Matt Danowski
Encyclopedia
Matt Danowski is a professional lacrosse
player for the Long Island Lizards
of Major League Lacrosse
. He also plays professional indoor lacrosse in the National Lacrosse League
for the Rochester Knighthawks
. He was a four-time college All-American
at Duke University
, and is currently the all-time NCAA Division I leader in total points in a career.
, given to the nation's top collegiate attackman.
Danowski was a member of Duke squad during the 2006 Duke University lacrosse team scandal
, cutting short his junior campaign to eight games after the University prematurely ended the season. Following the forced resignation of long-time Duke lacrosse coach Mike Pressler
, Danowski's father, John
, became the head coach of the team. Due to the shortened season, resulting from "unusual circumstance," the NCAA granted 33 Duke lacrosse players, including Danowski, a rare fifth year of eligibility.
Danowski, and teammate Zack Greer
, led the Blue Devils high-powered attack to the 2007 NCAA Final Four
. Duke faced Johns Hopkins University
in the final, but lost despite mounting a strong comeback at the end of the game, This match-up was a repeat of the 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
game.
In 2007, Danowski won the Tewaaraton Trophy
, awarded to the nation's most outstanding collegiate lacrosse player. That year, he also won the USILA's Lt. Raymond Enners Award
as the national player of the year, and his second Jack Turnbull Award
as attackman of the year.
In the first round of the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
, in a victory over Loyola
, Danowski broke the NCAA career points record, eclipsing Joe Vasta
's mark. However, in the 2008 NCAA semifinals, Duke was again defeated by Johns Hopkins, ending Danowski's collegiate career without winning a NCAA championship. In 2008, he was again awarded the Lt. Raymond Enners Award
as national player of the year.
in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft
.
Danowski earned Rookie of the Week honors in Week 5 of the 2008 MLL season. He has scored 19 goals in 12 games with 3 two-point goals and 14 assists giving him a total of 36 points.
In July 2009, Danowski was traded from the Colorado Mammoth
to the New York Titans in exchange for Ryan Powell
. Danowski becomes the fourth player in 2009 to play both for the Lizards of the MLL and the Titans of the NLL in the same season, joining Stephen Peyser, Matt Zash, and Keith Cromwell.
, played professional football as a quarterback for the New York Giants
. He led the NFL in passing in 1935 and 1938.
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 Long Island Lizards
Long Island Lizards
The Long Island Lizards are a Major League Lacrosse professional men's field lacrosse team based in Hempstead, New York, USA, located on Long Island. They are original members of the MLL and lost in the league's inaugural game on June 7, 2001 to the Baltimore Bayhawks , 16-13...
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 :...
. He also plays professional indoor lacrosse in 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...
for the Rochester Knighthawks
Rochester Knighthawks
The Rochester Knighthawks are a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. They play in Rochester, New York at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Knighthawks were previously members of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1995 to 1997...
. He was a four-time college All-American
USILA All-American Team
The USILA All-American Team is an honor given annually to the best American men's college lacrosse players at their respective positions by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. The term All-American is derived from the same practice in American college football, in which the...
at Duke University
Duke University
Duke University is a private research university located in Durham, North Carolina, United States. Founded by Methodists and Quakers in the present day town of Trinity in 1838, the school moved to Durham in 1892. In 1924, tobacco industrialist James B...
, and is currently the all-time NCAA Division I leader in total points in a career.
Collegiate career
Danowski was a starter at Duke throughout his entire college career. As a sophomore in 2005, he won the Jack Turnbull AwardJack Turnbull Award
The "Lt. Col. J. I. Turnbull Award" — also known as the Jack Turnbull Award — is an award given to the United States' top collegiate attackman in lacrosse, named after National Lacrosse Hall of Fame alumnus Jack Turnbull. The award is given to a player in Division I, Division II, and Division...
, given to the nation's top collegiate attackman.
Danowski was a member of Duke squad during the 2006 Duke University lacrosse team scandal
2006 Duke University lacrosse team scandal
The Duke lacrosse case is a common name given to a criminal investigation into a 2006 false accusation of rape made against three members of the men's lacrosse team at Duke University in Durham, North Carolina...
