Rochester Knighthawks General Manager and Vice President of Lacrosse Operations Dan Carey announced today that the team has re-signed defenseman Julian Garritano to a one-year contract for the 2021-22 season, pending league approval.
Acquired by Rochester in a draft-day trade that sent Chris Wardle to the Colorado Mammoth as part of the 2019 NLL Expansion Draft, Garritano completed his first season with the Knighthawks in 2019-20 with four penalty minutes and 11 loose ball recoveries in three games.
In his pro career, the 6-foot, 207-pound Brampton, Ontario, native has scored one goal and collected 30 loose balls in 11 games, including eight appearances with the Mammoth during the 2018-19 campaign.
Garritano was Colorado’s sixth-round selection (72nd overall) in the 2018 NLL Entry Draft following four seasons of college lacrosse at Sacred Heart University, where he amassed 64 goals and 79 points in 59 career games for the Pioneers. He also added 62 ground balls and totaled 256 shots while playing midfield.
As a freshman during the 2014-15 season, he appeared in all 13 games, scoring 15 goals with four assists, including his first of two hat tricks on just three shots in a 21-17 win over Vermont. He was twice named the NEC Rookie of the Week (March 16 and April 20) and finished the season with an NEC All-Rookie Team selection.
Prior to joining Sacred Heart, Garritano played two years at Trinity-Pawling prep school, earning All-New England and All-Founders League honors and was named a U.S. Lacrosse All-American.
