DENVER – The Colorado Mammoth of the National Lacrosse League (NLL) exited Sunday evening’s 2024 NLL Entry Draft presented by Castore having selected one forward, three defensemen and two goaltenders.
With the organization’s coaching and scouting personnel joining General Manager Brad Self and front office staff inside Ball Arena Sept. 15 to select the franchise’s next wave of talent together as a group, it was a momentous night inside the LOUD HOUSE for the burgundy and black group.
Teams were allowed five minutes per selection in the opening round, with organizations allotted two minutes per pick in rounds two through six.
Getting the night started with their first pick of the evening, Colorado selected defenseman Owen Rahn with the 17th overall selection (second round).
The right-handed defenseman has spent his entire Jr. A career with the Orangeville Northmen, having recorded 59 points (32g, 27a) and 140 penalty minutes in 96 regular season games.
Recording 15 points (7g, 8a) and 12 penalty minutes in 17 regular season games as a back-ender, he was eventually asked to contribute a bit in the o-zone once the playoffs rolled around.
Chipping in eight points (5g, 3a) in five postseason games played (during the 2024 Minto Cup), the 6-1, 190 lb. prospect hails from Orangeville, Ontario and will join the team at Training Camp this fall.
Competing against Head Coach Pat Coyle’s Jr. A Coquitlam Adanacs during the Minto Cup, the Colorado bench boss will be thrilled to have the defensive talent on his side when the winter season rolls around, as he’ll look to make the team having freshly turned 20 years of age.
The now 19-year-old also logged 29 points (16g, 13a) and 16 penalty minutes in 13 appearances with the Toronto Monarchs of the Arena Lacrosse League (ALL).
Just four picks later as the Mammoth doubled down early in the second round, Colorado selected goaltender Nathan Whittom with the 21st overall selection (second round), the highest pick the organization has used on a netminder since selecting goaltender Nate Faccin 58th overall (fourth round) during the 2020 NLL Entry Draft.
Weighing in at 255 lbs. to match his 6-1 frame, the Elmira, Ontario native has spent his Jr. A days netminding for the Mimico Mountaineers for the past three summers.
Becoming the first netminder selected in the 2024 NLL Entry Draft presented by Castore, he most recently posted a 9-6 record, .791 save percentage and 8.74 goals-against average in 18 regular season appearances. Easily the team’s go-to guy for two seasons now, he’ll look to battle Faccin for the team’s backup role this fall.
Back on the clock in the next round, the Mammoth selected forward Patrick McIntosh with the 42nd overall selection (third round). The 6-1, 195 lb. talent has played midfield and attack for his University of Virigina squad, most recently recording three points (2g, 1a) and eight ground balls in 16 appearances as a midfielder.
Racking up 43 points (30g, 13a), 23 ground balls and two caused turnovers in 52 career appearances with UVA, the Palo Alto, he was named in the NLL.com’s Top 10 Offensive Prospects article and ranked No. 13 in Stephen Stamp’s Top 50 Prospects article as a promising talent.
Following up the selection moments later, Colorado selected goaltender Ethan Robertson with the 44th overall pick (fourth round) as the franchise made it clear they’re interested in securing some quality netminding talent to surround the team’s All-Pro starter Dillon Ward.
Noted at 6-3, 270 lbs., the Puslinch, Ontario native has spent his Jr. A career with the Six nations Arrows. Most recently recording a .788 save percentage and 10.23 goals-against average, he was 2-5 in regular season gameplay, later stopping 12-of-14 during 30 minutes of postseason action.
The big-bodied goaltender will join Ward, Faccin, Kaleb Martin and fellow classmate Nathan Whittom at camp in fighting for one of the team’s three netminding roster spots.
The Mammoth continued shoring up defensive efforts Sunday by selecting defenseman Zack Gooro with the 58th overall pick (fifth round).
Set to return to college this fall, where he’ll represent the Maryland Terrapins, he spent his first three collegiate campaigns with Bowdoin College where he recorded 61 points (26g, 35a), 208 ground balls and 26 caused turnovers in 60 appearances as a short stick defensive midfielder.
The Concord, Massachusetts native will look to build on his career collegiate figures this spring at 6-0, 205 lbs., making him a sincere threat to be added to the Terrapins’ well-established championship culture.
Rounding out the event with the team’s final pick of the night, Colorado selected defenseman Dylan Hess with the 73rd overall pick (sixth round).
Playing short stick midfield for four seasons at Georgetown University, he most recently recorded two points (2g, 0a), 29 ground balls and 17 caused turnovers in 17 appearances with the Hoyas.
In four seasons he’s totaled 48 points (35g, 13a), 95 ground balls and 39 caused turnovers in 66 career games played. The Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida native returns to school this fall, currently listed at 6-0, 215 lbs.
Each of this year’s selections can be viewed here via NLL.com.
An entire list of Colorado’s 2024 NLL Entry Draft results can be viewed below:
No. 17 overall (second round): Owen Rahn, Defenseman
No. 21 overall (second round): Nathan Whittom, Goaltender
No. 42 overall (third round): Patrick McIntosh, Forward
No. 44 overall (fourth round): Ethan Robertson, Goaltender
No. 58 overall (fifth round): Zack Goorno, Defenseman
No. 73 overall (sixth round): Dylan Hess, Defenseman
With the team announcing its 2024-25 LOUD HOUSE Home Opener earlier in the week, soon to be followed by the league announcing the squad’s entire regular season schedule on Tuesday, Sept. 17, Mile High supporters should be able to practically hear Ball Arena roaring, with turf-centric action returning in just over two months.
RELATED: Mammoth Set to Open 2024-25 NLL Campaign at LOUD HOUSE Home Opener Nov. 29
Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels throughout the fall stretch as the team inches closer and closer to its 2025 NLL Training Camp, slated to begin Oct. 31 in Lakewood, Colorado’s Foothills Fieldhouse.