, cutting short his junior campaign to eight games after the University prematurely ended the season. Following the forced resignation of long-time Duke lacrosse coach Mike Pressler
Mike Pressler
Mike Pressler is an American lacrosse coach. He is currently the head coach of the Bryant University Bulldogs as well as the 2010 United States national lacrosse team. He served as the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils for 16 seasons until he was fired during the 2006 Duke University lacrosse...
, Danowski's father, John
John Danowski
John Danowski is an American lacrosse coach who has been the head coach of the Duke Blue Devils men's lacrosse team since the 2007 season. Previously, he had spent 21 seasons as the head coach at Hofstra...
, became the head coach of the team. Due to the shortened season, resulting from "unusual circumstance," the NCAA granted 33 Duke lacrosse players, including Danowski, a rare fifth year of eligibility.
Danowski, and teammate Zack Greer
Zack Greer
Zack Greer is a Canadian lacrosse player who plays for the Long Island Lizards in Major League Lacrosse and the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League. Greer attended high school at All Saints Catholic Secondary School in Whitby, and grew up playing box lacrosse...
, led the Blue Devils high-powered attack to the 2007 NCAA Final Four
NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
The annual NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top men's field lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III....
. Duke faced Johns Hopkins University
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
in the final, but lost despite mounting a strong comeback at the end of the game, This match-up was a repeat of the 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
2005 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was the 35th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament. Sixteen NCAA Division I college men's lacrosse teams met after having played their way through a regular season, and for some, a conference tournament...
game.
In 2007, Danowski won the Tewaaraton Trophy
Tewaaraton Trophy
The Tewaaraton Trophy is an award given annually, since 2001, to the most outstanding American college lacrosse player. It is the lacrosse equivalent of football's Heisman Trophy. The trophy is presented by the Greater Washington Sports Alliance and the University Club of Washington, D.C...
, awarded to the nation's most outstanding collegiate lacrosse player. That year, he also won the USILA's Lt. Raymond Enners Award
Lt. Raymond Enners Award
The Lt. Raymond Enners Award is an award given annually to the NCAA's most outstanding player in men's college lacrosse. The award is presented by the USILA and is named after Raymond Enners, who attended the United States Military Academy, class of 1967, and served in the U.S. Army during the...
as the national player of the year, and his second Jack Turnbull Award
Jack Turnbull Award
The "Lt. Col. J. I. Turnbull Award" — also known as the Jack Turnbull Award — is an award given to the United States' top collegiate attackman in lacrosse, named after National Lacrosse Hall of Fame alumnus Jack Turnbull. The award is given to a player in Division I, Division II, and Division...
as attackman of the year.
In the first round of the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
2008 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship
The 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Tournament was held from May 10 through May 26, 2008. This was the 38th annual Division I NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament...
, in a victory over Loyola
Loyola College in Maryland
Loyola University Maryland is a Roman Catholic, Jesuit private university in Baltimore, Maryland, United States. Established as Loyola College in Maryland by John Early and eight other members of the Society of Jesus in 1852, it is one of 28 member institutions of the Association of Jesuit Colleges...
, Danowski broke the NCAA career points record, eclipsing Joe Vasta
Joe Vasta
Joe Vasta was an All-American lacrosse player at the United States Air Force Academy from 1983 to 1986 who is currently the 3rd all-time Division I career scoring leader. In 2008, Duke's Matt Danowski surpassed Vasta as the all-time leading scorer...
's mark. However, in the 2008 NCAA semifinals, Duke was again defeated by Johns Hopkins, ending Danowski's collegiate career without winning a NCAA championship. In 2008, he was again awarded the Lt. Raymond Enners Award
Lt. Raymond Enners Award
The Lt. Raymond Enners Award is an award given annually to the NCAA's most outstanding player in men's college lacrosse. The award is presented by the USILA and is named after Raymond Enners, who attended the United States Military Academy, class of 1967, and served in the U.S. Army during the...
as national player of the year.
