2014 Major League Lacrosse All-Star Team Release
BOSTON, Mass. – Former Endicott men's lacrosse face-off specialist John Ortolani '08 (Billerica, Mass.) was named to the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) All-Star Team which will compete against Team USA in the MLL All-Star Game on Thursday, June 26th at 7:30 p.m. at historic Harvard Stadium in Cambridge. Ortolani, a two-time All-CCC and All-New England selection in his three years at Endicott, is in his sixth season in the MLL and is the current face-off man for the Rochester Rattlers. This is his first MLL All-Star selection.
"I'm really excited to be named to the MLL All-Star Team," said Ortolani. "It is one more of my career goals that I can check off the list. The next one is to start for a MLL championship team and the Rattlers are heading in the right direction. I've worked hard for everything all the way back to Billerica, Endicott, Boston, and now Rochester. I have to keep it going to achieve all of my career goals."
In 2014, Ortolani has been a standout on the "x" in his second season with the 4-2 Rattlers with a .500 face-off win percentage (80-for-160) and 38 ground balls. Last season he successfully won 166-of-376 attempts (.441) at the draw with 61 ground balls. In his six total years in MLL, which includes four seasons with the Boston Cannons, Ortolani has a career .470 face-off win percentage, 121 ground balls, and three assists.
Ortolani will be joined by Rochester teammates Mike Manley (defense), Joel White (long-stick midfield), and Justin Turri (midfield) on the MLL All-Star Team. Manley is a two-time MLL Defensive Player of the Week this season.
Ortolani, in his four-year collegiate career which includes one season at Saint Anselm, compiled a .665 face-off win percentage and averaged 6.3 ground balls per game. In 2008, he ranked second among NCAA Division III face-off men with a .689 win percentage (261-of-380). He produced 46 career points on 12 goals and 34 assists. In his three seasons at Endicott, he won .690 percent of his face-off attempts en route to earning two All-CCC Second Team nods in 2007 and 2008 as well as ECAC Division III New England First Team and NEILA Second Team All-New England honors in 2008.
"Having John be recognized as a MLL All-Star is a true reflection of the hard work that he has put in over the years both on and off the field," said Endicott head men's lacrosse coach Sean Quirk, who coached Ortolani for all three of his seasons including two in 2006 and 2007 that resulted in CCC Championships and NCAA Tournament appearances. "As a student-athlete at Endicott, John distinguished himself against the competition with the dedication he exemplified. I am not the least bit surprised of what he has accomplished."
Along with his professional lacrosse career, Ortolani is also a professional Mixed Martial Arts fighter with a career 7-8 record with his wins coming on four knockouts, one submission, and two by decision.
Tickets for the June 26th MLL All-Star Game at Harvard Stadium (7:30 p.m.) are on sale now and can be purchased at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 617-746-9933. The game will also be televised live on the CBS Sports Network.
