick, and their last of the draft, Rochester selected their only defenseman of the night. Carter Schott out of Whitby, ON will come in and fight for a spot on a team who’s defense’s age continues to decrease.
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