The New York Lizards, originally the Long Island Lizards, were a Major League Lacrosse (MLL) team based in Hempstead, New York, located on Long Island. They are original members of the MLL. They lost the league's inaugural game on June 7, 2001 to the Baltimore Bayhawks (now Chesapeake Bayhawks), 16–13.
History In the MLL's inaugural season in 2001, the Long Island Lizards split their home games between Hofstra Stadium, now James M. Shuart Stadium, and EAB Park (now Bethpage Ballpark). For the 2002 season, they used Hofstra Stadium as their home field. As of 2003, the Lizards played all home contests at Mitchel Athletic Complex, in Uniondale, New York until 2008. The team returned to James M. Shuart Stadium for their home games in 2009. The Lizards have won American Division championships in 2001, 2002, and 2003, and Major League Lacrosse titles in 2001, 2003 and 2015. The team made the playoffs in 2005 as a wildcard despite a losing record. The team's name and logo are based on the Italian wall lizard, a small reptile that was imported to Long Island (which has no native lizards) in the 1960s and which populate areas of the team's hometown of Hempstead in Nassau County. On December 14, 2012, the Lizards changed their name to the New York Lizards.
Prior to the 2015 season, the Lizards made a trade with the Boston Cannons for Paul Rabil. In exchange for Paul Rabil and Mike Stone, the Cannons received Max Seibald, Brian Karalunas and three draft picks. That season, the Lizards won their third Steinfeld Cup and first in 12 years by defeating their instate rival Rochester Rattlers 15–12. The Lizards won the game at Fifth Third Bank Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia before a Steinfeld Cup-record 8,674 fans.
Prior to the 2019 season, Rabil and his brother Michael formed the Premier Lacrosse League, which would compete directly with Major League Lacrosse and lead to an attrition in talent. In the Lizards' first season after the pro lacrosse landscape changed vastly, they lost a franchise worst 11 games in 2019, and posted their second-worst winning percentage (.313). In 2020, a week-long, quarantined tournament thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Lizards joined the 2006 Chicago Machine as the only two teams in league history to post a winless season.
Rivalry
Chesapeake Bayhawks
The Lizards' main rival were the Chesapeake Bayhawks. Between them, they hold 8 of the 15 MLL league championships awarded through the 2015 season. The two teams have played in the championship game five times, with Chesapeake winning 3 of those 5.
Boston Cannons
The Lizards have found a new rival in the Boston Cannons after they traded their All Star Mid Fielder Paul Rabil to New York in January 2015. That season the Lizards faced the Cannons in the MLL semi-finals and the game resulted in a dramatic overtime victory for the Lizards(16-15). The tension of that game continued into the 2016 MLL season when the Cannons came to James M. Shuart Stadium, which resulted in another intense over-time victory for the Lizards(13-12).
General managers Joe Spallina was the head coach and general manager of the New York Lizards.
Coaching staff
Current coaching staff Head coach – BJ O'Hara Assistant coach – Ted Garber Assistant coach – Mike Gongas
All-time head coaches # Name Term Regular season Playoffs GC W L W% GC W L W% 1 John Detommaso 2001–2004 51 33 18 .647 6 5 1 .833 2 Jim Mule 2005–2011 84 37 47 .440 5 2 3 .400 3 Joe Spallina 2012–2018 98 54 44 .551 6 2 4 .333 4 B.J. O'Hara 2019– 21 5 16 .238 - - - -
