(Rochester, NY)… Rochester Knighthawks President and General Manager Dan Carey announced today that the team has re-signed forward Zed Williams to a three-year deal, pending league approval.
“We’re thrilled to have Zed back with the Knighthawks,” said Carey. “His versatility allows him to make an impact at both ends of the floor, and he brings another dynamic scoring threat to our offense. Beyond what he does on the floor, Zed is a true professional and a respected leader whose work ethic and presence set the standard for our team. We’re excited to have him continue to be a big part of what we’re building.”
Williams enters his ninth season in the NLL after notching 26 goals and 16 assists for 42 points in 18 games. He finished the season with a six-point game (3+3) against Georgia at home. Williams also tallied a hat trick and two assists against Buffalo in January and scored five goals at the end of February against the Saskatchewan Rush.
“I’m really excited to be back. I was happy to be able to come to the team last year,” said Williams. “Wherever I’ve played, relationships have always been important to me, and the people in this organization made the transition incredibly easy. I want to give everything I have to this organization because of the people here. It was a very easy decision to commit (to a new deal).”
In his NLL career, the 6-foot-3, 235-pound forward has appeared in 117 regular-season games, collecting 173 goals and 156 assists for 329 points. He also has 500 loose-ball recoveries.
On Aug. 21, 2025, Rochester acquired Williams, along with a second-round selection (24th overall) in the 2025 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft, from the Colorado Mammoth in exchange for Rochester’s first-round selection (10th overall) and second-round selection (28th overall) in the 2025 NLL Entry Draft.
Before heading to Rochester, Williams spent four seasons with the Colorado Mammoth (2021-25). He helped the Mammoth earn back-to-back trips to the NLL Finals, capturing the 2022 title. During the championship campaign, he led the postseason with 37 points (20+17) in seven games. In 2022-23, he finished tied for second on the Mammoth with 71 points (37+34). He also contributed 28 points (12+16) in the postseason.
Williams arrived in Denver following a July 6, 2020, trade with the Georgia Swarm. Colorado acquired Williams and two second-round selections in the 2020 NLL Entry Draft from Georgia in exchange for defenseman Dan Coates and a first-round selection in the 2020 NLL Entry Draft.
Initially drafted by the Georgia Swarm in the first round of the 2017 NLL Entry Draft (fourth overall), Williams spent three seasons with the Swarm. The forward ranked fourth in goals (18) and sixth in points (30) during the 2019-20 season, while his 56 loose balls tied for fifth among Swarm players. With Georgia, he notched 45 goals and 38 assists for 83 points in 39 games.
Williams played collegiately at the University of Virginia, where he was a two-time Honorable Mention All-American. He recorded 52 points during his senior season in 2017. Before playing for the Cavaliers, Williams was a three-time high school All-American and led Silver Creek to five consecutive Class “C” Sectional titles. He broke the national career high school records for goals (444) and points (729); both records still stand today.
At the Junior “B” level, he played for the Six Nations Rebels and powered the team to three consecutive Founders Cup titles. In 2012, he registered 30 goals and 37 assists in the regular season, 55 points in the playoffs, and 23 points in the Founders Cup. Williams also played for Native Sons in the 2017 Presidents Cup, collecting 49 points in five Can-Am games en route to a third-place finish.
This summer, Williams played for the Allegany Arrows (Can-Am League) and posted 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points in six games. In six postseason contests, he notched five goals and 24 assists for 29 points.