Merrick Thomson
Encyclopedia
Merrick Thomson is a former lacrosse
player from Hamilton, Ontario
. He played the attack position for the Hamilton Nationals of Major League Lacrosse
and for the Philadelphia Wings
of the National Lacrosse League
.
, alongside Frank Resetarits
, and helped lead his team to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
tournament as a senior. Thomson made an immediate impact in the NCAA. As a freshman, he equaled the NCAA single game record of playoff goals scored, with six, in a contest against the Syracuse Orangemen
, earning America East Conference
Rookie of the Year in 2004. In 2005, he led the nation in goals scored per game, with 3.38 per game, and in 2007 was named an All-American
(third-team).
with the New Jersey Pride
. In limited playing time as a rookie, Thomson impressed, and has proved himself a valuable asset in the future to the Pride. In 2008
, his second season in the league, Thomson scored 42 goals (finishing with the second most on the season) and was awarded the Warrior Most Improved Player award
. During the 2009 MLL season
Thomson played for the Toronto Nationals
. Thomson had a career high in goals with 44. He then helped lead Toronto to the MLL Championship and won the MVP award for the playoffs.
Thompson suffered a concussion during the 2009 championship game. The injury has sidelined Thomson for the entire 2010 NLL season
with the Wings. He has also been placed on Injury Reserve for the 2010 MLL season
with the Nationals.
of the National Lacrosse League
in the 2007 NLL Entry Draft. A consensus first round draft pick, the Wings chose Thomson to strengthen their left-handed offensive attack. Thomson captured Rookie of the Week honors in week 4 of the 2008 NLL season
, and also was named Rookie of the Month for January.
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...
player from Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
. He played the attack position for the Hamilton Nationals of 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 :...
and for the Philadelphia Wings
Philadelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
of the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
.
College career
Thomson played collegiate lacrosse at the University at Albany. He was co-captain of the Great DanesAlbany Great Danes Men's Lacrosse
The Albany Great Danes men's lacrosse team represents the University at Albany in NCAA Division I men's college lacrosse. Albany currently competes in the America East Conference and plays its home games on John Fallon Field. The team reached the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament in...
, alongside Frank Resetarits
Frank Resetarits
Frank Resetarits is a lacrosse player from Hamburg, New York. As a high school player Resitarits ranks in the top three players all-time for points in a career. He plays forward for the Buffalo Bandits of the National Lacrosse League and attack for the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse...
, and helped lead his team to the NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship
The annual NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship tournament determines the top men's field lacrosse team in the NCAA Division I, Division II, and Division III....
tournament as a senior. Thomson made an immediate impact in the NCAA. As a freshman, he equaled the NCAA single game record of playoff goals scored, with six, in a contest against the Syracuse Orangemen
Orangemen
Orangemen can refer:*Historically, to supporters of King William III of Orange.*To members of the modern Orange Institution - a Protestant fraternal organisation.*To the former name of male sports teams of Syracuse University, now called the Orange....
, earning America East Conference
America East Conference
The America East Conference is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located mainly in the northeastern United States. The conference was known as the ECAC North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from the fall semester of 1988 to the end of the spring...
Rookie of the Year in 2004. In 2005, he led the nation in goals scored per game, with 3.38 per game, and in 2007 was named an All-American
USILA All-American Team
The USILA All-American Team is an honor given annually to the best American men's college lacrosse players at their respective positions by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association. The term All-American is derived from the same practice in American college football, in which the...
(third-team).
MLL
Thomson plays in Major League LacrosseMajor 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 :...
with the New Jersey Pride
New Jersey Pride
The New Jersey Pride were a men's field lacrosse team formerly based in Piscataway, New Jersey, United States. They played in Major League Lacrosse from 2001-2008.-Franchise history:...
. In limited playing time as a rookie, Thomson impressed, and has proved himself a valuable asset in the future to the Pride. In 2008
2008 MLL season
The 2008 Major League Lacrosse season was the 8th season of the league. The season began on May 17, 2008 and concluded with the championship game on August 24, 2008.-Pre-season:...