Most recent roster 2020 New York LizardsNumberNameNationalityPositionHeightWeightCollege1Sean O'BrienM5 ft 10 in180 lbsBucknell 4 Dylan Molloy (C) A 6 ft 1 in 220 lbs Brown 5 Nicky Galasso M 6 ft 0 in 185 lbs Syracuse 6 Mark Andrejack FO 5 ft 7 in 175 lbs Adelphi 7 Andrew Pettit A 5 ft 11 in 195 lbs Lehigh 11 Justin Reh M 6 ft 1 in 185 lbs Albany12Brian CorriganG5 ft 11 in205 lbsMarist 14 Austin Kaut (C) G 5 ft 10 in 200 lbs Penn State 15 Steven Romano M 6 ft 2 in 200 lbs Hofstra16Nick AponteA6 ft 0 in190 lbsPenn State 17 Thomas O'Connell SSDM 6 ft 2 in 195 lbs Maryland 18 Mike Mayer D 6 ft 5 in 215 lbs Georgetown19Bobby DuvnjakD6 ft 3 in205 lbsHarvard 20 Danny Dolan G 6 ft 1 in 180 lbs Maryland 22 Brendan Kearns A 6 ft 1 in 195 lbs Providence23Ian KirbyA6 ft 1 in170 lbsAdelphi31Andrew BracyFO5 ft 11 in196 lbsNorwich 34 Mark Ellis SSDM 5 ft 10 in 188 lbs Hofstra39Tommy WrightD6 ft 0 in190 lbsPenn State 42 Colin Burke M 6 ft 0 in 175 lbs Utah 44 Decker Curran M 6 ft 3 in 200 lbs Michigan71Peter WelchD6 ft 2 in205 lbsDuke 77 Ben Randall D 6 ft 3 in 210 lbs Ohio State88Connor O'HaraA6 ft 0 in175 lbsBucknell 90 Jack Carrigan D 6 ft 3 in 220 lbs Loyola92Alex Spring (C)D5 ft 11 in185 lbsBucknell
(C)- captain
MLL Award winners
Most Valuable Player Jay Jalbert: 2003 Greg Gurenlian: 2015 Rob Pannell: 2018
Rookie of the Year Matt Gibson: 2012 Rob Pannell: 2013
Coach of the Year John DeTommaso: 2001 Jim Mule: 2010 Joe Spallina: 2012
Offensive Player of the Year Rob Pannell: 2016, 2018
Defensive Player of the Year Nicky Polanco: 2005 Joe Fletcher: 2015
Goalie of the Year Brian Dougherty: 2003 Drew Adams: 2010, 2011, 2015
Most Improved Player Stephen Peyser: 2011
Retired numbers 2 – Greg Cattrano 9 – Tim Goettlemann 10 – Jay Jalbert 29 – Pat McCabe 21 – Brodie Thoms
Season-by-season Long Island Lizards Year W L % Regular season finish Playoff results2001 10 4 .714 1st in American Division Won semifinal, 13–12, over Rattlers Won championship, 15–11, over Bayhawks2002 9 5 .643 1st in American Division Won semifinal, 19–11, over Pride Lost championship, 21–13, to Bayhawks2003* 8 3 .727 1st in American Division Won semifinal, 20–14, over Cannons Won championship, 15–14 (OT), over Bayhawks2004 6 6 .500 3rd in American Division — 2005 4 8 .333 2nd in American Division Won semifinal 19–14 over Cannons Lost championship, 15–9, to Bayhawks2006 5 7 .417 4th in Eastern Conference —2007 5 7 .417 4th in Eastern Conference —2008 5 7 .417 5th in Eastern Conference —2009 6 6 .500 3rd Overall Lost semifinal, 14–13, to Toronto Nationals2010 7 5 .583 3rd Overall Won semifinal, 16–12, over Denver Outlaws Lost championship, 13–9, to Chesapeake Bayhawks2011 5 7 .417 5th Overall —2012 8 6 .571 4th overall Lost semifinal, 13–12, vs Outlaws New York Lizards2013 4 10 .286 7th overall —2014 9 5 .643 3rd overall Lost semifinal, 14–13, to Outlaws2015 10 4 .714 1st overall Won semifinal, 16–15, over Boston Cannons Won championship, 15–12, over Rochester Rattlers2016 8 6 .571 2nd overall Lost semifinal, 20–17, vs Denver Outlaws2017 7 7 .500 5th overall —2018 8 6 .571 4th overall Lost Semifinal, 15–12, vs. Dallas Rattlers2019 5 11 .313 6th overall -2020 0 5 .000 6th overall -Totals 129 125 .508 Total playoff record 9–8 Playoff win % = .529 * August 17 game against Baltimore canceled due to rain 2001 Long Island Lizards season 2002 Long Island Lizards season 2003 Long Island Lizards season 2004 Long Island Lizards season 2005 Long Island Lizards season 2006 Long Island Lizards season 2007 Long Island Lizards season 2008 Long Island Lizards season 2009 Long Island Lizards season 2010 Long Island Lizards season 2011 Long Island Lizards season 2012 Long Island Lizards season 2013 New York Lizards Season 2017 New York Lizards season 2018 New York Lizards season 2019 New York Lizards season
MLL collegiate draft history
First round selections 2001: Eric Wedin, Johns Hopkins (4th overall) 2002: None 2003: None 2004: None 2005: None 2006: None 2007: Matt McMonagle, Cornell (10th overall) 2008: None 2009: Zack Greer, Bryant (3rd overall) 2010: Peter McKee, Duke (4th overall) 2011: Zach Brenneman, Notre Dame (5th overall) 2012: Rob Pannell, Cornell (1st overall) 2013: None 2014: Joe Fletcher, Loyola (3rd overall); Luke Duprey, Duke (4th overall) 2015: None 2016: None 2017: None 2018: Joel Tinney, Johns Hopkins (5th overall) 2019: None
References