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Four Cornell players were selected in the 2012 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft held in Philadelphia, Pa., on Friday, Jan. 13. Senior attackman Rob Pannell was the top draft pick of the night, selected by his hometown team, the Long Island Lizards. Senior midfielders Roy Lang (second round), Chris Langton (sixth round) and J.J. Gilbane (sixth round) were also drafted.
The MLL Collegiate Draft fell before the beginning of the NCAA season for the second year in a row, only admitting qualifying seniors with expiring NCAA eligibility. Having the draft at this time allows players to join their respective teams directly following their senior year.
Earning the No. 1 draft pick in the MLL, Pannell adds yet another accomplishment to a long list since joining the Red in Fall of 2008. Honored as the Division I Player of the Year last year, Pannell scored 42 goals and 47 assists during his junior season — making him the leader in the nation in points per game (5.24) that season. The two-time national Attackman of the Year was unanimously voted Ivy League Player of the Year and First-Team All-Ivy for the past two years. Pannell was a nominee for a 2011 ESPY in the category of Best Male Collegiate Athlete. The senior will enter his final season for the Red boasting the most career assists (140) and career points (236) of any other returning player in Division I men’s lacrosse.
The Rochester Rattlers selected Lang 11th overall in the second round. The midfielder earned his first All-America First-Team honor at the conclusion of his junior season, as well as unanimous First-Team All-Ivy accolades. Lang plays a crucial role in the Red’s face-off unit as a strong two-way player on the field, picking up 38 ground balls and causing eight turnovers. No stranger to working under pressure, Lang scored four game-winners for the Red during his junior season — including an overtime goal against Penn and a tally against Yale in the Ivy League semifinal game. Lang was named to the 2011 Ivy League All-Tournament team after his strong performance against Yale and then Harvard in the championship game.
Langton was selected 42nd overall by the Ohio Machine. Seeing action in all 17 games of his junior year, the midfielder finished the season with eight goals and seven assists. He picked up seven ground balls and caused one turnover for the Red. Recording five of his eight goals against Ivy League opponents, Langton scored the game-winner last season against Brown.
Gilbane was the final Cornell player selected in the draft with his 48th overall pick by the Boston Cannons. The midfielder saw more playing time during his junior year, notching 12 goals and two assists for the Red. Gilbane picked up 12 ground balls and caused two turnovers for the Red last season. He also scored a career-high two goals in three different games last year in games against Brown, Harvard in the Ivy League Finals and Hartford in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
