Alex Smith (lacrosse)
Encyclopedia
Alexander Frederick Smith, was born in the city of Timonium, Maryland, August 8, 1984, to Dr. Frederick G. Smith and Dr. Vanessa K. Smith, and is the oldest of three sons. He most notably known for his skills on the lacrosse
field, as a faceoff specialist, at the University of Delaware
, and now professionally for the Baltimore Bayhawks in Major League Lacrosse
. In addition to being a professional athlete, Alex run's face-off camps to teach his trade through his Company, FOGO Lacrosse. He is widely considered the greatest contemporary face off specialist.
, located in Baltimore. On the lacrosse field he was a three-year starting midfielder. He finished with an overall record of 52-10. His sophomore year Boys' Latin finished 2nd in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association
. He took a leadership role his junior year and led Boys' Latin to the MIAA championship, along the way earning the team a #2 national ranking. His personal honors that year included First Team All-State, and the Groundball Award. While also participating in the Bay State Team.
His Senior year, in 2003, Boys' Latin repeated the 2nd place finish in the MIAA of '01, but Alex earned First Team All-State honors, The Groundball Award, and Gelston Cup Award, for contributions to lacrosse. In the classroom, Smith was president of the student body and the Speech and Debate Society.
, at Finnesey Field
. He scored one goal, with exactly ten minutes left in the fourth quarter, and went 9 of 13 from the face-off. He would be named CAA Co-Rookie of the Year and second team All-CAA. He started 13 of 16 games and finished ranked second in the CAA and sixth in the NCAA in face-off percentage. He scooped up 105 groundballs to rank second in the CAA and fourth in the NCAA. Smith went on to score a goal in the final three games of the season versus Sacred Heart
, Denver, and Villanova
in the CAA semifinals, finishing the 2004 campaign by being named to the CAA All-Tournament team.
In 2005, Smith earned honorable mention United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association honors as a sophomore as a faceoff specialist and was voted first team All-CAA. He started 14 of 17 games and scored three goals with one assist. He led the NCAA and CAA in faceoff percentage (.709), winning 251 of 354 attempts and set the school record with 251 wins and the .709 percentage ranked No. 3 all-time at Delaware. He won a season-high 23 faceoffs vs. Albany. In the groundball category, he ranked No. 3 in the NCAA and led the CAA with 132 (7.76 per game). He would collect a season-high 16 groundballs vs. Albany, his season groundball total was third best in UD history. He scored goals vs. Saint Joseph’s
, Lehigh
, and Manhattan
, his goal versus Saint Joe’s eight seconds into the game was an NCAA Division I Lacrosse record, for fastest goal. He was voted to the CAA All-Tournament team after winning 22 of 37 faceoffs in two CAA tournament games. Smith helped his team into the NCAA Tournament, for the first time since 1999, were they would lose to #3 Navy
, 7-9.
In 2007 Smith led the Blue Hens to the NCAA final four in Baltimore Maryland before 50,000 plus fans. Along the way the underdog University of Delaware team defeated the 2006 National Champion, the University of Virginia, before losing to the eventual 2007 National Champion, Johns Hopkins, in the semi-finals.
Alex Smith graduated from the University of Delaware
with a major in business marketing and a minor in marketing. Smith left the college game a three time All-American and with more NCAA records than any other player in college lacrosse history. In fact, Smith's name appears in the 2008 NCAA Lacrosse Record Book more than any other player in lacrosse history. Additionally, he joined the Blue Hen coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2009 lacrosse season.
In 2010 Alex was named to the Colonial Athletic Association Silver Anniversary Team. He was the only athlete from the University of Delaware in any sport to hold this distinction. The Silver anniversary team honored the top athletes over the last twenty five years. The team included fourteen men and eleven women who were picked from 21 different sports. The team was chosen from over 50,000 student-athletes. This group was representative of USA Olympic team members, national players of the year,and many professional athletes.
. Smith was selected with the third overall pick in the 2007 MLL Collegiate Draft. Smith was elected to the 2007 MLL All-Star game, when faceoff specialist Peter Vlahakis
was unable to play due to an injury.
