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.
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.
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.
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. 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.Atlanta Blaze Name Jim Pfeifer Team President
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.Blaze coach Dave Huntley passes away 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. This came five months after former owner Peter Trematerra sold the team back to the league, a move that also included a lawsuit.Atlanta Blaze owner Peter Trematerra sued Major League Lacrosse
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.
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.BizJournals
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.League Attendance
Season Games Total Average Season High 2016 7 23,194 3,313 4,297 2017 7 14,259 2,037 2,811 2018 7 11,660 1,665 2,326
Season-by-season Atlanta Blaze Year W L % Regular season finish Playoffs 2016 4 10 .286 8th in League Didn't qualify 2017 6 8 .429 8th in League Didn't qualify 2018 7 7 .500 6th in League Didn't qualify201988.5004th in LeagueSemifinalistsTotals 25 33 .431 Total Playoff Record 0-1 Playoff Win % = .000
Head coaches
# Name Term Regular season Playoffs GC W L W% GC W L W% 1 John Tucker 2016 10 3 7 .300 - - - - 2 David Huntley 2016–2017 18 7 11 .389 - - - - 3 Liam Banks 2018– 14 7 7 .500 - - - -
Roster
2019 Atlanta Blaze No. Name Nationality Position Height Weight College 3 Alex Woodall FO 6 ft 0 in 215 lbsTowson6Carlson MilikinDM6 ft 0 in195 lbsNotre Dame 10 Colton Jackson M 6 ft 1 in 200 lbsDenver 11 Chris Madalon G 6 ft 3 in 210 lbs North Carolina12Joe ReidM6 ft 0 in210 lbsDenver 21 Liam Byrnes D 6 ft 3 in 195 lbsMarquette 24 Brendan Sunday M 6 ft 5 in 200 lbsTowson26Christian MazzoneM5 ft 9 in165 lbsRutgers29Brock TurnbaughG5 ft 11 in195 lbsJohns Hopkins30William NowesnickD6 ft 5 in200 lbsSalisbury31Chad ToliverM6 ft 1 in200 lbsRutgers32Shayne JacksonA5 ft 9 in175 lbsLimestone33Matt WhitcherM6 ft 3 in200 lbsYork 41 Dylan Gaines D 6 ft 2 in 205 lbsDenver 43 Erik Evans D 6 ft 4 in 203 lbsOhio State44Fred FreibottLSM6 ft 0 in200 lbsOhio State45Leo StourosLSM6 ft 1 in185 lbsColgate 55 Bryan Cole M 6 ft 3 in 175 lbsMaryland59David ManningD6 ft 3 in210 lbsLoyola 83 Randy Staats A 6 ft 2 in 200 lbsSyracuse 84 Tommy Palasek A/M 5 ft 11 in 185 lbs Syracuse91TJ ComizioDM5 ft 10 in165 lbsVillanova 99 Dylan Maher A 5 ft 10 in 180 lbsDickinson
MLL award winners
Rookie of the Year Alex Woodall: 2019
Defensive Player of the Year Liam Byrnes: 2019
David Huntley Man of the Year Scott Ratliff: 2018
Draft history
Collegiate Draft Year Round Overall Pick # Player Position College 2016 1 1 Myles Jones M Duke 2016 2 10 Deemer Class M Duke 2016 2 15 Tyler Albrecht M Loyola 2016 3 19 Greg Danseglio D Maryland 2016 5 36 Warren Hill G Syracuse 2016 7 53 Case Matheis A Duke 2017 1 9 Jake Withers M Ohio State 2017 2 18 Garrett Epple D Notre Dame 2017 3 20 Christian Burgdorf D Denver 2017 3 21 Adam Osika M Albany 2017 4 36 Tate Jozokos M North Carolina 2017 6 47 Tom Moore A Binghamton 2017 9 74 Brian Masi M Sacred Heart 2017 10 83 Connor Hanson G Kennesaw State 2018 1 2 Connor Kelly M Maryland 2018 2 10 Kyle McClancy M Albany 2018 3 20 Austin Sims M Princeton 2018 4 32 Christian Cuccinello A Villanova 2018 5 38 Griffin Feiner M Hartford 2018 5 40 Hunter Forbes FO Jacksonville 2018 6 47 Erik Evans D Ohio State 2018 6 51 Will McBride M North Carolina 2018 7 56 Jack Korzelius M Dartmouth
Supplemental Draft Year Round Overall pick # Player Position College 2016 1 1 Jeremy Boltus A Army 2016 1 7 Josh Dionne A Duke 2016 2 10 Hakeem Lecky M Syracuse 2016 3 19 Michael Pellegrino D Johns Hopkins 2016 4 28 Patrick Resch M Duke 2016 5 37 David Planning M Ohio State 2016 6 46 Josh Amidon M Syracuse 2016 7 55 Johnny Rodriguez G Salisbury 2016 8 64 Matthew Poillon G Lehigh 2016 9 73 Geoff Snider M/FO Denver 2016 10 82 Chase Carraro M Denver 2016 11 91 Brendan Porter M Rutgers 2016 12 100 Brian Cooper D Maryland 2016 13 109 Drew Kennedy FO Johns Hopkins 2016 14 117 Rick Lewis M Ohio State 2016 15 123 Jonathan Gill D Lynchburg 2017 1 2 Callum Robinson D Stevenson 2017 3 20 Anthony Kelly M/FO Ohio State 2017 3 23 Gunnar Waldt G Bryant 2017 6 47 Adam Fullerton G Army 2017 7 56 Callum Crawford M Dowling 2017 8 65 Craig Bunker M/FO Colby 2017 9 75 Jessie King M Ohio State 2017 10 83 Henry Lobb D Duke 2017 11 92 James Pannell A Virginia 2017 12 101 Spencer Parks A Towson 2017 Aux. 109 Paul Bitetti D Detroit Mercy 2017 Aux. 112 John English M Adelphi 2018 1 2 Dylan Donahue A Syracuse 2018 2 11 Jack Bruckner M Duke 2018 3 20 Jason Noble D Cornell 2018 4 29 Chris Madalon G North Carolina 2018 5 38 Mike Begley M Marist 2018 6 47 Jeremy Noble M Denver 2018 7 56 Jeff George D Rutgers 2018 8 65 Ryan Kilpatrick M North Carolina 2018 9 74 Sam Linares A Hofstra 2018 10 73 Nicholas Gorman D Towson 2018 11 92 Ronnie Fernando G Adams State 2018 12 101 Matt Garziano M Albany 2018 Aux. 109 Stephen Ianzito M Syracuse
References
External links
majorleaguelacrosse.com