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Brodie Merrill

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Brodie Merrill
Merrill with the Portland Lumberjax in 2009
Personal information
Born (1981-11-05) November 5, 1981 (age 44)
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Height6 ft 4 in (193 cm)
Weight205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Sport
PositionDefense/LSM (Field), Transition (Box)
ShootsLeft
NCAA teamGeorgetown (2005)
NLL draft1st overall, 2005
Portland LumberJax
NLL teamsToronto Rock
Philadelphia Wings
Edmonton Rush
Portland LumberJax
San Diego Seals
MLL draft3rd overall, 2005
Baltimore Bayhawks
MLL teamsHamilton Nationals
Rochester Rattlers
Baltimore Bayhawks
Boston Cannons
PLL teamsChaos
Waterdogs
Cannons
MSL teamBrampton Excelsiors
Pro career2005–2024
Career highlights

NCAA:

  • 2x USILA First Team All-American (2004-05)
  • 2x Tewaaraton Award nominee (2004-05)
  • 2x First Team All-ECAC (2004-05)
  • USILA Schmeisser Award (2005)
  • ECAC Defensive Player of the Year (2005)

MLL:

  • 3x MLL Champion (2005, 2008, 2009)
  • MLL Rookie of the Year (2005)
  • 7x MLL All-Star
  • 6x MLL Defensive Player of the Year (2006-11)

NLL:

  • Rookie of the Year (2006)
  • Defensive Player of the Year (2006)
  • 3x Transition Player of the Year (2009-10, 2017)
  • 9x All Pro
  • San Diego Seals No. 17 retired

PLL:

  • PLL All-Star (2019)
  • Jimmy Regan Teammate Award (2022)
    • LSM of the Year Award named in his honor**

All-Time Lacrosse Records:

  • Most career ground balls, PLL/MLL
  • Most career loose balls, NLL
  • Most career Defensive Player of the Year awards
  • Most career games played, PLL/MLL
  • Most seasons played in a career

International:

  • 2x World Lacrosse Championships Best Defenseman (2006, 2010)
  • 3x All World Team (2006, 2010, 2014)
Medal record
Representing  Canada
Men's lacrosse
World Lacrosse Championship
Gold medal – first place2006 London
Gold medal – first place2014 Denver
Silver medal – second place2010 Manchester
Silver medal – second place2018 Netanya
Silver medal – second place2023 San Diego
World Indoor Lacrosse Championship
Gold medal – first place2007 Halifax
Gold medal – first place2011 Prague
Gold medal – first place2015 Onondaga

Brodie Merrill (born November 5, 1981) is a Canadian former professional lacrosse player. Merrill is recognized by the Premier Lacrosse League as having revolutionized the LSM position, and is the namesake for the Brodie Merrill Long Stick Midfielder of the Year Award, being the only active PLL player to have an award named after them. Merrill is widely regarded as one of the greatest defensemen in lacrosse history, in both the indoor and outdoor game.[1]

Early life

[edit]

Merrill was born in Montreal to Peter and Patricia, where he grew up playing hockey, soccer, and baseball. He has an older brother, Patrick, and a younger sister Tory. His family moved to Orangeville at the age of eight, in part due to the Quebec secession movement.[2][3]

High school career

[edit]

Merrill attended the Salisbury School in Connecticut. While attending Salisbury, he was a standout lacrosse player, and was named the New England Defensive Player of the Year, was selected to the All-New England team, and was selected as a First Team High School All-American.

College career

[edit]

Merrill attended Georgetown University from 2002 to 2005. During his final two years, he was a First-team All-American, and won the Schmeisser Award in his senior year for defensive player of the year. During his final two seasons, Merrill was a Tewaaraton Award finalist, first team All-American and All-ECAC player, and won the William Corcoran Memorial Trophy for team MVP. Additionally, he was the ECAC Defensive Player of the Year in 2005 and finished his collegiate career with 250 ground balls, a Georgetown record for non-faceoff specialists.[4]

Professional career

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NLL career

[edit]
Merrill (left) in 2009

Merrill was the first player taken overall in the 2005 National Lacrosse League Draft by the Portland LumberJax, and in 2006 was named both the NLL's Rookie of the Year and Defensive Player of the Year. During the 2009 NLL season, he was named a starter to the All-Star Game.[5]

When the LumberJax left Portland at the end of the 2009 season, the league held a dispersal draft. Merrill was selected with the first overall pick in the draft by the Edmonton Rush.

On August 9, 2011, he was traded to the Philadelphia Wings, along with Rush forwards Dean Hill, Mike McLellan, and Edmonton's 41st selection in the 2011 entry draft, and the 4th round selection in 2013. In return, Philadelphia sent Athan Iannucci with teammates Alex Turner and Brodie McDonald, along with Philadelphia's first-round draft picks in 2012, 2013 and 2014.[6]

On November 29, 2018, Brodie was signed by the San Diego Seals where he was named captain. He played under his brother, head coach Patrick Merrill.

