2008 MLL season

The 2008 Major League Lacrosse season will be the 8th season of the league. The season will begin on May 17, 2008 and conclude with the championship game on August 24, 2008.

Milestones & events

Pre-season

* Following the 2007 MLL season, the league saw a number of Head Coaching changes::*Chicago Machine Assistant Coach, John Combs was promoted to the team's new Head Coach, following the resignation of former Head Coach, Lelan Rodgers. [cite web |url=http://www.collegelax.us/news/2007/12/04/combs-named-new-machine-head-coach/|title=Combs Named New Machine Head Coach|accessdate=2008-03-14 |last= |first= |date=December 3, 2007 |format= |work=CollegeLax.us|publisher= |quote= ] Rodgers, stepped down from the position to accept an assistant coaching position at Syracuse University. [cite web |url=http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=839|title=Rogers stepped down as Machine Coach|accessdate=2007-11-20 |last= |first= |date=November 16, 2007 |format= |work=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|publisher= |quote= ]

:*Washington Bayhawks hired former Bayhawks player, and Head Coach of the Denver Outlaws, Jared Testa to lead the team. Scott Hiller, two-time winner of the Major League Lacrosse Coach of the Year Award remains with the team as general manager. [cite web |url=http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=863|title=Jarred Testa named new head coach of Bayhawks|accessdate=2008-03-14 |last= |first= |date=December 18, 2007 |format= |work=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|publisher= |quote= ]

:*San Francisco Dragons hired Tom Slate to be the teams head coach. Slate had been an Assistant Coach with the Philadelphia Barrage. [cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=864|title=Tom Slate named head coach of Dragons|accessdate=2008-03-14 |last= |first= |date=December 20, 2008 |format= |work=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|publisher= |quote= ]

* There were also a number of trades and player announcements in the off-season::*January 23, 2008: The Los Angeles Riptide traded team captain Matt Ogelsby and midfielder Garrett Wilson to the San Francisco Dragons for United States Naval Academy graduate Ben Bailey. [cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=876|title=Riptide and Dragons complete trade|accessdate=2008-03-14 |last= |first= |date=January 23, 2008 |format= |work=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|publisher= |quote= ]

:*March 3, 2008: The Chicago Machine traded midfielder Zach Heffner and hard-hitting defenseman Steve Panarelli to the San Francisco Dragons, for Mitch Hendler and Greg Rommel. [cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=887|title=Dragons and Machine conduct trades|accessdate=2008-03-14 |last= |first= |date=March 3, 2008 |format= |work=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|publisher= |quote= ]

:* March 4, 2008:Washington Bayhawks midfielder, and former Ivy League Player of the Year and 2006 McLaughlin Award co-winner, Joe Boulukos announced his retirement [cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=888|title=Bayhawks Boulukos retires|accessdate=2008-03-14 |last= |first= |date=March 4, 2008 |format= |work=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|publisher= |quote= ]

:* March 11, 2008:The Boston Cannons traded David Mitchell and a draft pick to the San Francisco Dragons, for defenseman Colin Hulme and attackman Matt Alrich. [cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=891|title=Cannons and Dragons trade 3 players|accessdate=2008-03-14 |last= |first= |date=March 11, 2008 |format= |work=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|publisher= |quote= ]

:* March 13, 2008: The San Francisco Dragons traded former Major League Lacrosse Offensive Player of the Year Award and MVP Ryan Powell, and midfielder Nate Watkins, to the Denver Outlaws in exchange for a first round and second round pick in the 2008 MLL Collegiate Draft. [cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=893|title=Dragons trade Powell, Watkins to Denver|accessdate=2008-03-14 |last= |first= |date=March 13, 2008 |format= |work=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|publisher= |quote= ]

:* May 2, 2008: The New Jersey Pride traded Princeton University all-time leading goal scorer Jesse Hubbard to the Los Angeles Riptide in exchange for a first round 2009 MLL Collegiate Draft pick. [cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=911|title=Pride trade Jesse Hubbard to Los Angeles|accessdate=2008-05-06 |last= |first= |date=May 2, 2008 |format= |work=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|publisher= |quote= ]

Regular season

*The San Franciso Dragons moved their home games to Spartan Stadium in San Jose, California from Kezar Stadium in San Franciso.
*The Washington Bayhawks moved their home games to George Mason Stadium in Fairfax, Virginia from Georgetown University's Multi-Sport Field in Washington.
*The Philadelphia Barrage played the 2008 season as a traveling team. Their "home games" were played in Virginia Beach, Virginia; Irving, Texas; Saint Louis, Missouri; Cary, North Carolina; Boston, Massachusetts and Hillsboro, Oregon.
* May 28: Major League Lacrosse held its annual Collegiate Draft. Paul Rabil was selected with the first overall pick by the Boston Cannons. [cite web|url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=966|title= Paul Rabil selected with #1 Overall Pick|date=May 28, 2008|publisher=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|accessdate=2008-06-10]
* June 10: Casey Powell became the all-time leading scorer in Major League Lacrosse eclipsing Mark Millon's mark. [cite web|url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=1004|title=Casey Powell: MLL All-Time Scoring Leader|date=June 10, 2008|publisher=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|accessdate=2008-06-25]
* June 23: The Washington Bayhawks traded midfielder Bill McGlone and a draft pick, to the San Francisco Dragons in exchange for Jarrett Park and Hunter Lochte. [cite web|url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=1004|title=Dragons trade Park, Lochte to Bayhawks for McGlone |date=June 23, 2008|publisher=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|accessdate=2008-06-25]
* July 27: Jesse Hubbard became the all-time leading goal leader in Major League Lacrosse eclipsing Mark Millon's mark. [cite web|url=http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=1145|title=Hubbard makes MLL history|date=July 27, 2008|publisher=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|accessdate=2008-08-12]
* August 4: Kevin Huntley of the Los Angeles Riptide set a record for goals scored by a rookie breaking Adam Doneger's mark set in 2003. [cite web|url=http://majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/pressreleases/index.html?article_id=1162|title=Huntley, Mcclay, Keenan, Queener Earn Weekly Awards|date=August 4, 2008|publisher=MajorLeagueLacrosse.com|accessdate=2008-08-12]

Post-season

* August 24: The Rochester Rattlers win their first MLL championship with a 16-6 win over the Denver Outlaws in Boston.

Standings

"W = Wins, L = Losses, PCT = Winning Percentage, GF = Goals For, 2ptGF = 2 point Goals For, GA = Goals Against, 2ptGA = 2 point Goals Against"

Final