Billy Bitter
Encyclopedia
William Benz "Billy" Bitter (born June 10, 1988) is a professional American lacrosse
player for the Denver Outlaws
of Major League Lacrosse
and the Buffalo Bandits
of the National Lacrosse League
. Bitter formerly played lacrosse for the University of North Carolina
. He was given the Jay Gallagher Award (given to the most valuable freshman on the North Carolina lacrosse team) his freshman year. He was named All-ACC his sophomore year and named 1st team All-American. His junior year he was named Offensive Player of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference
(ACC) and was named to the All-ACC team, as well as first team All-American.
. His brother, Ward Bitter was forced to give up a promising lacrosse career due to a blood condition. His other brother, Matt Bitter, played college lacrosse for the Navy Midshipmen
. His younger brother, Jimmy Bitter, currently attends the University of North Carolina and is ranked as the #2 overall incoming college freshman by Inside Lacrosse.
, in hopes of going to a prestigious lacrosse college. After a good year at Deerfield, he accepted a scholarship to the University of North Carolina
. His freshman season he had 6 goals and 15 assists, playing in all 14 games despite not being a starter. He was used as the 4th attackmen and was involved in the EMO (Extra Man Offense) unit. His sophomore year at UNC he came onto national prominence with 46 goals and 25 assists, including an eight goal performance in the first round of the NCAA playoffs against UMBC. He went 8 for 9 shooting that game, with his only miss being his last shot. That performance won him a "Laxie" for the top individual performance of the year. He also won a "Laxie" for the National Breakthrough Player of the Year. His junior year, he was the primary focus of opposing defenses. Despite that, he still finished the year with 22 goals and 24 assists, while helping UNC post a 13-3 record and helping them reach a #4 seed in the NCAA tournament
. Bitter was drafted by the Denver Outlaws
3rd overall in the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft In 2011, he was selected in the 4th round of the National Lacrosse League
draft by the Buffalo Bandits
. Bitter was the 33rd pick overall. He was also taken in the 6th round of the North American Lacrosse League
rookie entry draft with the last pick (Round 6, pick 30) by the Jacksonville Bullies
. It is yet known which league Bitter will play in.
He has an endorsement deal with Maverik Lacrosse
Currently has an endorsement deal with Maverick Lacrosse
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
player for the Denver Outlaws
Denver Outlaws
The Denver Outlaws are a Major League Lacrosse professional men's field lacrosse team based in Denver, Colorado. They began playing in the MLL in 2006 as an expansion team. From 2006 to 2008, they were in the Western Conference. With the MLL contraction in the 2009 season from 10 to 6 teams The...
of Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...
and the Buffalo Bandits
Buffalo Bandits
The Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998....
of the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
. Bitter formerly played lacrosse for the University of North Carolina
North Carolina Tar Heels men's lacrosse
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's lacrosse team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse...
. He was given the Jay Gallagher Award (given to the most valuable freshman on the North Carolina lacrosse team) his freshman year. He was named All-ACC his sophomore year and named 1st team All-American. His junior year he was named Offensive Player of the Year in the Atlantic Coast Conference
Atlantic Coast Conference
The Atlantic Coast Conference is a collegiate athletic league in the United States. Founded in 1953 in Greensboro, North Carolina, the ACC sanctions competition in twenty-five sports in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association for its twelve member universities...
(ACC) and was named to the All-ACC team, as well as first team All-American.
Personal
The son of Ward and Nancy Bitter, Billy Bitter comes from a talented lacrosse family. His father, Ward Bitter, is in the Boston College Hall of Fame for being an All-American lacrosse player at Boston CollegeBoston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
. His brother, Ward Bitter was forced to give up a promising lacrosse career due to a blood condition. His other brother, Matt Bitter, played college lacrosse for the Navy Midshipmen
Navy Midshipmen men's lacrosse
The Navy Midshipmen men's lacrosse team represents the United States Naval Academy in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I men's lacrosse. Navy currently competes as a member of the Patriot League and play their home games at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis, Maryland...
. His younger brother, Jimmy Bitter, currently attends the University of North Carolina and is ranked as the #2 overall incoming college freshman by Inside Lacrosse.
Lacrosse career
Billy Bitter was not heavily recruited out of High School, due to suffering a leg injury his Junior Year. He was an Honorable Mention All-County selection his Junior Year, and a Honorable Mention his senior year of high school. He opted to do a Post Grad year at Deerfield AcademyDeerfield Academy
Deerfield Academy is an independent, coeducational boarding school in Deerfield, Massachusetts, United States. It is a four-year college-preparatory school with approximately 600 students and about 100 faculty, all of whom live on or near campus....
, in hopes of going to a prestigious lacrosse college. After a good year at Deerfield, he accepted a scholarship to the University of North Carolina
University of North Carolina
Chartered in 1789, the University of North Carolina was one of the first public universities in the United States and the only one to graduate students in the eighteenth century...
. His freshman season he had 6 goals and 15 assists, playing in all 14 games despite not being a starter. He was used as the 4th attackmen and was involved in the EMO (Extra Man Offense) unit. His sophomore year at UNC he came onto national prominence with 46 goals and 25 assists, including an eight goal performance in the first round of the NCAA playoffs against UMBC. He went 8 for 9 shooting that game, with his only miss being his last shot. That performance won him a "Laxie" for the top individual performance of the year. He also won a "Laxie" for the National Breakthrough Player of the Year. His junior year, he was the primary focus of opposing defenses. Despite that, he still finished the year with 22 goals and 24 assists, while helping UNC post a 13-3 record and helping them reach a #4 seed in the NCAA tournament
2010 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
-First round:The biggest surprise of the first round was Army's double-overtime upset of No. 2 seed Syracuse at the Carrier Dome. Some analysts ranked it among the greatest upsets in the history of the tournament...
. Bitter was drafted by the Denver Outlaws
Denver Outlaws
The Denver Outlaws are a Major League Lacrosse professional men's field lacrosse team based in Denver, Colorado. They began playing in the MLL in 2006 as an expansion team. From 2006 to 2008, they were in the Western Conference. With the MLL contraction in the 2009 season from 10 to 6 teams The...
3rd overall in the 2011 MLL Collegiate Draft In 2011, he was selected in the 4th round of the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
draft by the Buffalo Bandits
Buffalo Bandits
The Buffalo Bandits are a team in the National Lacrosse League . They play at the First Niagara Center in Buffalo, New York. The Bandits played in the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1992 to 1997, until the MILL turned into the NLL in 1998....
. Bitter was the 33rd pick overall. He was also taken in the 6th round of the North American Lacrosse League
North American Lacrosse League
The North American Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league based in the United States, set to begin play in January 2012. The league will be North America's third professional lacrosse league, after Major League Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League...
rookie entry draft with the last pick (Round 6, pick 30) by the Jacksonville Bullies
Jacksonville Bullies
The Jacksonville Bullies is an American professional indoor lacrosse team based in Jacksonville, Florida. They are a charter member of the North American Lacrosse League...
. It is yet known which league Bitter will play in.
He has an endorsement deal with Maverik Lacrosse
University of North Carolina
| Season | GP | G | A | Pts | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2011 | 8 | 12 | 8 | 20 | -- | |
| 2010 | 16 | 22 | 22 | 44 | -- | |
| 2009 | 18 | 46 | 25 | 71 | -- | |
| 2008 | 14 | 8 | 15 | 21 | -- | |
| Totals | 56 | 88 | 70 | 158 | -- |
Currently has an endorsement deal with Maverick Lacrosse