Smith had an outstanding rookie campaign. He went on to win Cascade Rookie of the Week twice, and was also awarded the Defensive Player of the Week once. At the conclusion of the regular season, Smith was selected as the MLL Rookie of the Year
During the 2007 NLL Entry Draft
, Smith was selected with the 4th pick in the 3rd round, 32nd overall, by the expansion Boston Blazers
. When the Blazers announced that they would not play in the 2008 NLL season
, a dispersal draft
was held, and Smith was chosen in the third round by the Rochester Knighthawks
. Smith was released from the team prior to the start of the season.
On August 9, 2008, Alex Smith set the single season mark for most faceoff's won in Major League Lacrosse history, by going 23 of 34 from the 'X' against the Chicago Machine
. The record stands at 249 faceoff's won in a single season. This total surpassed Paul Cantabene
's record of 238 faceoffs, set in 2004. Along with setting the record for faceoff's won, he also tallied the second best percentage all time, at 63%, just behind Cantabene's record of 63.3%, also set in 2004. Following Smith's performance against the Machine he was named the MLL Defensive Player of the Week. Following Smith's record setting performance, he took his team into the 2008 playoffs as the number one ranked team. In the semi-final game against the Philadelphia Barrage
Smith won possession of the lone faceoff in overtime, which helped his team to a victory. He then went on to assist his team in winning their first ever MLL title.
In 2010 Smith played on the United States team that captured the Gold Medal in the FILA world games in Manchester England. The United States defeated Canada in a very close game. Additionally, in August 2010 his Major League Lacrosse team, the Baltimore Bayhawks, captured the MLL Professional Championship.
In August 2011 Smith achieved another milestone by winning his 1000th face-off as a professional. He became the only player in lacrosse history to have 1000 wins as a collegian and professional.
Lacrosse
Lacrosse is a team sport of Native American origin played using a small rubber ball and a long-handled stick called a crosse or lacrosse stick, mainly played in the United States and Canada. It is a contact sport which requires padding. The head of the lacrosse stick is strung with loose mesh...
field, as a faceoff specialist, at the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
, and now professionally for the Baltimore Bayhawks in Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse
Major League Lacrosse, or MLL, is a professional men's field lacrosse league that is made up of five teams in the United States and one team in Canada.- History :...
. In addition to being a professional athlete, Alex run's face-off camps to teach his trade through his Company, FOGO Lacrosse. He is widely considered the greatest contemporary face off specialist.
High school
Alex Smith graduated from the Boys' Latin School of MarylandBoys' Latin School of Maryland
Boys' Latin School of Maryland is an all-boys, college-preparatory school located in Baltimore, Maryland. Founded in 1844, it is the oldest independent, non-sectarian secondary school in the state of Maryland. The school is divided into Lower, Middle and Upper Schools...
, located in Baltimore. On the lacrosse field he was a three-year starting midfielder. He finished with an overall record of 52-10. His sophomore year Boys' Latin finished 2nd in the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association
Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association
The Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association is a boys' sports conference for private high schools generally located in the Baltimore metropolitan area but extending to various other regions, including the state's mostly rural Eastern Shore. The MIAA has 27 member schools and offers...
. He took a leadership role his junior year and led Boys' Latin to the MIAA championship, along the way earning the team a #2 national ranking. His personal honors that year included First Team All-State, and the Groundball Award. While also participating in the Bay State Team.
His Senior year, in 2003, Boys' Latin repeated the 2nd place finish in the MIAA of '01, but Alex earned First Team All-State honors, The Groundball Award, and Gelston Cup Award, for contributions to lacrosse. In the classroom, Smith was president of the student body and the Speech and Debate Society.
College
Alex Smith is arguably one of the best Face-off specialists of all-time in the NCAA. He holds multiple face-off NCAA records. On February 14, 2004, Smith began his NCAA career against Saint Joseph's UniversitySaint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
, at Finnesey Field
Finnesey Field
Finnesey Field is a multi-use sports facility on the Saint Joseph's University campus which opened in 1929 and was originally planned to be the centerpiece to a 70,000 seat football stadium in the natural bowl of the campus....
. He scored one goal, with exactly ten minutes left in the fourth quarter, and went 9 of 13 from the face-off. He would be named CAA Co-Rookie of the Year and second team All-CAA. He started 13 of 16 games and finished ranked second in the CAA and sixth in the NCAA in face-off percentage. He scooped up 105 groundballs to rank second in the CAA and fourth in the NCAA. Smith went on to score a goal in the final three games of the season versus Sacred Heart
Sacred Heart University
Sacred Heart University is a Roman Catholic university located in suburban Fairfield, Connecticut, United States. Sacred Heart was founded in 1963 by the Most Reverend Walter W. Curtis, Bishop of the Diocese of Bridgeport, Connecticut. Sacred Heart University was the first Catholic university in...
