Rochester Knighthawks General Manager and Vice President of Lacrosse Operations Dan Carey announced today the team has signed forward Connor Fields to a three-year contract, pending league approval.
Acquired by Rochester along with goaltender Riley Hutchcraft and the first overall pick in the upcoming 2022 NLL Entry Draft from the Las Vegas Desert Dogs during the 2022 Expansion Draft, Fields completed his third NLL season in 2021-22 with 67 points (32+35) in 18 games for the Buffalo Bandits, good for third on the team in scoring.
A native of East Amherst, NY, Fields, 26, also added 16 points (7+9) in six playoff contests while leading the Bandits to their second NLL Finals appearance in three years.
In 32 career NLL games with Buffalo and San Diego, Fields has totaled 116 points (52+64) and 178 loose ball recoveries after being selected in the first round (10th overall) by the Seals in the 2018 NLL Entry Draft.
Fields played his collegiate lacrosse at the University at Albany, where he was a four-time All-American and named a Tewaaraton Award nominee in each of his final three seasons after amassing an astonishing 364 points (199+165) in 69 career games for the Great Danes, becoming one of the top scorers in Division I.
As a senior, Fields ranked sixth in the nation in points per game (5.38) and assists per game (3.25) en route to earning America East Offensive Player of the Year and America East All-Conference First Team honors for the second straight year. He also led the Great Danes to their first-ever appearance in the Final Four, ultimately falling to Yale before being named to the All-Tournament Team for the second consecutive season.
Fields became just the fourth player in program history to be named a finalist for the prestigious Tewaaraton Award, presented annually to the most outstanding men’s and women’s American college lacrosse players, following his junior season when he posted career-highs in assists (62) and points (117). He also led all Division I point-getters in points per game (6.5) while leading Albany to its third straight appearance in the NCAA tournament.
His breakout season came as a freshman in 2015 when he scored a single-season Division I record 66 goals in 19 games on his way to earning America East Rookie of the Year honors as well as a selection to the All-Rookie Team. Fields started and scored in every game during his rookie season, finishing first in the conference and second among all Division I players in goals per game (3.47) and eighth nationally in points per game (4.63).
Fields’ 199 goals are most all-time at Albany while his 165 assists and 364 points are second in program history. He’s also second and fourth all-time in Division I history in points and goals, respectively.
Prior to joining Albany, Fields was one of top high school players in the nation and was a two-time High School All-American at Bishop Timon – St. Jude in 2013 and 2014. Fields scored 129 goals as a junior, setting the New York State record, and 108 the following year as a senior. He was also a four-year letterwinner in both lacrosse and hockey, leading the Tigers to back-to-back State championships in 2012 and 2013.
Fields is currently in his fifth season in the Premier Lacrosse League. In 35 games with the Archers, Chaos and Hounds, he’s compiled 82 points (53+1+27) and 42 groundballs. He was named an All-Star and an All-Pro selection following the 2019 season.