For the second consecutive year, Stony Brook has sent lacrosse players to the professional ranks, as senior captains Kyle Moeller and Robbie Campbell were both selected by the Long Island Lizards in the Major League Lacrosse collegiate entry draft on Jan. 14 in Philadelphia.
Both players will join their clubs after completing their senior season at Stony Brook this spring.
Moeller, a defenseman, was selected in the fifth round with the 36th overall pick. After transferring from Manhattan prior to last season, Moeller started all 14 games, leading all Seawolves defenders with 45 ground balls and 25 caused turnovers, enough to earn first team All-America East honors in 2011.
Moeller is a local product, a South Setauket native and Ward Melville alum, who Lizards assistant coach Joe Spallina said will fill a need for the Long Island team.
“Kyle Moeller is a great cover defenseman,” Spallina, who is also the head coach of the Stony Brook women’s lacrosse team, said. “We were happy to get him when we got him.”
Spallina said the Lizards studied tapes of Moeller playing against No. 2 overall pick Steele Stanwick out of Virginia to assess how he would hold up in the professional ranks.
“In the pros, every team has three game breakers, so you need three cover defensemen,” he said. “We think [Moeller]’s got huge upside. I think he’s gonna be a good pro. He’s a good kid, great athleticism. The best players in the world are in this league, so there’s not a lot of places to hide.”
Campbell, a midfielder, scored more points last season than any returning player, netting 17 goals and adding 10 assists. He was picked in the eighth round, 60th overall.
“Campbell is a good two-way middie,” Spallina said. “Players like him have great careers in this league.”
The Lizards also drafted Smithtown West product Rob Pannell (Cornell) first overall, and Rocky Point native Tommy Palasek (Syracuse) in the fourth round.
Six Stony Brook players have been selected in the MLL draft in the last two years. Last year, Kevin Crowley (Hamilton) was selected first overall , and Jordan McBride (Rochester), Tom Compitello (Boston) and Adam Rand (Hamilton) were also drafted.
“It speaks volumes for the program when you have those guys out there making an impact on the pro level,” Spallina said.
McBride and Crowley spend their winters playing in the National Lacrosse League, the indoor professional lacrosse league. McBride plays for the Colorado Mammoth while Crowley, the first overall pick in the NLL draft as well, suits up for the Philadelphia Wings.
Stony Brook men’s lacrosse opens its season on Feb. 18 at Fairfield.