, Denver, and Villanova
Villanova University
Villanova University is a private university located in Radnor Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the United States...
in the CAA semifinals, finishing the 2004 campaign by being named to the CAA All-Tournament team.
In 2005, Smith earned honorable mention United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association honors as a sophomore as a faceoff specialist and was voted first team All-CAA. He started 14 of 17 games and scored three goals with one assist. He led the NCAA and CAA in faceoff percentage (.709), winning 251 of 354 attempts and set the school record with 251 wins and the .709 percentage ranked No. 3 all-time at Delaware. He won a season-high 23 faceoffs vs. Albany. In the groundball category, he ranked No. 3 in the NCAA and led the CAA with 132 (7.76 per game). He would collect a season-high 16 groundballs vs. Albany, his season groundball total was third best in UD history. He scored goals vs. Saint Joseph’s
Saint Joseph's University
Saint Joseph's University is a private, coeducational Roman Catholic Jesuit university located partially in the Wynnefield section of Philadelphia and partially in Lower Merion Township and located in the Pennsylvania Main Line, Pennsylvania, United States.The school was founded in 1851 as Saint...
, Lehigh
Lehigh University
Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. It was established in 1865 by Asa Packer as a four-year technical school, but has grown to include studies in a wide variety of disciplines...
, and Manhattan
Manhattan College
Manhattan College is a Roman Catholic liberal arts college in the Lasallian tradition in New York City, United States. Despite the college's name, it is no longer located in Manhattan but in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, roughly 10 miles north of Midtown. Manhattan College offers...
, his goal versus Saint Joe’s eight seconds into the game was an NCAA Division I Lacrosse record, for fastest goal. He was voted to the CAA All-Tournament team after winning 22 of 37 faceoffs in two CAA tournament games. Smith helped his team into the NCAA Tournament, for the first time since 1999, were they would lose to #3 Navy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
, 7-9.
In 2007 Smith led the Blue Hens to the NCAA final four in Baltimore Maryland before 50,000 plus fans. Along the way the underdog University of Delaware team defeated the 2006 National Champion, the University of Virginia, before losing to the eventual 2007 National Champion, Johns Hopkins, in the semi-finals.
Alex Smith graduated from the University of Delaware
University of Delaware
The university is organized into seven colleges:* College of Agriculture and Natural Resources* College of Arts and Sciences* Alfred Lerner College of Business and Economics* College of Earth, Ocean and Environment* College of Education and Human Development...
with a major in business marketing and a minor in marketing. Smith left the college game a three time All-American and with more NCAA records than any other player in college lacrosse history. In fact, Smith's name appears in the 2008 NCAA Lacrosse Record Book more than any other player in lacrosse history. Additionally, he joined the Blue Hen coaching staff as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2009 lacrosse season.
In 2010 Alex was named to the Colonial Athletic Association Silver Anniversary Team. He was the only athlete from the University of Delaware in any sport to hold this distinction. The Silver anniversary team honored the top athletes over the last twenty five years. The team included fourteen men and eleven women who were picked from 21 different sports. The team was chosen from over 50,000 student-athletes. This group was representative of USA Olympic team members, national players of the year,and many professional athletes.
Professional
Alex Smith played professionally for the Rochester RattlersRochester Rattlers
The Rochester Rattlers are a Major League Lacrosse professional men's field lacrosse team based in Rochester, New York. They are a charter member of the MLL. From their inaugural season in 2001 to 2005, they were in the National Division. From 2006 to 2008, they were a member of the Eastern...
. Smith was selected with the third overall pick in the 2007 MLL Collegiate Draft. Smith was elected to the 2007 MLL All-Star game, when faceoff specialist Peter Vlahakis
Peter Vlahakis
Peter Vlahakis is a professional lacrosse player with the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse and the holder of four MLL All-Time face-off records. Vlahakis holds the MLL career face-off wins, career face-off percentage, single game face-off wins and single game face-off percentage...
was unable to play due to an injury.
Smith had an outstanding rookie campaign. He went on to win Cascade Rookie of the Week twice, and was also awarded the Defensive Player of the Week once. At the conclusion of the regular season, Smith was selected as the MLL Rookie of the Year
Major League Lacrosse Rookie of the Year Award
The Cascade Major League Lacrosse Rookie of the Year Award is given annually to the top first-time athlete of the season.Cascade began sponsorship of the award in 2003....
