BOSTON, Mass. – Seniors
TD Ierlan, Will Weitzel, Aidan Hynes, Matt Gaudet and
Will Renz were selected by four different teams in four different rounds of tonight's 2020 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft.The five selections were the most for any school.
For the first time, the initial name called in the MLL Draft was a Bulldog. Ierlan, the first overall pick, was selected by his home state New York Lizards. The best face-off man in the history of the sport owns 10 NCAA records. He was a 2019 Tewaaraton Award Finalist, a USILA & Inside Lacrosse First-Team All-American, Ivy League Player of the Year and a first-team All-Ivy pick while leading the nation in win percentage and ground balls. He was on the same track four games into this spring, and then the season was canceled.
The next highest pick from Yale in MLL Draft history was Ben Reeves '18, who was the fourth overall pick two years ago after leading the Elis to a national championship.
Weitzel, a long stick midfielder, was the next Bulldog taken. The Chesapeake Bayhawks grabbed the Newton, Mass., native, in the first round with the sixth overall pick. Weitzel was a three-time All-New England first-team selection who played in every Yale game since arriving on campus.
With the eighth selection in the second round, the Connecticut Hammerheads took Hynes, the All-American Yale defenseman. The Mahopac, N.Y., native earned All-America and Ivy League honors for the Bulldogs. The Hammerheads play their home games at Fairfield University.
Gaudet was the fourth Eli taken tonight. The Hamilton, Ont., native, went 16
th overall in the third round to the Philadelphia Barrage. Gaudet, an All-American pick, was one of the nation's most potent offensive threats and ranks third in goals (142) and 10
th in points (158) on the Yale career lists.
Renz, from Rockville, N.Y., got the call in the seventh round from the Hammerheads. He was the 38
th overall pick after earning All-New England honors as a defensive midfielder.
This was the second time in three years that Yale led the country in MLL draft picks. The Elis, who have had 14 drafted over the last three years, had the second-most selections in 2019 after having the most with a school-record six in 2018.
There are five Bulldogs already on MLL rosters, including Joey Sessa (NY), Chris Keating (CT),
Robert Mooney (CT),
Jack Tigh (NY) and Conor Resch (Philly).
More Yale names could be called on May 13 when the Premier Lacrosse League has its collegiate draft.
Bulldogs Taken in 2020 MLL Draft
TD Ierlan, Rd. 1,1
st, New York Lizards
Will Weitzel, Rd. 1, 6
th, Chesapeake Bayhawks
Aidan Hynes, Rd. 2, 8
th, Connecticut Hammerheads
Matt Gaudet, Rd. 3, 16
th, Philadelphia Barrage
Will Renz, Rd. 7, 38
th, Connecticut Hammerheads