, his second season in the league, Thomson scored 42 goals (finishing with the second most on the season) and was awarded the Warrior Most Improved Player award
Major League Lacrosse Most Improved Player of the Year Award
Warrior Major League Lacrosse Most Improved Player of the Year Award is given annually to the most improved player of the MLL. This award was first given in 2005....
. During the 2009 MLL season
2009 MLL season
The 2009 Major League Lacrosse season was the 9th season of the league. The season began on May 15, 2009 and concluded with the championship game on August 23, 2009.-Rule changes:...
Thomson played for the Toronto Nationals
Toronto Nationals
The Hamilton Nationals are a Major League Lacrosse professional men's field lacrosse team based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. They began play in the 2009 season from Toronto, Ontario as the Toronto Nationals, becoming the first-ever Canadian team in MLL history...
. Thomson had a career high in goals with 44. He then helped lead Toronto to the MLL Championship and won the MVP award for the playoffs.
Thompson suffered a concussion during the 2009 championship game. The injury has sidelined Thomson for the entire 2010 NLL season
2010 NLL season
The 2010 National Lacrosse League season, the 24th in the history of the NLL, began on January 8, 2010 and ended with the Championship game on May 15.-Team movement:...
with the Wings. He has also been placed on Injury Reserve for the 2010 MLL season
2010 MLL season
The 2010 Major League Lacrosse season was the 10th season of the league. The season began on May 15, 2010 and concluded with the championship game on August 22, 2010.-Team movement:...
with the Nationals.
NLL
Thomson was selected in the first round (second overall) by the Philadelphia WingsPhiladelphia Wings
The Philadelphia Wings are a member of the National Lacrosse League, a professional box lacrosse league in North America. They play at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania....
of the National Lacrosse League
National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League is a men's professional indoor lacrosse league in North America. It currently has nine teams; three in Canada and six in the United States. Unlike other lacrosse leagues which play in the summer, the NLL plays its games in the winter and spring. Each year, the playoff...
in the 2007 NLL Entry Draft. A consensus first round draft pick, the Wings chose Thomson to strengthen their left-handed offensive attack. Thomson captured Rookie of the Week honors in week 4 of 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....
, and also was named Rookie of the Month for January.
Awards
- 2004 – America East ConferenceAmerica East ConferenceThe America East Conference is a NCAA Division I college athletic conference whose members are located mainly in the northeastern United States. The conference was known as the ECAC North from 1979 to 1988 and the North Atlantic Conference from the fall semester of 1988 to the end of the spring...
Rookie of the Year - 2007 USILA Division I All-American
- 2008 Major League Lacrosse Most Improved Player of the Year AwardMajor League Lacrosse Most Improved Player of the Year AwardWarrior Major League Lacrosse Most Improved Player of the Year Award is given annually to the most improved player of the MLL. This award was first given in 2005....
NCAA (Division I)
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | GB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2004 | UAlbany | 16 | 47 | 12 | 59 | 23 | |
| 2005 | UAlbany | 16 | 54 | 20 | 74 | 22 | |
| 2006 | UAlbany | 15 | 31 | 11 | 42 | 27 | |
| 2007 | UAlbany | 18 | 56 | 13 | 69 | 23 | |
| NCAA Totals | 65 | 188(a) | 56 | 244 | 95 | ||
- (a) 5th on NCAA career goals list
Major League Lacrosse
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | GB | PIM | GP | G | 2ptG | A | Pts | GB | PIM | |||
| 2007 | New Jersey | 5 | 9 | 0 | 1 | 10 | 5 | 0 | ||||||||||
| 2008 | New Jersey | 12 | 42 | 0 | 10 | 52 | 10 | 2 | ||||||||||
| 2009 | Toronto | 11 | 44 | 0 | 6 | 50 | 13 | 1.5 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | |||
| MLL Totals | 28 | 95 | 0 | 17 | 112 | 28 | 3.5 | 2 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 5 | 1 | ||||
National Lacrosse League
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | |||
| 2008 | Philadelphia | 15 | 26 | 29 | 55 | 59 | 26 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | |||
| 2009 | Philadelphia | 15 | 39 | 30 | 69 | 70 | 2 | |||||||||
| NLL Totals | 30 | 65 | 59 | 124 | 129 | 28 | 1 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 0 | ||||