Michael Powell (lacrosse)

Michael Powell (born October 29, 1982) is a former American professional lacrosse player who was a four-time First Team All-American at Syracuse University, played professional lacrosse for the Baltimore Bayhawks and Boston Cannons, and played on the United States team in the 2002 and 2006 World Lacrosse Championships where he was named to the All-World Team.

Michael Powell
Born (1982-10-29) October 29, 1982
West Carthage, New York
NationalityAmerican
Height5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
ShootsRight
PositionAttack
NLL draft17th overall, 2004
San Jose Stealth
MLL teamsBoston Cannons
Baltimore Bayhawks
NCAA teamSyracuse

Powell is the only player to win the Jack Turnbull Award as the top attackman in Division I lacrosse four consecutive times. Powell was also a four-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy, the collegiate player of the year award, and is one of two male players to win the award twice.[1] He led Syracuse to two national championships and holds the school record for most career points. Syracuse retired his #22 jersey in 2023.[2][3] He is widely considered one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time.[4][5][6][7][8]

Powell is now a singer/songwriter and tours both as a solo artist and as a member of his band The Black River. In 2022 Powell started a new band called The Echosound (formerly WADE).[9][10]

High school career

Powell attended Carthage Senior High School in Carthage, New York, where he was a high school All-American.[11] He set the New York State high school records for most points in a season with 194 points in 2000, most points in a game with 15 points in 2000, and most assists in a season with 120 assists in 1999 and 115 in 2000.[12]

College career

Powell enrolled at Syracuse in the fall of 2000 as one of the most anticipated recruits in college lacrosse history. He wore the #22 Syracuse jersey, the same number previously worn by both of his older brothers Casey Powell and Ryan Powell, and by lacrosse legends Gary Gait and Charlie Lockwood.[13]

2001 season

In his freshman season, Powell tallied 30 goals, 40 assists (70 points), and 69 groundballs while leading Syracuse to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship title game against Princeton University. In the championship game, he scored an unassisted goal with just 16 seconds remaining in regulation to force overtime, but Syracuse lost to Princeton on a B.J. Prager goal with 41 seconds left in overtime. Powell became the first player in Syracuse lacrosse history to be named a First Team All-American as a freshman. He was also awarded the Jack Turnbull Award as the nation's top attackman, and was a finalist for the inaugural Tewaaraton Trophy.[14]

2002 season

In 2002, Powell scored 42 goals and 42 assists en route to leading Syracuse to a national championship. With four goals and three assists in the championship game, he was named the NCAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Player and won his first Tewaaraton Trophy.

2003 season

Powell missed the fall 2002 semester and fall practice at Syracuse but was able to regain academic eligibility before the 2003 lacrosse season. Scored 31 goals and 33 assists for 64 points. Despite the aggressive defenses that targeted him during the season,[15] he helped lead Syracuse to the Final Four, of what would eventually be 22 consecutive Final Fours, an NCAA record. Syracuse fell to Johns Hopkins University 19–8 in the semifinals.

2004 season

As a senior, Powell led the Orangemen to their ninth NCAA championship. In the NCAA tournament, Syracuse defeated top-seeded Johns Hopkins in the semifinal round 15–9 and then beat second-seeded Navy in the championship game 14–13. On the season, Powell scored 89 points (47 goals, 42 assists), surpassing the Syracuse record shared by his two older brothers to become the all-time leading scorer at Syracuse with 307 points. That number ties him for 12th all-time in NCAA history. Powell was again selected as a First Team All-American, becoming just the sixth lacrosse player to earn that recognition four times, won his second Tewaaraton Trophy, and his first Enners Trophy as the most outstanding player in men's college lacrosse.[16]

Professional career

Following his graduation, Powell surprised many in the lacrosse community when he chose not to play professional lacrosse for Major League Lacrosse (MLL) in the 2004 season. Instead, he pursued a career as a professional musician. Powell, along with his two older brothers, also signed an endorsement contract with lacrosse equipment manufacturer Brine, Corp., with Powell working out of Brine's west coast office. Casey and Ryan had previously been employed by Warrior Sports.

