The Rochester Knighthawks were among the 14 National Lacrosse League teams to participate in Saturday’s 2021 Entry Draft, which saw the Knighthawks select three forwards.
The @RocKnighthawks sticking with 3️⃣ picks in the 2021 NLL Draft:
F – Corson Kealey (19th overall)
F – Riley Curtis (35th overall)
F – Pent Eistrat (50th overall)All 3️⃣ picks will return to their respective colleges for a 5th year of NCAA eligibility IN 2022. pic.twitter.com/pMB27cCWvS
— Suzie Cool (@SuzKewl) August 29, 2021
The Knighthawks began the night by selecting forward Corson Kealey from Robert Morris University (RMU) with the 19th overall selection (second round) before choosing forward Riley Curtis from the University of Denver with the 35th pick (third round). Rochester closed out the night by taking forward Pent Eistrat from nearby Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) in the fourth round (50th overall). All three players will return to their respective institutions for a fifth season in 2022.
A native of Ottawa, Ontario, the 23-year-old Kealey completed a four-year collegiate career at Robert Morris University. In four seasons with the Colonials, Kealey has amassed 117 points on 90 goals and 27 assists in 47 career games while also adding in 55 groundballs and 39 caused turnovers defensively. He ranks fourth all-time in school history in goals-per-games (1.91).
During his sophomore campaign in 2019, Kealey posted a team-leading 52 goals and ranked second among all Colonials scorers with 62 points (52+10) while appearing in all 17 games. Over the course of the campaign, Kealey registered nine hat tricks and 14 multi-goal games, including 12 consecutive contests to end the season. For his efforts, he was named to the NEC All-Tournament team.
From 2015-2019, Kealey spent five seasons in Junior ‘A’ Lacrosse with Toronto Beaches, posting 200 points on 96 goals and 104 assists in 75 games. He also added 16 goals and 12 assists for 28 points in 12 postseason contests. In 2018 and 2021, Kealey also saw action in four combined games between the Peterborough Lakers and Brooklyn Lacrosse Club, both of the Major Series Lacrosse (MSL), earning seven points (3+4).
Curtis, 23, a Brampton, Ontario native, recently completed a four-year collegiate career at the University of Denver (NCAA) from 2018-2021. In 44 career games with the Pioneers, Curtis posted 24 points on 10 goals and 14 assists to go with 22 shots on goal.
In 2021 as a senior, Curtis posted career-highs in goals (5), assists (7) and points (12) in 11 games.
This past summer in the 2021 National Collegiate Box Series (NCBS) with the Bighorns, Curtis led all players in both goals (46) and points (52) in just nine games.
He also appeared in 26 games between the Brampton Excelsiors and Peterborough Lakers (OLA Junior ‘A’), recording 39 points (20+19) from 2015 to 2018. Additionally, he earned a silver medal for Team Canada at the 2016 U19 World Field Lacrosse Championships.
The Knighthawks selected Eistrat with their final pick of the night. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Eistrat is fresh off a 10-point (5+5) season during the Tigers’ Division III National Championship run in 2021. In 47 career games with R.I.T., Eistrat collected nine goals and nine assists for 18 points while adding 32 groundballs and 16 shots on goal.
In his Junior ‘A’ career with the Mississauga Tomahawks, he had collected 125 points (51+74) over 48 games while also posting two goals and nine assists in five playoff games. Additionally, Eistrat tallied 22 goals and 21 assists for 43 points with the Brampton Excelsiors in 2019. In 10 postseason contests, he registered 18 points (6+12).
2021 NLL Entry Draft Class – Rochester Knighthawks
| Round | Pick | Player | Position | Amateur Club |
| 2 | 19 | Corson Kealey | Forward | Robert Morris University (NCAA) |
| 3 | 35 | Riley Curtis | Forward | University of Denver (NCAA) |
| 4 | 50 | Pent Eistrat | Forward | Rochester Institute of Technology (NCAA) |
