Charlotte Hounds facts for kids
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| Sport | Lacrosse |
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| Founded | 2012 |
| Folded | 2019 |
| League | Major League Lacrosse |
| Based in | Charlotte, North Carolina |
| Stadium | American Legion Memorial Stadium |
| Colors | Royal Blue, Tan |
| Head coach | Joe Cummings |
| General manager | Mike Cerino |
| Mascot | Blue the Plott Hound |
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Image:Lacrosse current event.svg Current season
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The Charlotte Hounds were a professional field lacrosse team. They played in the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) league. The team started playing in the 2012 MLL season. Their home games were held at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Hounds stopped playing after the 2018 season.
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How the Team Started
In January 2011, the MLL decided to add new teams. Charlotte, North Carolina, was chosen as one of the new locations. The team needed a name and identity. Fans helped choose the team's name through a special campaign. They voted on ideas like "Hounds," "Legion," and "Monarchs."
On June 21, 2011, it was announced that the team would be called the Charlotte Hounds. Their team colors were royal blue and tan. Later that year, Mike Cerino was hired as the first head coach.
On May 12, 2012, the Charlotte Hounds played their first home game. They beat the Ohio Machine 18–15. This was their first win ever!
A Quick Start in 2013
The Hounds had a great second season in 2013. On August 3, they earned a spot in the playoffs. They beat the Hamilton Nationals 14–11 to make it happen.
In the semifinals, Charlotte faced the Denver Outlaws. Denver had a perfect 14–0 record that season. But the Hounds surprised everyone, winning 17–14. This win sent them to the championship game.
On August 25, the Hounds played for the Steinfeld Cup. They lost a close game, 10–9, to the Chesapeake Bayhawks. Even though they lost, reaching the championship in their second year was a big achievement.
Challenges in 2014 and 2015
The team faced some tough times in the next two seasons. In 2014, the Hounds started with only one win in five games. They did manage to beat the Denver Outlaws again, ending Denver's 25-game winning streak. However, Charlotte finished the 2014 season with a 4–10 record. This was their worst record at the time.
Things didn't get much better in 2015. The Hounds finished with a 3–11 record. This was the worst record in the entire league that year.
Getting Back on Track: 2016-2018
Before the 2016 season, the team made some changes. Mike Cerino became the general manager. Jim Stagnitta was hired as the new head coach. The Hounds started the 2016 season with three straight home wins. This was their best start ever, at 3–0.
On August 6, the Hounds made a big comeback against the Chesapeake Bayhawks. They were down 11–6 but won 15–13. This win secured their second playoff spot in team history. It also gave them their first winning record ever, at 8–6. Their season ended in the semifinals, with a 16–10 loss to the Ohio Machine.
The 2017 season was a bit of a setback. The Hounds started 0–3. They finished the season with a 6–8 record. A highlight was drafting Matt Rambo. He was a star player from Maryland.
The Hounds started the 2018 season with a huge win. They beat the Boston Cannons 25–7. This game set new team records for most goals scored and largest win margin. Coach Jim Stagnitta also became the team's winningest coach. Despite the strong start, the Hounds did not make the playoffs that year. The team stopped playing after the 2018 season.
Season Records
Here's how the Charlotte Hounds performed each season:
| Charlotte Hounds | |||||
| Year | Wins | Losses | Win % | Regular Season Finish | Playoffs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 5 | 9 | .357 | 6th in League | Did not qualify |
| 2013 | 7 | 7 | .500 | 4th in League | Won semifinal 17–14 over Denver Outlaws Lost championship 10–9 to Chesapeake Bayhawks |
| 2014 | 4 | 10 | .286 | 8th in League | Did not qualify |
| 2015 | 3 | 11 | .273 | 8th in League | Did not qualify |
| 2016 | 8 | 6 | .571 | 4th in League | Lost semifinal 16–10 to Ohio Machine |
| 2017 | 6 | 8 | .429 | 7th in League | Did not qualify |
| 2018 | 7 | 7 | .500 | 6th in League | Did not qualify |
| Totals | 40 | 58 | .408 | Total Playoff Record 1-2 Playoff Win % = .333 |
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Team Roster
This table shows the players on the 2018 Charlotte Hounds team.
