Bucknell University Athletics
Chris Cara Drafted by Long Island Lizards in MLL College Draft
6/2/2005 8:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
June 2, 2005
LEWISBURG, Pa. - Bucknell senior attackman Chris Cara was selected by the Long Island Lizards with the second pick in the third round of the 2005 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft, held Wednesday at Sacred Heart University. Cara is the third Bison to be drafted by the MLL. Justin Sussman, a two-time Patriot League Defensive Player of the Year, was selected in the fourth round of the 2003 MLL supplemental draft, while Blaise Fletcher was picked in the fifth round of last year's draft by the Baltimore Bayhawks.
Cara, who was picked 14th overall, won the national scoring title this year, and was one of three Patriot League players drafted Wednesday. New Jersey selected Navy midfielder Graham Gill with the first pick in the second round, while Rochester chose Army's Jim Wagner in the fifth round.
With an average of 5.08 points per game (66 points in 13 games) Cara led the nation in scoring for the second consecutive season. The two-time Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year, Cara finished the season with 29 goals and 37 assists. His assist total tied for second in the nation, while his 2.85 assists per game led the country.
Cara this season broke the Bucknell and Patriot League records for career points with 249 (111 goals, 138 assists), and he tied the school assist mark. The Medford, N.Y., native, who is one of 16 finalists for the Tewaaraton Trophy, was presented the Christy Mathewson Award as Bucknell's top senior athlete last month.
Earlier this week Cara was named a third-team All-American, becoming Bucknell's 14th Division I lacrosse All-American and 18th overall.
In the 2005 Warrior Major League Challenge, which took place at Campus Field on the campus of Sacred Heart Wednesday, and featured many of the players drafted, Cara scored one goal. His team, the Hedgehogs, lost to Team Superfly 14-13.
Long Island also selected Brown's Chazz Woodson and Virginia's Jack deVilliers. However, Cara was the Lizards' first pick as Woodson was taken in the fourth round and deVilliers in the fifth.
Long Island's next game is Saturday, June 4, against the Philadelphia Barrage. Cara is eligible to play in that contest. The MLL is a five-year-old six-team professional lacrosse league. Each team plays a 12-game schedule.
