Nicky Polanco
Encyclopedia
Nickolas Polanco is an American lacrosse player. He currently plays defense for the Long Island Lizards
. He is regarded as one of the best defensemen in MLL
(and professional lacrosse in general) history. Attended Oceanside High School.
Collegiate Draft. In 2004
, he was awarded the Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award
and led the Barrage to winning the Steinfeld Cup
.
In 2005
, Polanco was traded to the Long Island Lizards
where he was again given the Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award
and was selected for his second consecutive All-Star game
.
Polanco played just one season in the National Lacrosse League
with the New York Saints
in 2003
.
His brother, Armando, played for the Philadelphia Barrage
.
, for his final two years of eligibility, after playing two seasons at Nassau Community College
. While at Nassau, Polanco lead his team to win the National Junior College Athletic Association
championships in 1999 and 2000. He was named National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Year.
Following his transfer, Polanco earned All-America
honors each of his two years at Hofstra, and as a senior he was named Colonial Athletic Association
Player and Defensive Player of the Year.
• Named alternate to the 2002 U.S. Men's National Team
• Colonial Athletic Association
Player of the Year (2002)
• 1st Team All-American (2002) & Honorable Mention All-American (2001)
• National Junior College Athletic Association
Player of the Year (1999, 2000 at Nassau C.C.) Richard D'Agostino is the former doctor 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...
. He is regarded as one of the best defensemen in MLL
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 professional lacrosse in general) history. Attended Oceanside High School.
Professional career
Polanco was drafted by the Bridgeport Barrage in the 1st round (4th overall) of the 2002 Major League LacrosseMajor 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 :...
Collegiate Draft. In 2004
2004 MLL season
2004 Major League Lacrosse season was the 4th season of the league. The season began on May 22 and concluded with the championship game on August 22, 2004.-General information:...
, he was awarded the Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award
Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award
Warrior Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award is given annually to the individual judged to be, from amongst all MLL players, the best all-around defensively across a given season. Brodie Merrill has largely dominated this award, winning it a record six consecutive...
and led the Barrage to winning the Steinfeld Cup
Steinfeld Cup
The Steinfeld Cup is the trophy given annually to the winners ofthe New Balance Major League Lacrosse Championship. It is named after MLL founder Jake Steinfeld...
.
In 2005
2005 MLL season
2005 Major League Lacrosse season was the 5th season of the league. The season began on May 20 and concluded with the championship game on August 21, 2005...
, Polanco was traded to 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...
where he was again given the Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award
Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award
Warrior Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Award is given annually to the individual judged to be, from amongst all MLL players, the best all-around defensively across a given season. Brodie Merrill has largely dominated this award, winning it a record six consecutive...
and was selected for his second consecutive All-Star game
Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game
Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game is the all-star game of the MLL.The inaugural 2001 All-Star Game, was not called the "All-Star Game"; instead it was titled the Major League Lacrosse LacrosseStar Game. From 2001–2003, the All-Star Game had the National Division playing the American Division...
.
Polanco played just one season 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...
with the New York Saints
New York Saints
The New York Saints are a former member of the National Lacrosse League. They played at the Nassau Coliseum in Uniondale, New York from 1989 to 2003. They became an inactive team after the 2002-03 season and were officially defunct in 2006....
in 2003
2003 NLL season
-Awards:-Weekly Awards:The NLL gives out awards weekly for the best overall player, best offensive player, best defensive player, and best rookie.- Monthly Awards :Awards are also given out monthly for the best overall player and best rookie....
.
His brother, Armando, played for the Philadelphia Barrage
Philadelphia Barrage
The Philadelphia Barrage were a Men's Field Lacrosse team that was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from the 2004 season until the 2008 season when they became a traveling team. Since the 2001 season, they have played in Major League Lacrosse. They started playing in the American Division, but...
.
Collegiate career
Polanco transferred to Hofstra UniversityHofstra University
Hofstra University is a private, nonsectarian institution of higher learning located in the Village of Hempstead, New York, United States, about east of New York City: less than an hour away by train or car...
, for his final two years of eligibility, after playing two seasons at Nassau Community College
Nassau Community College
Nassau Community College is a two-year college. It is located in East Garden City, New York, USA. The school is in Nassau County on Long Island. NCC maintains a nationwide reputation for academic excellence and ease of transferability to four-year institutions.- History :Created as part of the...
. While at Nassau, Polanco lead his team to win the National Junior College Athletic Association
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
championships in 1999 and 2000. He was named National Junior College Athletic Association Player of the Year.
Following his transfer, Polanco earned All-America
All-America
An All-America team is an honorary sports team composed of outstanding amateur players—those considered the best players of a specific season for each team position—who in turn are given the honorific "All-America" and typically referred to as "All-American athletes", or simply...
honors each of his two years at Hofstra, and as a senior he was named Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
Player and Defensive Player of the Year.
Honors and awards
• Member of 2006 U.S. Men's National Team• Named alternate to the 2002 U.S. Men's National Team
• Colonial Athletic Association
Colonial Athletic Association
The Colonial Athletic Association is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose full-time members are located in East Coast states from Massachusetts to Georgia. Most of its members are public universities, with five in Virginia alone, and the conference is headquartered in Richmond,...
Player of the Year (2002)
• 1st Team All-American (2002) & Honorable Mention All-American (2001)
• National Junior College Athletic Association
National Junior College Athletic Association
The National Junior College Athletic Association , founded in 1938, is an association of community college and junior college athletic departments throughout the United States. It is held as Divisions and Regions. The current NJCAA holds 24 separate regions.-History:The idea for the NJCAA was...
Player of the Year (1999, 2000 at Nassau C.C.) Richard D'Agostino is the former doctor for the Long Island Lizards.
MLL
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | GB | PIM | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | GB | PIM | ||
| 2002 | Bridgeport | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2003 | Bridgeport | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 53 | 11 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2004 | Philadelphia | 12 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 47 | 4.5 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 0 | ||
| 2005 | Long Island | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 44 | 7 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 2 | ||
| 2006 | Long Island | 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 40 | 6 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2007 | Long Island | 12 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 35 | 8 | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| 2008 | Long Island | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 | 18 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2009 | Long Island | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 19 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| MLL Totals | 80 | 5 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 283 | 61.5 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 21 | 2 | |||
NLL
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | ||
| 2003 | New York | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 91 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | ||
| NLL Totals | 16 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 91 | 13 | - | - | - | - | - | - | |||
College
| Year | Team | Goals | Assists | Pts | LB |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2001 | Hofstra | 1 | 3 | 4 | 70 |
| 2002 | Hofstra | 2 | 3 | 5 | 73 |
| Career | 3 | 6 | 9 | 143 |