The Buffalo Bandits selected six players in the 2019 NLL Entry Draft Tuesday at Xfinity Live! in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
This year’s draft class includes two forwards, one defenseman, one transition player, one defenseman/transition player and one goalie.
With the 12th pick of the draft, the Bandits selected defenseman/transition player Brent Noseworthy. Noseworthy (6’4”, 220 lbs., 2/6/1996) spent four seasons (2016 to 2019) playing collegiate lacrosse at the University of Michigan, recording a total of 119 points (102+17) in 45 games played. A team captain both his junior and senior seasons, Noseworthy left the program as the Wolverines’ all-time leading goal scorer (102) and is the only player in Michigan history to reach the 100-goal milestone. His 41 goals and 48 points in 2018 are ranked first and tied for first, respectively, in single-season team history, earning him First Team All-Big Ten and team MVP honors that year.
The Burlington, Ontario native also spent the 2019 season with the Brooklin Lacrosse Club of the MSL Senior A League, tallying six points (4+2) in 15 games played. He was selected with the 23rd pick by the Atlas in the Premier Lacrosse League’s inaugural College Draft this past spring.
In the second round, the Bandits selected forward Nathaniel Kozevnikov with the 29th overall pick. Kozevnikov (6’1”, 225 lbs., 3/31/1998) spent parts of the last five seasons playing for the Langley Thunder of the BCLA Junior A league, recording 125 points (77+48) in 44 games. With 33 points (21+12) in 2019, Kozevnikov ranked seventh on the Thunder in scoring despite only playing in seven games. The Langley, British Columbia native spent one season (2017) playing collegiate lacrosse at Robert Morris University in Moon Township, Pennsylvania, tallying one assist in five games.
With the 45th pick in the draft, the Bandits selected forward Ryder Garnsey, a native of Wolfeboro, New Hampshire. Garnsey (5’9”, 176 lbs., 9/21/1995), played four seasons (2016 to 2019) at the University of Notre Dame, totaling 135 points (83+52) in 46 games played. He led the Fighting Irish in scoring in 2017 and 2018 with 43 points in both years and earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors in 2016 after scoring 39 points (27+12) in 15 games. Garnsey spent this past summer playing for the Redwoods in the PLL, finishing the regular season ranked third on the team in scoring with 24 points (14+10) in nine games.
With their first fourth-round selection, the Bandits chose defenseman and former Jr. Bandit Taylor Kauffeldt with the 55th overall pick. Kauffeldt (6’1”, 178 lbs., 6/1/1998) played the past two seasons with the Barrie Lakeshores of the OJALL, recording one assist in 33 games played. The Aurora, Ontario native also played three seasons (2016 to 2018) at Bishop’s University in Sherbrooke, Quebec of the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association. He totaled five points (1+4) in 34 games for the Alligators.
Later in the fourth round with the 60th pick, the Bandits selected transition player Tyler Halls. A native of Orangeville, Ontario, Halls has played the past three seasons (2017-2019) with the Orangeville Northmen of the OJALL. Halls has totaled 25 points (11+14) in 51 career regular-season games with the Northmen, including setting career highs in goals (6), assists (6) and points (12) this year. Hall (6’0”, 200 lbs., 9/25/1999) has also appeared in 34 career playoff games for the club, scoring three goals and adding seven assists. He recorded two assists in 14 games in this year’s playoffs en route to the Northmen’s Minto Cup win.
With their final selection in the 2019 NLL Entry Draft, the Bandits chose goaltender Joel Watson with the 88th pick in the sixth round. Watson (6”4”, 308 lbs., 3/24/1998) spent the last three seasons (2017 to 2019) playing for the Whitby Warriors of the OAJLL. In 38 games with the Warriors, Watson hold a 16-16-1 record with an 8.696 goals-against average and .711 save percentage. In 2018, the Whitby, Ontario native set career highs in wins (7), goals-against average (.696) and save percentage (.790), with his goals-against average ranking second in the league.
