May 29, 2008

BALTIMORE, MD - Just 48 hours after playing in the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship game, four members of the 2008 Johns Hopkins University men's lacrosse were selected in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Collegiate Draft in Hoboken, New Jersey on Wednesday night (May 28). The Blue Jays featured the top pick, two of the top four and four of the top 17 in the five-round draft that saw a total of 50 players selected. Johns Hopkins' four top-20 selections were the most of any school.

Midfielder Paul Rabil was the number one overall pick by the Boston Cannons. Rabil, a three-time First Team USILA All-American and the 2007 recipient of the McLaughlin Award as the nation's top midfielder, finished his career at Johns Hopkins with a career-high six goals in Monday's NCAA Championship game against Syracuse and totaled 36 goals and 14 assists in 2008. He totaled 111 goals and 67 assists in his career and ranks as JHU's all-time career leader in goals and points (178) among midfielders. He also holds Hopkins' records for goals (28), assists (23) and points (51) in the NCAA Tournament and is a finalist for the prestigious Tewaaraton Trophy, which will be presented later today. Rabil was also a Third Team ESPN The Magazine Academic All-American last season and is currently on the ballot for similar honors this year. Rabil is the second Johns Hopkins player to be selected with the top overall pick as he joins Kyle Harrison (2005) on this elite list.

The Chicago Machine selected Stephen Peyser with the fourth pick in the draft, but promptly traded him to the New Jersey Pride in a deal that involved Syracuse attackman Mike Leveille and three draft picks. New Jersey drafted Leveille with the third pick, but then traded him and the 23rd pick in the draft to Chicago for Peyser and the 21st and 30th picks. Peyser earned Second Team USILA All-America honors as he netted career-highs in goals (19) and points (29). He also won 103-of-242 (.574) faceoffs and led the team with 113 ground balls. He ended his career with 49 goals and 23 assists for 72 points, while winning 285-of-500 (.570) faceoffs with 235 ground balls. He joins his brothers Michael Peyser (JHU '03) and Greg Pesyer (JHU '06) on the Pride roster.

Defenseman Matt Bocklet was selected with the 15th overall pick by the Washington Bayhawks (5th pick in second round). Bocklet earned Third Team USILA All-America honors as a senior, when he anchored a Johns Hopkins defense that allowed just 8.23 goals per game and held 12 of 17 opponents to nine goals or less. He played in all 17 games and had one goal, one assist and 99 ground balls. His 99 ground balls are the most by a non-faceoff specialist at Johns Hopkins in more than 30 years and he totaled an amazing 169 ground balls in just two seasons at Hopkins.

Attackman Kevin Huntley, who joined Bocklet as a Third Team USILA All-America in 2008, rounds out the group of four Johns Hopkins players selected in the draft as he was taken with the 17th pick by San Francisco. He was then packaged with San Francisco's 2009 First Round selection and traded to Los Angeles for Sean Lindsay and the Riptide's 25th pick in this year's draft. Huntley totaled career highs of 34 goals and 43 points this season and finishes his career ranked eighth in school history with 109 career goals. He also earned Third Team USILA All-America honors in 2006 and also ends his career ranked second in school history with 26 career goals scored in the NCAA Tournament.

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