The Rochester Knighthawks announced today that veteran defenseman Paul Dawson has been named team captain for Rochester’s inaugural season. Dawson will be joined by forwards Shawn Evans and Curtis Knight, who will serve as assistant captains.
“We are lucky to have these three men lead us into our inaugural season,” said Knighthawks General Manager and Vice President of Lacrosse Operations Dan Carey. “We have a lot of youth and inexperience on our roster who will all benefit from the leadership of Paul, Shawn and Curtis, who each bring a different style of leadership. What they have in common is they are all extremely competitive professionals who ultimately want what is best for our team.”
Dawson, who becomes the first captain in team history, spent parts of the last seven seasons with the previous Knighthawks franchise, recording 36 points (13+23) in 110 career games while winning back-to-back championships (2013-14) along the way. Dawson also piled up 231 penalty minutes during his tenure in Rochester, ranking sixth all-time. He served as an alternate captain during the 2018-19 campaign and was named to the Knighthawks’ All-Time Team. Dawson is set to appear in his 200th professional game when the Knighthawks open the 2019-20 season on Saturday against the Georgia Swarm.
Evans was acquired by the Knighthawks first overall in the 2019 NLL Expansion Draft, returning him to the city that he spent the first six years of his pro career. Evans spent last season – his 14th in the NLL – with the rival Buffalo Bandits, posting 94 points (28+66) in 17 games to finish seventh in the league in scoring. He helped the Bandits claim the East Division with an NLL-best 14-4 record during the regular season and an appearance in the NLL Cup Finals, bringing Buffalo to within one win of its fifth NLL championship. A two-time NLL MVP with the Calgary Roughnecks in 2013 and 2015, the Peterborough, Ontario, native played the first six years of his pro career with the former Knighthawks franchise, during which he totaled 363 points (143+220) in 93 games while leading Rochester to an NLL championship in 2007. Over his NLL career, Evans has earned four straight All-Pro First Team selections and was named to the NLL All-Rookie Team in 2006.
Knight, who also acquired by Rochester in the 2019 NLL Expansion Draft, spent the first six seasons of his NLL career with the Saskatchewan Rush from 2013-19, recording 307 points (122+185) and 350 loose balls in 99 games. The Oshawa, Ontario, native helped the Rush to six consecutive first-place finishes in the regular season while also leading the team to a pair of NLL titles over a three-year span. In his second season with the Rush in 2014, the 5-foot-10, 175-pound forward was named team MVP after registering a career-high 72 points, including 35 goals, which ranked 10th in the NLL. Knight was originally drafted by the Edmonton Rush in the first round (eighth overall) of the 2012 NLL Entry Draft.
A new era of Knighthawks lacrosse begins on Saturday, Nov. 30 when Rochester opens its inaugural NLL season against the Georgia Swarm at The Blue Cross Arena. Knighthawks single game tickets for the 2019-20 season are on sale now and start at just $17. New Season Ticket Memberships for the 2019-20 season start as low as just $16 per seat, with Loyalty Member pricing beginning at just $15 depending on seat location. For more information, visit www.rochesterknighthawks.com/season-tickets or call 585-454-5335 and speak with a Knighthawks sales representative.