Veltman is NLL's No. 1 draft pick
8 September 2008 Veltman is NLLs No. 1 draft pick
Former Hobart lacrosse attackman Daryl Veltman 08 was selected with the first overall pick by the Boston Blazers in the 2008 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft held in the TD Banknorth Garden yesterday. Classmate and fellow attackman Jamie Kirk was drafted by the Chicago Shamrox with the third pick in the second round (16th overall).
Veltman is just the 16th Statesman all-timeand the first to do so playing exclusively in Division Ito score 100 career goals. Veltman finished his collegiate career with 109 goals and 53 assists for 162 points, as well as 107 ground balls. He ranks 15th on Hobarts all-time lists for both career goals and points.
The three-time All-ECAC selection earned first team honors this year after scoring a team-high 26 goals, despite missing the first three games of the season. Veltman ranked 15th in the nation in goals per game (2.36) and 21st in points per game (3.36).
Kirk led Hobart in points for the second season in a row with 15 goals and 25 assists. He was tabbed the ECAC Lacrosse Leagues Offensive Player of the Week, after notching his only career hat trick in an 10-6 upset over then-No. 15 Loyola. He ranked 11th in the nation in assists per game and earned a spot on the 2008 All-ECAC second team. Kirk closed out his career at Hobart with 27 goals and 63 assists in 28 career games.
Veltman is the first Hobart student-athlete to be the No. 1 overall selection by the NLL. In fact, hes the first Statesman to go in the first round. Kirk joins Nathan Roost 98 as the only Hobart players taken in the second round.
Veltman and Kirk are the eighth and ninth Statesmen to be drafted by the NLL. The previous draftees are Tim Booth 03 (2003), Tom Gravante 88 (1993), Matt Kerwick 90 (1997), Wes McDonald 07 (2007), Bill Miller 91 (1991), Roost (1998), and Rich Schwanke 98 (1998). Booth, who was selected by the Rochester Knighthawks, is currently a member of the San Jose Stealth.
The NLL is the professional indoor lacrosse league. The NLL has thirteen teams playing in the major markets of the United States and Canada. NLL teams play a 16-game regular season schedule that begins in December and runs through April, followed by the Champions Cup Playoffs.