Professional career
Only a few days after Danowski was awarded the 2008 Enners award as the USILA player of the year, he was drafted second overall by the New Jersey PrideNew Jersey Pride
The New Jersey Pride were a men's field lacrosse team formerly based in Piscataway, New Jersey, United States. They played in Major League Lacrosse from 2001-2008.-Franchise history:...
in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft
MLL Collegiate Draft
The Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft is the annual draft of outstanding amateur lacrosse players from American colleges and universities into the professional ranks of Major League Lacrosse . The U.S. league, made up of six teams organized in a single conference, began conducting the draft in...
.
Danowski earned Rookie of the Week honors in Week 5 of the 2008 MLL season. He has scored 19 goals in 12 games with 3 two-point goals and 14 assists giving him a total of 36 points.
In July 2009, Danowski was traded from the Colorado Mammoth
Colorado Mammoth
The Colorado Mammoth are a member of the National Lacrosse League. They have played at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colorado, United States, since the 2003 season....
to the New York Titans in exchange for Ryan Powell
Ryan Powell
Ryan Powell may refer to:* Ryan Powell , Welsh rugby union player* Ryan Powell , American lacrosse player...
. Danowski becomes the fourth player in 2009 to play both for the Lizards of the MLL and the Titans of the NLL in the same season, joining Stephen Peyser, Matt Zash, and Keith Cromwell.
Family
Matt Danowski's father, John Danowski, has been the Duke men's lacrosse head coach since June 2006. Matt's grandfather, Ed DanowskiEd Danowski
Edward Frank Danowski was an American football player who played quarterback and halfback in the National Football League. Danowski played for the New York Giants for seven seasons and quarterbacked the team when they won the 1934 and 1938 NFL Championship Games...
, played professional football as a quarterback for the New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
. He led the NFL in passing in 1935 and 1938.
Duke University
| Season | GP | G | A | Pts | PPG | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | 13 | 23 | 19 | 42 | 24 | |
| 2005 | 20 | 50 | 42 | 92 | 38 | |
| 2006 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 26 | 23 | |
| 2007 | 20 | 44 | 52 | 96 | 75 | |
| 2008 | 19 | 41 | 56 | 97 | 23 | |
| Totals | 80 | 170 | 183 | 353 (a) | 160 |
- (a) 1st in NCAA Division I career points (tie with Zack GreerZack GreerZack Greer is a Canadian lacrosse player who plays for the Long Island Lizards in Major League Lacrosse and the Edmonton Rush of the National Lacrosse League. Greer attended high school at All Saints Catholic Secondary School in Whitby, and grew up playing box lacrosse...
)
Major League Lacrosse
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | GB | PIM | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | GB | PIM | |||
| 2008 | New Jersey | 10 | 19 | 3 | 14 | 36 | 16 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2009 | Long Island | 12 | 16 | 1 | 14 | 31 | 31 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | |||
| MLL Totals | 22 | 35 | 4 | 28 | 67 | 47 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 0 | ||||
National Lacrosse League
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | ||
| 2009 | Colorado | 9 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NLL Totals | 9 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 18 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |||
Awards
- Tewaaraton TrophyTewaaraton TrophyThe Tewaaraton Trophy is an award given annually, since 2001, to the most outstanding American college lacrosse player. It is the lacrosse equivalent of football's Heisman Trophy. The trophy is presented by the Greater Washington Sports Alliance and the University Club of Washington, D.C...
(2007) - Four-time USILA All-American (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008)
- Lt. Raymond Enners AwardLt. Raymond Enners AwardThe Lt. Raymond Enners Award is an award given annually to the NCAA's most outstanding player in men's college lacrosse. The award is presented by the USILA and is named after Raymond Enners, who attended the United States Military Academy, class of 1967, and served in the U.S. Army during the...
(2007, 2008) - Jack Turnbull AwardJack Turnbull AwardThe "Lt. Col. J. I. Turnbull Award" — also known as the Jack Turnbull Award — is an award given to the United States' top collegiate attackman in lacrosse, named after National Lacrosse Hall of Fame alumnus Jack Turnbull. The award is given to a player in Division I, Division II, and Division...
(2005, 2007) - Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast ConferenceThe 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...
Player of the Year (2005) - Atlantic Coast ConferenceAtlantic Coast ConferenceThe 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...
Rookie of the Year (2004)