Matt Zash (born October 18, 1983, in Massapequa, New York) is a retired lacrosse player, formerly of the Philadelphia Wings in the National Lacrosse League, and of the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse. He plans to wed in the summer of 2014 and move to Bangladesh to start an orphanage and raise the awareness of Lacrosse across Asia.

Matt Zash
Born (1983-10-18) October 18, 1983 (age 40)
Massapequa, New York
NationalityAmerican
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Weight190 pounds (86 kg)
PositionMidfield/Transition
NLL draft32nd overall, 2006
New York Titans
NLL team
Former teams
Philadelphia Wings
Rochester Knighthawks
Orlando Titans
New York Titans
MLL team
Former teams
Long Island Lizards
Philadelphia Barrage
Former NCAA teamDuke University
Pro career2006
NicknamePrince [1]

Collegiate edit

Zash played under Coach Mike Pressler at Duke University, where he helped lead the Blue Devils to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship game in 2005. Zash's, who was team co-captain, senior season was cut short by the 2006 Duke University lacrosse case.

Major League Lacrosse edit

Zash was drafted by the Philadelphia Barrage in the first round (sixth overall) in the 2006 MLL Collegiate Draft.[2] In his first two seasons in the Major League Lacrosse, Zash and his teammates won back-to-back MLL championships.

National Lacrosse League edit

Zash was drafted by the New York Titans with 32nd overall pick in the 2006 National Lacrosse League entry draft. Zash, who has played field lacrosse since childhood, described the transition from field to box lacrosse as:

It's faster, unbelievably physical, and awfully frustrating. I still haven't quite figured out how one gets that ball past that huge goalie and into that tiny net...while someone is crosschecking you in the back.[3]

Zash figured out the indoor game by end of his rookie season, having been awarded Rookie of the Week honors in the final week of the 2007 NLL season.[4]

Zash played two more seasons with the Titans organization: one in New York and one in Orlando after the team moved there for the 2010 NLL season. The Titans disbanded after that season, and Zash was chosen by the Washington Stealth in the dispersal draft.[5] He was then traded to the Colorado Mammoth for a draft pick,[6] and then traded again, this time to Rochester as part of the Matt Vinc/John Grant Jr. swap.[7] After playing only four games with the Knighthawks, Zash was traded for two draft picks to the Philadelphia Wings.[8]

Zash also won a bronze medal with Team USA in the 2007 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships. After the 2011 season with Philadelphia, Zash retired from the NLL, and now works in property management in the greater New York City area.[9]

Statistics edit

MLL edit

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team GP G 2ptG A Pts LB PIM GP G 2ptG A Pts LB PIM
2006 Philadelphia 10 1 0 2 3 28 3 2 1 0 0 1 17 0
2007 Philadelphia 9 2 0 1 3 55 3 1 0 0 0 0 0 0
2008 Barrage 12 0 0 1 1 37 2 1 1 0 0 1 2 3
2009 Long Island 11 2 0 0 2 22 1.5 1 1 0 0 1 1 0
MLL Totals 42 5 0 4 9 142 10.5 5 3 0 0 3 20 3

Statistics edit

NLL edit

    Regular Season   Playoffs
Season Team GP G A Pts LB PIM GP G A Pts LB PIM
2007 New York 9 5 8 13 46 0 -- -- -- -- -- --
2009 New York 14 1 10 11 79 8 -- -- -- -- -- --
2010 Orlando 10 2 5 7 39 6 1 1 1 2 7 0
2011 Rochester 4 0 1 1 18 2 -- -- -- -- -- --
Philadelphia 6 0 1 1 38 0 -- -- -- -- -- --
NLL Totals 43 8 25 33 220 16 1 1 1 2 7 0

Personal edit

Zash co-owns a lacrosse store in Massapequa, New York called the "Lax Hut."[1]

References edit

  1. ^ a b "MLL Top Corner: Matt Zash". MajorLeagueLacrosse.com. Archived from the original on 2007-09-28. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
  2. ^ "Matt Zash Barrage Player Bio". PhiladelphiaBarrage.com. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
  3. ^ "The Transition Game of Life:by Matt Zash". LaxMagazine.com. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
  4. ^ "Wiles captures Player of the Week Award". NLL.com. Retrieved 2007-08-08.
  5. ^ "Vinc selected first by Mammoth". NLL.com. August 6, 2010. Archived from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
  6. ^ "Mammoth trade for Zash, sign two more". NLL.com. August 19, 2010. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
  7. ^ "Grant & Vinc trade places in blockbuster deal". NLL.com. October 27, 2010. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
  8. ^ "Knighthawks deal Zash, activate Holdon Vyse". Knighthawks web site. March 5, 2011. Retrieved 2011-11-06.
  9. ^ "Matt Zash LinkedIn profile". Matt Zash LinkedIn profile.