During the 2007 NLL Entry Draft
National Lacrosse League entry draft
The National Lacrosse League entry draft is an annual event where the general managers of National Lacrosse League teams choose eligible players for their rosters from US college programs and Canada's junior lacrosse system....
, Smith was selected with the 4th pick in the 3rd round, 32nd overall, by the expansion Boston Blazers
Boston Blazers
The Boston Blazers were a member of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1989 to 1997. They were called the New England Blazers from 1989 to 1991 while based in Worcester, Massachusetts, and were renamed the Boston Blazers in 1992 when they moved to Boston. While in Worcester, the Blazers played...
. When the Blazers announced that they would not play in the 2008 NLL season
2008 NLL season
The 2008 National Lacrosse League season, the 22nd in the history of the NLL, began on December 29, 2007 and concluded with the Buffalo Bandits winning the championship game over the Portland LumberJax on May 17, 2008....
, a dispersal draft
National Lacrosse League dispersal draft
The National Lacrosse League dispersal draft is a meeting where the general managers of National Lacrosse League teams choose players from teams that are ceasing operations. The NLL has seen a lot of team changes over the years , so dispersal drafts have been commonplace...
was held, and Smith was chosen in the third round by the Rochester Knighthawks
Rochester Knighthawks
The Rochester Knighthawks are a professional lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. They play in Rochester, New York at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial. The Knighthawks were previously members of the Major Indoor Lacrosse League from 1995 to 1997...
. Smith was released from the team prior to the start of the season.
On August 9, 2008, Alex Smith set the single season mark for most faceoff's won in Major League Lacrosse history, by going 23 of 34 from the 'X' against the Chicago Machine
Chicago Machine
The Chicago Machine is a mens field lacrosse team that plays in Major League Lacrosse that was based in Chicago, Illinois until the franchise left after the 2009 season to be a travel team in 2010. The team then transferred its roster to the reborn Rochester Rattlers on November 23, 2010 when it...
. The record stands at 249 faceoff's won in a single season. This total surpassed Paul Cantabene
Paul Cantabene
Paul Cantabene is a retired professional lacrosse player. He was a renowned faceoff specialist.-Career:...
's record of 238 faceoffs, set in 2004. Along with setting the record for faceoff's won, he also tallied the second best percentage all time, at 63%, just behind Cantabene's record of 63.3%, also set in 2004. Following Smith's performance against the Machine he was named the MLL Defensive Player of the Week. Following Smith's record setting performance, he took his team into the 2008 playoffs as the number one ranked team. In the semi-final game against the Philadelphia Barrage
Philadelphia Barrage
The Philadelphia Barrage were a Men's Field Lacrosse team that was based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania from the 2004 season until the 2008 season when they became a traveling team. Since the 2001 season, they have played in Major League Lacrosse. They started playing in the American Division, but...
Smith won possession of the lone faceoff in overtime, which helped his team to a victory. He then went on to assist his team in winning their first ever MLL title.
In 2010 Smith played on the United States team that captured the Gold Medal in the FILA world games in Manchester England. The United States defeated Canada in a very close game. Additionally, in August 2010 his Major League Lacrosse team, the Baltimore Bayhawks, captured the MLL Professional Championship.
In August 2011 Smith achieved another milestone by winning his 1000th face-off as a professional. He became the only player in lacrosse history to have 1000 wins as a collegian and professional.
NCAA
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | GB | FO | FO% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | Delaware | 16 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 105 | 204-322 | .634 | |
| 2005 | Delaware | 17 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 132 | 251-354 | .709 | |
| 2006 | Delaware | 17 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 146 | 261-381 | .685 | |
| 2007 | Delaware | 19 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 170 | 311-430 | .723 | |
| NCAA Totals | 69 | 17 | 8 | 25 | 553 | 1027-1487 | .691 | ||
MLL
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | GB | FO | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | GB | FO | ||
| 2007 | Rochester | 10 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 4 | 79 | 190-331 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9 | 19-32 | ||
| 2008 | Rochester | 12 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 94 | 249-395 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 35-58 | ||
| 2009 | Washington | 12 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 48 | 217-368 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| MLL Totals | 34 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 10 | 221 | 656-1094 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | 54-90 | |||