Knighthawks Sign Four 2022 Draft Picks
September 23, 2022 – National Lacrosse League (NLL) – Rochester Knighthawks News Release
(Rochester, NY) – Rochester Knighthawks General Manager and Vice President of Lacrosse Operations Dan Carey announced today that the team has signed forwards Thomas Vela and Parker Pipher and defenseman Carter Schott all to two-year contracts while forward Austin Hasen has agreed to terms on a one-year deal. All transactions are pending league approval.
A native of Burnaby, British Columbia, Vela split the 2022 season at the junior and senior level with the Burnaby Lakers as well as brief stints with both the Langley Thunder and New Westminster Salmonbellies.
Rochester’s 25th overall pick in the 2022 NLL Entry Draft, Vela spent the majority of the campaign playing Junior ‘A’ ball with the Burnaby Lakers of the British Columbia Lacrosse Association, where he led the league with 36 goals and 71 points and tied for fifth in assists (35) in 14 games. He also combined for 12 points (7+5) over six Senior ‘A’ games between Langley, New Westminster and Burnaby of the Western Lacrosse Association. For his efforts, he was named co-winner of the Bob Reid Memorial Award for Outstanding Achievement on the floor and was selected to the 2022 BCJALL All-Star Team.
Pipher, selected 45th overall, has totaled 49 points (11+38) in 32 games with the Whitby Warriors while also adding one goal in eight playoff contests. He scored the game-winning goal to give Whitby its eighth Minto Cup in 2022.
The only defenseman to be taken by the Knighthawks in this year’s draft, Schott played two seasons of Junior ‘B’ lacrosse with the Green Gaels from 2018-19, recording 16 points (8+8) in 26 games. He also appeared in eight games with the Junior ‘A’ Whitby Warriors as well as six games in 2021 with Trent University.
Hasen, the son of Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen, completed his senior season at Belmont Abbey College in 2022 with career-highs in goals (41), assists (17) and points (58) while starting all 15 games. Selected 18th overall, he was named the 2022 Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year after leading the Crusaders in scoring in addition to recording 81.5 percent of his shots on goal. He also had seven caused turnovers and 14 groundballs, earning him a spot in the 2022 USILA Senior All-Star Game.
In 51 career games with the Crusaders, Hasen totaled 154 points (113+41) and 45 groundballs.
A native of Brampton, Ontario, Hasen recently completed his first season with the Peterborough Lakers of Major Series Lacrosse, notching 23 points on 11 goals and 12 assists in 12 games while leading the team to its fourth straight Mann Cup championship. He also played five seasons of Junior ‘A’ ball with his hometown Brampton Excelsiors, recording 207 points (105+102) over 69 career games as well as 66 points (28+38) in 30 playoff appearances. He was an OLA Junior A Second Team All-Star selection following the 2019 season.
Internationally, Hasen won a gold medal representing Team Canada at the 2019 World Junior Lacrosse championship.
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