University of North Carolina Athletics
Three Tar Heels Taken In the MLL Draft
January 15, 2014 | Men's Lacrosse
PHILADELPHIA, PA. - Three seniors on the 2014 University of North Carolina men's lacrosse team were selected last Friday in the Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft. The draft was held at the Philadelphia Convention Center in conjunction with the annual convention of U.S. Lacrosse.
Senior short defensive midfielder Ryan Creighton (West Chester, Pa.) was taken in the second round of the MLL Draft. He was the 12th pick overall in the draft and was taken by MLL's newest team, the Florida Launch. Creighton has been named an honorable mention All-America each of the past two years and will be a tri-captain of the 2014 team.
Two more Tar Heel seniors were taken in the seventh round with the first and second picks of that round. Senior face-off man/midfielder R.G. Keenan (Perry Hall, Md.) was chosen with the 49th pick overall by the Ohio Machine, where 2013 UNC alumnus Marcus Holman currently plays. Keenan, one of the nation's premier face-off men, is poised to rewrite the Tar Heel record book in face-offs and ground balls this season.
Senior short stick defensive midfielder Mark McNeill (West River, Md.) was also chosen in the draft's seventh round. He was the 50th overall player taken in the draft and his rights were garnered by his home state team, defending MLL champions, Chesapeake Bayhawks. McNeill had a breakthrough year for the Tar Heels last year, playing especially well late in the season in leading UNC to the ACC title and a berth in the NCAA quarterfinals.
