Ryan Powell is the Latest Member of the Denver Outlaws Lacrosse Team

The Denver Outlaws announced today that in a trade with the San Francisco Dragons, the Outlaws will acquire attackman Ryan Powell and midfielder Nate Watkins. The terms of the trade maintain that San Francisco will receive Denver’s 7th overall (1st round) and 17th overall (2nd round) picks in the 2008 Collegiate Draft as well as Denver’s first round pick in the 2009 Collegiate Draft.

Powell has been a part of Major League Lacrosse since 2001, where he began his career with the Rochester Rattlers until 2005. Powell was traded to the San Francisco Dragons in 2006, where he played in 10 games, scoring 34 goals while recording 24 assists. That same year Powell was named Warrior Offensive Player of the Year and Bud Light MVP. He is the first MLL player to gain both honors in the same season. Moreover, Powell is the first to win multiple MVP awards. The 2007 season saw Powell as the team leader in points, playing in 10 games and scoring 18 goals, 1 2-point, and 22 assists good for a total of 41 points.

“I’m super excited about just coming to Denver. To be able to play at INVESCO Field at Mile High Stadium is incredible. I grew up idolizing John Elway. To call the stadium my home is something I’m excited about,” Powell said. “The Outlaws are such a great group of guys. They are definitely contenders for a championship, and hopefully we will bring that championship back to Denver in summer 2008.”

Powell, an MLL All-Star Team selection multiple times, is considered a leading attack in the MLL. Outlaws General Manager and Head Coach Brian Reese feels especially fortunate for the new additions to the Outlaws. “Ryan's accomplishments and statistics speak for themselves. He is one of the most talented lacrosse players to ever play the game. I think what impresses me the most about Ryan is his tenacity and competitiveness. The intensity he plays with is contagious. Ryan will fit in well with the team we have in place and will provide leadership on the offensive end,” Reese said.

At Syracuse University, Powell was selected First-Team All American three times (1998, 1999, 2000) and winner of the Lt. Raymond J. Enners Award as the Division I National Player of the Year after scoring 66 goals and adding 30 assists.

In addition to the MLL, Powell is also an 8-year veteran of the NLL, currently playing for the Portland Lumberjax. Powell is one of only two current players in Lumberjax history to score at least one point in every game they have appeared in over the course of at least one full season. He is also the second in Lumberjax history with 35 goals and the first in franchise history to have 57 assists. Professionally, Powell also works for Rhino Lacrosse and recently became Nike’s first fully-endorsed professional lacrosse player.

Nate Watkins’ MLL career parallels Powell, as he played in Rochester for four years, then became a member of the Dragons’ roster in their inaugural season in 2006. He was selected by San Francisco in the 2006 MLL Expansion Draft and had his best season that year, scoring 15 goals and adding 5 assists in 12 games. Watkins, a 2002 graduate of the University of Maryland, tied for the team lead in goals with 24 and added 7 assists in his senior season.

“Nate is an athletic player that can play well on both ends of the field. He is one of the fastest players in the league and will add to an already fast group of midfielders,” said Reese.

The trade gives San Francisco a total of seven picks in the upcoming Collegiate Draft, which will be held on May 28th. Denver has four picks.

"Ryan and Nate are both experienced and extremely talented players. Adding them to the team gives us another dynamic and makes us a harder team to match up with. Both of these guys are committed to doing what it takes to win. We are fortunate to have them in Denver now."

This summer, INVESCO Field at Mile High will host six Outlaws games, the 2008 Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game, the CHSAA boys lacrosse championship game, a CU vs. CSU men’s and women’s club lacrosse games and the women’s college club championship game. The Outlaws home opener is May 17th against the Los Angeles Riptide. Season tickets start at $99 and are now on sale by calling 303-OUTLAWS.