On February 22, 2020, Merrill became the NLL's all time loose ball leader.[7]

Merrill announced his retirement from professional lacrosse on September 13, 2023.[8] Merrill's number 17 jersey was retired by the Seals in a halftime ceremony during their opening game of the 2023–24 season.[9] However, on March 15, 2024, it was announced that Merrill was placed on the active roster, and planned to finish the remainder of the 2024 season on the Seals.[10] He played an additional two games with the Seals before again retiring.

MLL career

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Merrill was the MLL Rookie of the Year in 2005 as a member of the Baltimore Bayhawks. From 2006 to 2007, he played for the Rochester Rattlers. For four consecutive years he was awarded the Major League Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year Awards.[11] He then helped the Toronto Nationals win their first MLL championship in their inaugural season, and won the defensive player of the year award for a record fourth consecutive year. Merrill is the all-time ground ball leader in the MLL.[12]

PLL career

[edit]

In 2019, Merrill joined Paul Rabil’s new Premier Lacrosse League as a member of the Chaos Lacrosse Club.

On March 11, 2021, Merrill was selected first overall by Cannons Lacrosse Club, the reincarnation of the Boston Cannons, in the PLL Expansion Draft.[13]

Merrill played in his 200th professional field lacrosse game on August 21, 2021, the most of any player in history.[14]

Canadian Box career

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Junior

[edit]

Merrill played his junior lacrosse with the Orangeville Northmen of the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League. In 2000, Merrill lead the Northmen to a league championship. In 2001, Merrill was awarded the "John McCauley Award" for Best Defensive Player, and shared the "B.W. Evans Award" for Top Graduating Player with Dan Bowman the following year.[15]

Senior

[edit]

Merrill began his senior career with the Coquitlam Adanacs of the Western Lacrosse Association, and later the Brampton Excelsiors of Major Series Lacrosse, winning two consecutive Mann Cup championships (2008–2009). Merrill is currently playing for the Kahnawake Mohawks in the Quebec Senior Lacrosse League.

International career

[edit]

In 2006, he helped the Canadian national lacrosse team to an historic win at the World Lacrosse Championship in London, Ontario. He had an outstanding tournament, being named Best Defender and earning All-World honours.

Personal

[edit]

Brodie and his brother Patrick were a member of the Toronto Rock. Both Brodie and Patrick are members of the Brampton Excelsiors in the Major Series Lacrosse and both were members the Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse. Additionally, Patrick currently coaches Brodie with the San Diego Seals. He was named by Inside Lacrosse as "The Best Player in the World."-Inside Lacrosse.[16] He is also the dean of students and head men's lacrosse coach at The Hill Academy in Caledon, Ontario. At a very young age, he was best friends with lacrosse player Kyle Miller. Both loved the game and chose to play together at the Salisbury School, a prep school in Connecticut, but went on to different colleges. Kyle and Brodie were reunited as teammates on the Canadian roster for the 2006 World Lacrosse Championships. Kyle was diagnosed in 2011 as having Osteosarcoma. He died on June 8, 2013. Brodie is the main editor for the online lacrosse magazine, Brodie Merrill Lacrosse.[17]

Merrill is a fan of the Montreal Canadiens.[18]

Legacy

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Merrill is regarded as one of the best players in the history of lacrosse. He is the NLL's all-time leader in loose balls with 2,778, and is tied with Greg Gurenlian for the most ground balls in the history of professional outdoor lacrosse with 1,120. His 200 games between MLL and PLL are also a record for a field lacrosse player. Additionally, Merrill is the highest scoring long stick in professional field lacrosse history, tallying 146 career points in MLL and PLL. He won the NLL Transition Player of the Year Award a record setting 3 times, and the MLL Defensive Player of the Year a record setting 6 times, all consecutive. Merrill revolutionized the LSM position with his offensive abilities, with the Premier Lacrosse League naming their award for the top LSM in the league after him.[19]

Statistics

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NLL

[edit]

Reference:[20]

Brodie Merrill Regular season Playoffs
Season Team GP G A Pts LB PIM Pts/GP LB/GP PIM/GP GP G A Pts LB PIM Pts/GP LB/GP PIM/GP

