Jake Withers and Kyle Jackson agree to multi-year deals with Rochester.
ROCHESTER, N.Y. — The Rochester Knighthawks announced that they have re-signed 2018 Rookie of the Year Jake Withers. The 24-year-old defenseman agreed to terms with Knighthawks Owner and General Manager Curt Styres after a dominating first season in the National Lacrosse League.
“Curt’s a great owner, and it’s a great organization with a lot of history,” said Withers. “It’s great to be able to sign a two-year deal. It’s going to be awesome to celebrate our 25 years in Rochester.
“I am focused on bringing a championship to Rochester. We came up short last year, so I know the fans and the community are really hungry. I am excited to be a part of that process.”
During the 2017-18 campaign, Withers played in all 18 regular season games and posted seven goals, five assists, and 148 loose balls. Withers led the league in faceoff wins (279) and faceoff winning percentage (.670) to become the first rookie in league history to have the best faceoff percentage (minimum of 200 faceoffs won) since Geoff Snider in 2007. For his efforts, he became just the second Knighthawk to win the award, joining John Grant Jr. (2000).
“Jake played a big role in our success last season, as a rookie,” said Knighthawks Owner and General Manager Curt Styres. “He controlled draws and got us valuable possessions. Not to be overlooked was his solid play on the defensive side of the ball.”
Withers was honored as the Knighthawks’ 2018 Rookie of the Year, after rewriting the team and league record book. The Peterborough, Ontario, native not only set the single-season team mark for faceoff wins (279), but also smashed Stephen Peyser’s league rookie record of 239.
Withers continued his impressive play during the Knighthawks’ run to the 2018 NLL Finals. In his postseason debut, he won 15 faceoffs and chipped in two assists in a win over New England in the East Division Semifinals. In Game Three of the NLL Finals, he collected a team and NLL Finals record 20 loose balls and won 23 of 29 faceoffs. He finished the postseason with team playoff records for loose balls (56) and faceoff wins (88).
Reaching the Finals in his first season was an incredible accomplishment. It has him more motivated to get back to the NLL’s biggest stage.
“Everyone’s goal is to win a championship, but especially after getting so close last year,” said Withers. “To get a couple of goals away, it burns a hole in your stomach during the offseason. It makes you do that extra sprint or that extra rep.”
It was Withers’ play at the Senior “A” and collegiate levels that convinced the Rochester brass to take the highly-touted defenseman. His list of accolades was extensive at Ohio State University (OSU), especially after helping the Buckeyes reach the 2017 NCAA Division I Finals. That season, he ranked fourth in the NCAA and first in the Big Ten in faceoff winning percentage (.647) and was seventh nationally with 7.6 ground balls per game. The OSU team captain was named a Second Team All-American as a faceoff specialist and earned Big Ten Specialist of the Year in back-to-back seasons (2016-17).
“The reason we picked Jake was not only because of his faceoff abilities,” said Knighthawks VP of Player Personnel Jody Gage. “It was more so because of his all-around play. He is a great defender and great in transition. His compete level is amazing. All the things we talked about at the draft table, he ended up achieving those goals. He was a big part of our success defensively and offensively, by getting us more possessions.”
After the completion of the 2018 NLL season, Withers won a championship with the Peterborough Lakers. He hoisted the Mann Cup for the second straight season, playing under Knighthawks head coach Mike Hasen. It was Hasen who had a significant influence in Rochester selecting Withers with the second overall pick 2017 NLL Entry Draft.
“His overall game is really good,” he said. “He is a smart player, and his IQ is off the charts. He plays a chippy, hard defensive game, which fits well into our system. He is also a great team guy.”
Kyle Jackson re-signs
The Knighthawks announced that they have re-signed Kyle Jackson to a five-year deal. After two impressive seasons, the former first-round selection solidified his commitment to the organization and Owner and General Manager Curt Styres by signing the multi-year deal.
“I told Curt, when I got drafted, that I was in this for the long haul and I was never going anywhere,” said Jackson. “I am extremely honored to have a partnership with the Knighthawks this year and for years to come.”
Getting Jackson re-signed to a long-term contract was one of the team’s biggest offseason priorities.
“Kyle has become one of the most productive players in our lineup, and the NLL,” said Styres. “We are excited to have him on board for the next five seasons.”
The 25-year-old forward was one of the focal points of the offense as Rochester advanced to the 2018 National Lacrosse League Finals. He tied for third on the team with nine postseason assists while scoring five times to conclude his first trip to the playoffs with 14 points in five games.
During the 2017-18 regular season, Jackson set career bests in goals (37), assists (36) and points (73), as he finished tied for the team lead in goals, and placed third in assists and points. He was a model of consistency, joining Cody Jamieson and Joe Resetarits as one of only three Rochester players to record a point in all 18 games. In 34 games with the Knighthawks, Jackson has now registered 63 goals and 70 assists for 133 points.
“Over the last two years, he has taken his game to a new level,” said Knighthawks assistant coach Mike Accursi. “He continues not only to push himself but his teammates. He is a guy who leads by example, and someone guys look up to. He is a dynamic athlete who is going to be a great player for this organization for a long time.”
Rochester surprised the lacrosse experts when it chose Jackson with the seventh overall selection in the 2016 NLL Entry Draft. But, the Knighthawks’ lacrosse staff knew what they were doing when they selected the former collegiate and Junior “A” standout.
Jackson made school history by becoming the first player in University of Michigan history to be selected in the NLL Entry Draft. He left Ann Arbor, Mich., as the school’s all-time leader in goals (88) and points (113). With the Wolverines, he was a two-time team Offensive MVP (2015-16), an All-ECAC First Team selection (2014), and Michigan’s Most Valuable Player (2016). His resume also included 198 points in five seasons with the Junior A Kitchener-Waterloo Braves.
In his first season, the Sarnia, Ontario, native rewarded the Knighthawks for taking him so high in the draft by posting the second-most goals (34) and points (60) on the team. He was also second in the NLL in goals among rookies. For his efforts, the University of Michigan product was selected to the All-Rookie Team and finished second in the league’s Rookie of the Year voting behind Toronto’s Tom Schreiber. Jackson was also named the team’s 2017 Rookie of the Year and the Knighthawks’ Offensive MVP.
“‘KJ’ has been a key part of our offense since he got drafted,” said fellow forward Cody Jamieson. “His speed and athleticism put opponents in tough positions. He also can pull up and has a deadly shot. He’s a tough matchup for anyone.”
Prior to his sophomore season in Rochester, he won a bronze medal with the Iroquois Nationals at the 2018 FIL World Lacrosse Championship. Jackson, who is of Aamjiwnaang First Nations descent, scored three goals to help the Iroquois defeat Puerto Rico, 14-7, and advance to the semifinals.
After an impressive showing on the international stage, Jackson joined Rochester for the 2017-18 NLL season. Jackson and the Knighthawks rallied from a 2-6 start and secured second place in the East Division. After postseason wins over New England and Georgia, Rochester got within one win of capturing the franchise’s sixth NLL Cup. Having the majority of the forwards back from last year bodes well for Jackson and the Knighthawks.
“I think with expansion, we were a team that didn’t lose a whole lot of guys (offensively),” he said. “We are better off for that because we have a young group. I think we are in a great spot to do great things.”