| 2018 Charlotte Hounds | ||||||
| # | Name | Nationality | Position | Height | Weight | College |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | Bill Milone |  |
G | 5 ft 11 in | 185 lb | Pfeiffer |
| 1 | Mike Chanenchuk | |
M | 5 ft 11 in | 180 lb | Maryland |
| 2 | Charlie Cipriano | |
G | 5 ft 11 in | 185 lb | Fairfield |
| 4 | Ryan Brown | |
A | 5 ft 10 in | 190 lb | Johns Hopkins |
| 5 | Connor Fields |  |
A | 5 ft 11 in | 160 lb | Albany |
| 6 | Will Haus | |
M | 6 ft 1 in | 185 lb | Duke |
| 7 | Danny Sweeney | |
D | 6 ft 3 in | 230 lb | Villanova |
| 8 | Michael Howard | |
D | 6 ft 5 in | 220 lb | Virginia |
| 9 | Matt Rambo | |
A | 5 ft 10 in | 210 lb | Maryland |
| 11 | Joey Sankey | |
A | 5 ft 5 in | 160 lb | North Carolina |
| 13 | Tim Rotanz | |
M | 6 ft 1 in | 210 lb | Maryland |
| 14 | John Scheich | |
A | 5 ft 10 in | 180 lb | Catawba |
| 17 | Adam Osika | |
SSDM | 6 ft 3 in | 205 lb | Albany |
| 18 | Jake Withers | |
FO | 5 ft 11 in | 192 lb | Ohio State |
| 19 | John Crawley | |
M | 6 ft 0 in | 205 lb | Johns Hopkins |
| 20 | Brendan Hynes | |
LSM | 6 ft 3 in | 185 lb | Richmond |
| 21 | Kevin Crowley | |
M | 6 ft 4 in | 200 lb | Stony Brook |
| 22 | Joe McCallion | |
M | 5 ft 11 in | 200 lb | Penn |
| 25 | Dylan Maltz | |
A | 5 ft 8 in | 170 lb | Maryland |
| 26 | John Haus | |
M | 6 ft 0 in | 190 lb | Maryland |
| 27 | Jake Richard | |
M | 6 ft 0 in | 180 lb | Marquette |
| 28 | Michael Ehrhardt | |
D | 6 ft 5 in | 210 lb | Maryland |
| 32 | Adam DiMillo | |
M | 5 ft 11 in | 190 lb | Maryland |
| 33 | Pierce Bassett | |
G | 6 ft 3 in | 200 lb | Johns Hopkins |
| 40 | Kevin Cooper | |
A | 6 ft 4 in | 190 lb | Maryland |
| 41 | Kevin Massa | |
FO | 5 ft 10 in | 200 lb | Bryant |
| 43 | Noah Rak | |
FO | 6 ft 0 in | 203 lb | Massachusetts |
| 44 | Brett Schmidt | |
D | 6 ft 0 in | 181 lb | Maryland |
| 45 | James Barclay | |
D | 5 ft 11 in | 195 lb | Providence |
| 48 | Tom Noell | |
LSM | 5 ft 10 in | 215 lb | UNCW |
| 50 | Morgan Cheek | |
A | 6 ft 1 in | 200 lb | Harvard |
| 55 | Scott Hooper | |
D | 6 ft 1 in | 200 lb | Virginia |
| 91 | Matt McMahon | |
D | 6 ft 4 in | 225 lb | Penn |
Coaches Through the Years
Here are the head coaches who led the Charlotte Hounds:
| # | Name | Years Coached | Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Games Coached | Wins | Losses | Win % | Games Coached | Wins | Losses | Win % | |||
| 1 | Mike Cerino | 2012–2015 | 52 | 19 | 37 | .339 | 2 | 1 | 1 | .500 |
| 2 | Jim Stagnitta | 2016–2018 | 42 | 21 | 21 | .500 | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 |
| 3 | Joe Cummings | 2019– | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Team Awards
Some Charlotte Hounds players and coaches won special awards:
Coach of the Year
- Jim Stagnitta: 2016
Rookie of the Year
- Joey Sankey: 2015
Most Improved Player
- Mike Chanenchuk: 2016
Draft Picks
The Hounds picked many talented players in the first round of the college draft:
- 2013: Tucker Durkin (from Johns Hopkins), Mike Sawyer (from Loyola)
- 2014: Michael Ehrhardt (from Maryland)
- 2015: Will Haus (from Duke)
- 2016: Dylan Donahue (from Syracuse), Ryan Brown (from Johns Hopkins)
- 2017: Matt Rambo (from Maryland)
- 2018: Connor Fields (from Albany)
