The Rochester Knighthawks (also known as the K-Hawks) are a professional box lacrosse team based in Rochester, New York, that competes in the National Lacrosse League (NLL).[1] The team plays its home games at Blue Cross Arena.
 | |
| Sport | Box lacrosse |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2019 |
| League | National Lacrosse League |
| Location | Rochester, New York |
| Arena | Blue Cross Arena |
| Colors | Army Green, Gold, Black |
| Owner | Terry Pegula |
| Head coach | Mike Hasen |
| General manager | Dan Carey |
| Playoff berths | 2 (2023, 2024) |
| Local media | WHAM-DT2, WNBL, WHTK |
| Website | rochesterknighthawks.com |
The Knighthawks are owned by Terry Pegula who purchased the intellectual property of the team from former owner Curt Styres.[2] Styres moved the previous version of the team to Halifax, Nova Scotia, as the Halifax Thunderbirds at the end of the 2018–2019 season. As an expansion team they are not a continuation of the previous Knighthawks.[3] All records and championships followed the original franchise to Halifax.
History
editThe original Knighthawks played in Rochester from 1995 until 2019. They began as members of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1995 to 1997 then became members of the NLL beginning with the league's inaugural 1998 season.[4]
The Knighthawks reached the playoffs in each of their first 13 seasons, from 1995 to 2007. This is a league record going back to the league's original creation, the Eagle Pro Box Lacrosse League. The previous record was 11 straight years, held by the Philadelphia Wings. They were also the first NLL team to win three consecutive championships (2012–14).[4]
On September 13, 2018, owner Curt Styres announced that he would be accepting a new team in Halifax, Nova Scotia and would be relocating the Knighthawks' to the city for the winter 2019–2020 season. The Knighthawks intellectual property was sold to Terry and Kim Pegula (the latter of whom was raised in the Rochester suburbs) along with an expansion franchise to ensure Rochester's uninterrupted presence in the league.[5] The original name was used, but the color scheme and logo changed. The team logo, colors, and other officials were announced on May 29, 2019 in an event at Blue Cross Arena.[6] The new franchise does not count as a continuation of the previous franchise. All championships and records were transferred to Halifax.[3][2]
On June 27, 2019, the Knighthawks named Mike Hasen, who had coached the original Knighthawks since 2011, as head coach, Dan Carey as General Manager, and Pat O'Toole as assistant coach.[7]
Current roster
edit| Active (21-man) roster | Inactive roster | Coaches | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
[1] updated 12/5/2023 | ||||||
All-time record
edit| Season | Division/Conference[a] | W–L | Finish | PCT | Home | Road | GF | GA | Coach | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | North | 2–10 | 4th | .167 | 2–3 | 0–7 | 115 | 165 | Mike Hasen | No playoffs held |
| 2021 | Eastern | Season cancelled due to COVID-19 pandemic | ||||||||
| 2022 | Eastern | 4–14 | 8th | .222 | 2–7 | 2–7 | 184 | 221 | Mike Hasen | Did not qualify |
| 2023 | Eastern | 10–8 | 4th | .556 | 6–3 | 4–5 | 218 | 214 | Mike Hasen | Lost Conference Semi-Final |
| 2024 | Unified | 8–10 | 8th | .444 | 4–5 | 4–5 | 214 | 226 | Mike Hasen | Lost Quarterfinals |
| Total | 4 Seasons | 24–42 | .364 | 14–18 | 10–24 | 731 | 826 | |||
| Playoff Total | 2 Appearances | 0–2 | .000 | 0–0 | 0–2 | 14 | 29 | 0 Championships | ||
Playoff results
edit| Season | Game | Visiting | Home |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Conference Semi-Final | Rochester 8 | Buffalo 20 |
| 2024 | Quarterfinals | Rochester 6 | Toronto 9 |
Head coaching history
edit| # | Name | Term | Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GC | W | L | W% | GC | W | L | W% | |||
| 1 | Mike Hasen | 2020– | 66 | 24 | 42 | .364 | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 |
Award winners
edit| Year | Player | Award |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Dan Carey | General Manager of the Year |
Draft history
editNLL Entry Draft
editFirst Round Selections
Notes
edit- ^ Conference play began in the 2022 season
References
edit- ^ "National Lacrosse League - Rochester Nighthawks". National Lacrosse League - Rochester Nighthawks. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- ^ a b "SEASON PREVIEW: KNIGHTHAWKS EMBARK ON NEW ERA SATURDAY". Rochester Knighthawks. 2019-11-29. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
- ^ a b "Knighthawks Unveil New Logo Ahead of Expansion Season". 30 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ a b "History of the NLL: Championships". HISTORY OF THE NLL. Retrieved 12 October 2023.
- ^ "NLL Approves Rochester expansion team using Knighthawks brand – NLL". 13 September 2018. Archived from the original on 14 August 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "NLL's Rochester Knighthawks Announce Logo & Staff – NLL". 30 May 2019. Archived from the original on 25 February 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "KNIGHTHAWKS NAME MIKE HASEN HEAD COACH :: Rochester Knighthawks". www.rochesterknighthawks.com. 29 May 2019. Archived from the original on 11 December 2021. Retrieved 11 December 2021.
- ^ "2019 NLL ENTRY DRAFT LIVE RESULTS". 2019 NLL Draft Results.
- ^ League, National Lacrosse (2020-09-19). "NLL Draft 2020 Complete List - 6 Rounds, 93 Athletes". Lacrosse All Stars. Retrieved 2023-10-12.
- ^ "2022 NLL Entry Draft results: Thomas McConvey taken first overall". The Lax Mag. Retrieved 2023-10-12.