2006 Portland LumberJax 16 17 32 49 214 33 3.06 13.38 2.06 1 0 4 4 15 0 4.00 15.00 0.00
2007 Portland LumberJax 15 4 19 23 196 49 1.53 13.07 3.27 –––––––––
2008 Portland LumberJax 16 17 21 38 211 53 2.38 13.19 3.31 3 4 5 9 43 0 3.00 14.33 0.00
2009 Portland LumberJax 16 14 33 47 216 38 2.94 13.50 2.38 1 2 5 7 14 2 7.00 14.00 2.00
2010 Edmonton Rush 16 17 36 53 190 31 3.31 11.88 1.94 2 1 1 2 24 2 1.00 12.00 1.00
2011 Edmonton Rush 16 9 38 47 187 34 2.94 11.69 2.13 –––––––––
2012 Philadelphia Wings 16 17 15 32 157 29 2.00 9.81 1.81 1 3 0 3 7 2 3.00 7.00 2.00
2013 Philadelphia Wings 14 10 16 26 123 16 1.86 8.79 1.14 1 0 2 2 4 0 2.00 4.00 0.00
2014 Philadelphia Wings 18 8 26 34 189 29 1.89 10.50 1.61 –––––––––
2015 Toronto Rock 18 8 24 32 151 21 1.78 8.39 1.17 4 0 3 3 31 2 0.75 7.75 0.50
2016 Toronto Rock 18 4 12 16 180 54 0.89 10.00 3.00 –––––––––
2017 Toronto Rock 18 7 12 19 171 41 1.06 9.50 2.28 3 3 3 6 36 2 2.00 12.00 0.67
2018 Toronto Rock 17 6 16 22 127 33 1.29 7.47 1.94 –––––––––
2019 San Diego Seals 16 3 11 14 123 24 0.88 7.69 1.50 1 0 0 0 7 0 0.00 7.00 0.00
2020 San Diego Seals 12 2 10 12 95 19 1.00 7.92 1.58 –––––––––
2022 San Diego Seals 17 3 7 10 134 23 0.59 7.88 1.35 4 0 1 1 24 2 0.25 6.00 0.50
2023 San Diego Seals 17 2 12 14 116 56 0.82 6.82 3.29 1 0 0 0 9 0 0.00 9.00 0.00
2024 San Diego Seals 2 0 1 1 11 2 0.50 5.50 1.00 –––––––––
278 148 341 489 2,791 585 1.76 10.04 2.10 22 13 24 37 214 12 1.68 9.73 0.55
Career Total: 300 161 365 526 3,005 597 1.75 10.02 1.99

GP–Games played; G–Goals; A–Assists; Pts–Points; LB–Loose balls; PIM–Penalty minutes; Pts/GP–Points per games played; LB/GP–Loose balls per games played; PIM/GP–Penalty minutes per games played.

Premier Lacrosse League

[edit]
Season Team Regular season Playoffs
GP G 2PG A Pts Sh GB Pen PIM FOW FOA GP G 2PG A Pts Sh GB Pen PIM FOW FOA
2019 Chaos 10 0 0 0 0 1 36 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0
2020 Waterdogs 5 0 0 0 0 0 10 2 1 0 0 –––––––––––
2021 Cannons 9 0 0 0 0 0 40 2 2 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
2022 Cannons 6 0 0 1 1 0 15 2 1.5 0 0 –––––––––––
30 0 0 1 1 1 101 6 4.5 0 0 3 0 0 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 0
Career total: 33 0 0 1 1 1 107 6 4.5 0 0

GP–Games played; G–Goals; 2PG–2-point goals; A–Assists; Pts–Points; Sh–Shots; GB–Ground balls; Pen–Penalties; PIM–Penalty minutes; FOW–Faceoffs won; FOA–Faceoffs attempted

Major League Lacrosse

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Season Team Regular season Playoffs
GP G 2PG A Pts Sh GB Pen PIM FOW FOA GP G 2PG A Pts Sh GB Pen PIM FOW FOA
2005 Baltimore Bayhawks 11 3 0 1 4 8 52 0 2 0 0 2 1 0 0 1 2 0 0 0 0 0
2006 Rochester Rattlers 11 6 1 5 12 17 95 0 9 0 1 –––––––––––
2007 Rochester Rattlers 12 5 0 9 14 14 101 0 5 0 0 –––––––––––
2008 Rochester Rattlers 10 6 0 12 18 10 75 0 4.5 0 0 –––––––––––
2009 Toronto Nationals 12 8 0 12 20 20 69 0 5.5 3 11 2 1 0 1 2 2 14 0 0.5 0 0
2010 Toronto Nationals 10 3 0 9 12 13 55 0 2.5 1 3 –––––––––––
2011 Hamilton Nationals 12 4 1 12 17 14 77 0 7.5 0 1 2 1 0 0 1 1 13 0 0.5 0 0
2012 Hamilton Nationals 13 4 1 6 11 21 96 0 5.5 0 0 –––––––––––
2013 Hamilton Nationals 13 2 0 9 11 16 91 0 4.5 0 3 1 1 0 0 1 1 11 0 3 0 0
2014 Boston Cannons 13 4 0 1 5 7 62 0 3.5 0 0 –––––––––––
2015 Boston Cannons 7 0 0 2 2 2 33 0 1.5 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 0
2016 Boston Cannons 13 3 1 0 4 4 60 0 1 0 0 –––––––––––
2017 Boston Cannons 9 1 0 4 5 3 39 0 1.5 0 2 –––––––––––
2018 Boston Cannons 11 1 0 0 1 6 49 0 2 0 0 –––––––––––
157 50 4 82 136 155 954 0 55.5 4 21 8 4 0 1 5 6 40 0 4 0 0
Career total: 165 54 4 83 141 161 994 0 59.5 4 21