In 2005, Powell joined the MLL and was drafted by the Baltimore Bayhawks, where he and teammate Gary Gait led the Bayhawks to the league championship. Powell also played in the MLL All-Star Game, where he was selected as MVP. He sat out the 2006 MLL season. On March 21, 2007, Powell, along with Ben DeFelice and a 2008 conditional draft choice, was traded from the Baltimore Bayhawks to the Boston Cannons in exchange for Ryan Curtis and Conor Gill.[17]

Powell was a member of U.S. World Team in the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship, where he was the U.S.'s leading scorer and was selected to the All-World Team. The U.S. team fell to Canada in the championship game, 15–10, marking the second time the Americans had lost to the Canadians in 14 contests.

Personal life and music career

Powell is a traveling musician and an accomplished writer with over two hundred songs.[18] Heavily influenced by Woody Guthrie, Bob Dylan, John Prine, and Townes Van Zandt. He has released 6 albums, "Strange Bedfellows" 2007, "Replevin" in 2009, "The Night The Date Was Tied" in 2010, "Kapow" 2011, "Tied To The Rail" 2014, "Classic Universe" 2018. The single "Twenty One Rounds[19]" was released on Memorial Day 2018 and was inspired by growing up in the shadows of the Fort Drum military base.

In addition to his older brothers, Casey and Ryan, Powell also has a younger brother, Mason.

Statistics

Syracuse
   
SeasonGPGAPtsPPG
200116304070--
200217424284--
200316313364--
200417474289--
66150157 (a)307 (b)--
(a) 13th in NCAA Division I career assists
(b) 6th in NCAA Division I career points

See also

References
  1. "Lacrosse: E-Lacrosse's The Latest Spin with Mike Spinner". Archived from the original on May 27, 2006.
  2. Axe, Brent (9 January 2023). "Syracuse to honor lacrosse legend Mike Powell with jersey retirement". Syracuse Post-Standard. Retrieved 10 January 2023.
  3. Vasudevan, Anish (9 March 2023). "Michael Powell provided 'front row seats' to greatness". The Daily Orange. Retrieved 12 March 2023.
  4. Brent Axe (2018, October 31). Game Faces: Mike Powell’s move from lacrosse to music (video). Syracuse. https://www.syracuse.com/orangelacrosse/2018/10/game_faces_mike_powells_move_from_lacrosse_to_music_video.html
  5. Brent Axe (2023, March 12). Syracuse lacrosse legend Mike Powell’s No. 22 honored: ‘That’s not my jersey. It’s ours.’ Syracuse. https://www.syracuse.com/orangelacrosse/2023/03/syracuse-lacrosse-legend-mike-powells-no-22-honored-thats-not-my-jersey-its-ours.html
  6. Jordie. (2021, September 14). BREAKING: Paul Rabil Is Retiring, The GOAT Officially Passes The Torch To The Future Of Lacrosse. Barstool Sports. https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3383620/breaking-paul-rabil-is-retiring-the-goat-officially-passes-the-torch-to-the-future-of-lacrosse
  7. Sports. (2023, March 9). Michael Powell provided ‘front row seats’ to greatness. The Daily Orange. https://dailyorange.com/2023/03/michael-powell-provided-front-row-seats-to-greatness/
  8. Burch, T. (2022, October 22). Top 3 best lacrosse players of all time - KNUP Sports. Knup Sports. https://www.knupsports.com/lacrosse/top-3-best-lacrosse-players/
  9. Brock, Chris (November 13, 2016). "'Blessed with a lot of talent' Mike Powell now scoring with music career". Watertown Daily Times. Retrieved 10 January 2023. (subscription required)
  10. Curtis, M. (2023, January 25). Syracuse men's lacrosse legend Mike Powell to have jersey retired. Localsyr.com. https://www.localsyr.com/orange-nation/syracuse-mens-lacrosse-legend-mike-powell-to-have-jersey-retired/
  11. "Boys High School All American Lacrosse Team - jamesmetzger.net". Archived from the original on 2011-10-09. Retrieved 2011-03-02.
  12. "NYSPHSAA - Record Book". Archived from the original on 2010-11-29. Retrieved 2009-07-29.
  13. Syracuse.com's Printer-Friendly Page
  14. "SU Athletics – Michael Powell Named Attackman of the Year". Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
  15. "archive.ph". archive.ph. Archived from the original on 2012-07-30. Retrieved 2022-10-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  16. "SU Athletics – Powell Wins Tewaaraton Trophy for Second Time in His Career". Archived from the original on September 30, 2007.
  17. "majorleaguelacrosse.com: Press Releases". Archived from the original on May 2, 2007.
  18. "POWELL". Archived from the original on 2009-06-12.
  19. Twenty One Rounds, 2018-06-15, retrieved 2018-09-05
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