FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
The Hill Academy claims 1st and 2nd overall in 2023 NLL Entry Draft, PLL Championship Game MVP as part of historic week
Caledon, ON [September 25, 2023] - An epic week that began with eleven alumni from The Hill Academy selected as part of the 2023 National Lacrosse League (NLL) Collegiate Entry Draft, was capped off with The Hill Academy alumni, Brett Dobson being named Premier League Lacrosse (PLL) Championship Game MVP.
The highlight of the NLL entry draft for The Hill Lacrosse program was the first and second overall selections of Duke University's Dyson Williams by the Albany FireWolves and Loyola University Maryland's Adam Poitras by the Las Vegas Desert Dogs.
This marks the first time that The Hill family lays claim to the first and second overall selections. Dyson Williams joins fellow alumni Jeff Teat (2020 - New York Riptide), alumni Ryan Keenan (2016 - Saskatchewan Rush), The Hill's Director of Athletics Brodie Merrill (2005 - Portland LumberJax) and The Hill's President Patrick Merrill (2002 - Toronto Rock) as first overall selections in the NLL.
All told, Williams and Poitras were two of eleven Hill alumni selected in the draft, with five selections coming in the first round.
"There are amazing stories about each of these eleven young men, but what resonates with me is that they are all as great off the field, as they are on the field" said Brodie Merrill, Director of Athletics. "They are great students, they have strong leadership qualities and they're all extremely hard working. It's not surprising that they are continuing to be successful at reaching their next highest level. Each of these teams are lucky to have them."
Many of The Hill Academy alumni selected in this draft were members of the 2018 National Prep Championship winning team. The National Prep Championship is a high school national invitational championship featuring the top prep school lacrosse programs from across North America. In addition to the 2018 victory, The Hill won the 2023 National Prep Championship title this past spring.
The 2023 Premier League Lacrosse (PLL) Cash App Championship game contested by the Waterdogs Lacrosse Club and the Archers Lacrosse Club featured a goalie matchup of two Hill Lacrosse alumni in Dillon Ward ('10) and Brett Dobson ('17), respectively.
Dobson made 18 saves with a 58% save percentage, being named championship game MVP, while paving the way for the Archers to hoist the hand-crafted Tiffany & Co. Championship Trophy. In addition to Dobson, the championship Archers roster included further connections to the Hill through alumni faceoff specialist Justin Inacio, and Hill Lacrosse Varsity Head Coach and Math and Chemistry teacher Graeme Hossack.
Dillon Ward led the league in save percentage (61.2%) this season, while Dobson was named to the 2023 Rising Stars Team and earned a nomination for the Oren Lyons Goalie of the award.
The first and second overall selections in the NLL collegiate entry draft as part of eleven total Hill alumni being drafted, coupled with the naming of the PLL Championship Game MVP as part of a Hill Lacrosse alumni goalie duel solidifies the programs status as a top prep program in North America.
The Hill Academy at the 2023 National Lacrosse League (NLL) Collegiate Entry Draft
Round One:
1. Albany - Dyson Williams - Duke - Brooklin L.C.
2. Las Vegas (from Vancouver) - Adam Poitras - Loyola - Whitby Warriors
13. San Diego - Matthew Wright - North Carolina/Syracuse - Peterborough
15. Rochester - (from Buffalo to Rochester) - Graydon Hogg - University of Albany - Whitby Warriors
17. Albany (compensatory selection) - Zachary Young - North Carolina - Brooklin L.C.
Round Two:
26. Georgia - Liam McGrath - Lenoir-Rhyne - Coquitlam
29. Saskatchewan (from Rochester via Buffalo) - Joshua Zawada - Michigan/Duke
32. Albany (from Toronto) - Carson Moyer - Utah - Cobourg Kodiaks
Round Three:
39. Toronto (from Albany) - Zack Kearney - Umass Amherst - Oakville Rock Sr. B
47. Rochester – Jack Boyden - Tufts/Virginia - Brooklin LC
Round Four:
66. Georgia (from San Diego) - Richie Connell - University of Denver
For information on enrolment for the 2024-25 academic year, please visit www.thehillacademy.com/admissions to schedule a tour.
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About The Hill Academy
The Hill Academy was founded in 2006 in order to provide optimal academic and athletic programming for dedicated student-athletes. Located in Caledon, ON, just 45 minutes north of Toronto, The Hill campus sits on 134 acres of beautifully forested land. The campus offers students bright classrooms, daily outdoor education, a state-of-the-art athletic training experience, Hill Performance gym facilities, running and hiking trails, new turf field, exclusive off-site rink access, and an expansive boarding complex.
Graduates from The Hill have been placed in some of the most prestigious academic and athletic institutions in the world. The Hill Academy is an institution for students who are committed to striving academically, and who would like an opportunity to take an in-depth exploration into their respective sport.
For more information, visit www.thehillacademy.com and follow on social media: Instagram @thehillacademy, X (Twitter) @thehillacademy, and Facebook @thehillacademy1845
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