Rochester Knighthawks General Manager and Vice President of Lacrosse Operations Dan Carey announced today that the team has acquired forward Hunter Lemieux, a 2024 first-round pick and a fourth-round (55th overall) in the 2023 NLL Entry Draft from the Philadelphia Wings. In return, the Knighthawks sent Holden Cattoni and a 2023 sixth-round selection to Philadelphia, pending league approval.
Lemieux, 24, joins the Knighthawks after spending his first professional season with the Wings in 2022-23. As a rookie, the Lockport, New York, native tallied three goals and one assist for four points to go with eight loose ball recoveries.
Lemieux made his made his NLL debut at Vegas on Jan. 6, 2023, totaling one loose ball versus the Desert Dogs before recording his first-career professional point on a fourth-quarter goal against Panther City on Jan. 14.
Prior to turning pro, Lemieux completed a five-year collegiate career at Roberts Wesleyan University (NCAA) in Rochester from 2018-2022, registering 264 points on 201 goals and 63 assists in 64 career games. He also added 121 ground balls with the Redhawks. The 6-foot-2, 215-pound forward finished his career by establishing the school’s record in goals as well as points.
During the 2021 season, Lemieux was named the ECC Offensive Player of the Year and earned USILA All-American Honorable Mention honors after leading the ECC in goals (47), man-up goals (6) and points (60). Additionally, he recorded 13 assists and ranked fourth in Division II in goals per game (3.92), seventh in total goals and 12th in points per game (5.00) while scoring at least three goals in 10 of 12 games played.
Lemieux combined for 273 points (114+159) in 79 career Junior “A” games from 2016-2019 with the Burlington Chiefs and Niagara Thunderhawks.
Originally a first-round selection (15th overall) of Wings in the 2021 NLL Entry Draft, Lemieux, who also played for the Rochester’s Armory in the UCBLL, was the first player in Roberts Wesleyan program history to be drafted in the NLL.