GP–Games played; G–Goals; 2PG–2-point goals; A–Assists; Pts–Points; Sh–Shots; GB–Ground balls; Pen–Penalties; PIM–Penalty minutes; FOW–Faceoffs won; FOA–Faceoffs attempted

Canadian Lacrosse Association

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    Regular Season   Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1997Orangeville NorthmenOLA Jr.A1000000000
1998Orangeville NorthmenOLA Jr.A2089174491238
1999Orangeville NorthmenOLA Jr.A1513203320106253110
2000Orangeville NorthmenOLA Jr.A14212445321413304319
Minto CupOrangeville NorthmenCLA----------6311144
2001Orangeville NorthmenOLA Jr.A14203353495771415
2002Orangeville NorthmenOLA Jr.A1416153130118142231
2003Coquitlam AdanacsWLA14612184110571225
2004Brampton ExcelsiorsMSL62792114891756
2006Brampton ExcelsiorsMSL7712196117142127
2007Brampton ExcelsiorsMSL44154912172912
2008Brampton ExcelsiorsMSL40991094101421
Mann CupBrampton ExcelsiorsCLA----------423513
2009Brampton ExcelsiorsMSL7761312935831
Mann CupBrampton ExcelsiorsCLA----------722414
Junior A Totals78788616417549357811383
Minto Cup Totals----------6311144
Senior A Totals4226477394623962101172
Mann Cup Totals----------1145927

Awards

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References

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  1. ↑ "Brodie Merrill LSM of the Year Award". Twitter. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
  2. ↑ Rice, Nelson (June 13, 2019). "Fooling Father Time: Brodie Merrill". Premier Lacrosse League. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  3. ↑ Leonard, Tod (January 12, 2019). "Merrill brothers bring experience, drive to Seals' inaugural lacrosse season". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  4. ↑ "Brodie Merrill to Embark on 16th Pro Lacrosse Season". Georgetown University Athletics. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  5. ↑ "All-Star reserves announced". NLL.com. February 19, 2009. Retrieved March 5, 2009.
  6. ↑ "Wings Acquire Brodie Merrill in Six-Player Deal". Laxpower.com. August 9, 2011. Archived from the original on December 6, 2017. Retrieved August 8, 2011.
  7. ↑ "Brodie Merrill". NLL. Retrieved March 7, 2022.
  8. ↑ "Brodie Merrill Retires from Lacrosse". www.usalaxmagazine.com. Retrieved September 16, 2023.
  9. ↑ NLL (December 9, 2023). "Watch as Brodie Merrill becomes the FIRST player in San Diego Seals franchise history to have his number retired". X (formerly Twitter). Retrieved December 10, 2023.
  10. ↑ Levi, Adam (March 15, 2024). "Brodie Merrill Returns to Seals Active Roster". National Lacrosse League.
  11. ↑ "Brodie Merrill earns fourth straight Warrior Defensive Player of the Year award". www.insidelacrosse.com. August 18, 2009. Archived from the original on August 30, 2009. Retrieved August 18, 2009.
  12. ↑ "Brodie Merrill | Hamilton Nationals Lacrosse". Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved July 20, 2012.
  13. ↑ "2021 Expansion Draft Results". Premier Lacrosse League. March 12, 2021. Retrieved March 12, 2021.
  14. ↑ @warriorlax (August 20, 2022). "Game #200 for the legend! Congrats to Brodie Merrill on this huge milestone. Most games played in pro lacrosse history! #warriorlax" (Tweet). Retrieved July 18, 2023 – via Twitter.
  15. ↑ "O.L.A. Junior A Trophy Winners". wampsbibleoflacrosse.com.
  16. ↑ "Interview with Brodie Merrill: Hill Lacrosse Director named "Best Player in the World"". www.thehillacademy.com. Archived from the original on June 16, 2007.
  17. ↑ "Brodie Merrill LacrosseBrodie-Merrill-Lacrosse". Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved January 19, 2014.
  18. ↑ Merrill, Brodie. "Brodie Merrill: Sport the magnet that draws my family together". www.inquirer.com. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Legend Brodie Merrill Announces Retirement From Playing Professional Lacrosse". Inside Lacrosse. 2023 [September 13, 2023].
  20. ↑ "Player National Lacrosse League". NLL.com. Retrieved March 9, 2020.