DULITH, Ga. (September 12, 2022) – The Georgia Swarm selected seven players during the 2022 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft, at the Carlu in Toronto, Ontario on Saturday, Sept. 10,. A handful of Swarm members attended the first in person NLL Draft since 2019 including newly appointed Assistant General Manager of Player Acquisition and Development, Mike Poulin.
The Swarm had eight picks on the docket heading into Saturday’s draft, holding two in the first round (11th and 20th). At the conclusion of the draft, Georgia walked away adding seven new faces to the franchise after trading their 50th overall selection to the New York Riptide in exchange for a third-round pick in the 2023 NLL Draft.
See full 2022 NLL Entry Draft Results
Georgia started the night selecting Brett Dobson, a goalie out of St. Bonaventure University 11th overall. The 2022 Inside Lacrosse, USA Lacrosse Magazine, and USILA All-American posted 569 saves, a 10.78 goals against average, and a .601 save percentage as a Bonnie. The 2022 MAAC Defensive Player of the Year started 37-of-41 games throughout his career, totaling a 15-20 record between the pipes. Dobson held a 15-8 record in net during his last two collegiate seasons, posting a career low goals-against average of 8.95 during his final season.
Dobson doesn’t just hold the backline down in the outdoor game as he spent three seasons playing indoors with the Whitby Warriors. With his OJALL team, Dobson played in 33 games totaling 794 saves, a .792 save percentage, and an 18-8 record. The netminder also has professional lacrosse playing experience as he has suited up with Team Canada and the PLL Archers Lacrosse Club.
Tabbed as the seventh best player in the 2022 NLL Entry Draft by respected columnist and personnel guru Stephen Stamp, Dobson was projected by many to go in the top seven – something that has happened only 4 times in the last 17 years in an NLL Draft. All four of those players (including Matt Vinc and Dillon Ward) have gone on to stellar careers in the league.
With the 20th selection in the NLL Draft, the swarm chose Brady Kearnan, a lefty attackman from Mercy College. The 2x USILA All-American and ECC Offensive Player of the Year started 33-of-34 games as a Maverick, recording 162 points (86G, 76A), a .638 shot on goal percentage and 65 ground balls. The Courtice, Ontario native played three years indoors with the Green Gaels as well as spent the 2018 and 2019 season with the Toronto Beaches. Kearnan recorded 167 points (69G, 98A) and 27 loose balls throughout five seasons in the OJALL.
After sitting out of round two, Georgia’s next pick was in the third, 48th overall where the Swarm took Teioshontateh McComber from the University at Albany. The attackman/midfielder started his collegiate career at Western New England University and became a four-year Great Dane starting in 2019. At UAlbany, McComber played in 28 games, totaling 15 goals and nine assists (24 points).
Next up, Georgia picked midfielder Brett Beetow 58th overall from St. Bonaventure. After three seasons with the Bonnies, the 2022 MAAC All-Academic Team selection played in 31 games, comprising 22 points (12G, 10A), a .514 shot on goal percentage and 21 ground balls. The Lancaster, N.Y. native recorded a hat trick in the MAAC Championship game, bringing the Bonnies within one with 40 second left to go in the title game.
Heading into the fourth round, the Swarm had the 62nd pick where they chose another Great Dane out of UAlbany. Georgia selected Elijah Gash, a 6-foot-4, 210-pound defenseman from South Lyon, Michigan. Gash came to Albany in 2021 after playing at St. Ambrose University. With the Great Danes, Gash started in 25-of the-26 games he played in, totaling 44 ground balls, 18 caused turnovers, and six points (4G, 2A).
With a solo fifth-round pick, Georgia selected Cross Ferrara 81st overall. The Salisbury University attackman holds the Seagull record in goals after notching 274 throughout his career as well as sits third in points with 351. In 2022, Ferrara was named the USILA Attackman of the Year, USA Lacrosse Magazine First Team All-American, IMLCA Second Team All-American, C2C Player of the Year, and ECAC Co-Player of the Year after scoring 91 goals and dishing out 28 assists for 119 points. The 2022 season marked the second year in a row Ferrara reached the triple digit mark in points, collecting 104 (78G, 26A) in 2021.
The Swarm rounded out the evening selecting University of Virginia midfielder, Jeff Conner. The Wallingford, Penn. native played in 55 games as a Cavalier, totaling 77 points (33G, 44A), a .663 shot on goal percentage, and 54 ground balls. The 2022 All-ACC selection landed fifth on the team in points that season after notching 32 (14G, 18A) and third in assists.
The Georgia Swarm begin their 2022-23 season campaign in Gas South Arena this December. Season Ticket Memberships are for sale and start as low as $7.77 per seat per game with our new 777 Club membership.
Round 1, Pick 11: Goalie Brett Dobson*
Round 1, Pick 20: Forward Brady Kearnan
Round 3, Pick 48: Forward/Midfielder Teioshontathe McComber*
Round 3, Pick 50: Traded to New York in exchange for a third round pick in the 2023 NLL Entry Draft
Round 3, 58: Midfielder Brett Beetow*
Round 4, 62: Defenseman Elijah Gash
Round 5, 81: Forward Cross Ferrara
Round 6, 96: Midfielder Jeff Conner
*Eligible to join Swarm roster for 2022-23 season
