Matt Danowski facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Matt Danowski

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Born	(1985-08-12) August 12, 1985 (age 39) Farmingdale, New York
Nationality	American
Height	6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)
Weight	195 pounds (88 kg)
Position	Attack
NLL draft	7th overall, 2008 Colorado Mammoth
NLL teams	Colorado Mammoth Rochester Knighthawks Philadelphia Wings
MLL teams	New Jersey Pride Long Island Lizards Charlotte Hounds Chesapeake Bayhawks
PLL team	Chrome LC
NCAA team	Duke University
Pro career	2008–2020
Nickname	Dino

Matt Danowski (born August 12, 1985) is a former professional lacrosse player. He was an Attackman, which means he played offense. Matt played in two major leagues, Major League Lacrosse (MLL) and the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). His career lasted for 12 seasons. He finished his playing days with the Chrome Lacrosse Club. Matt announced he was retiring on February 22, 2021. Before Chrome LC, he played for teams like the Chesapeake Bayhawks and New York Lizards. He also played indoor lacrosse in the National Lacrosse League for four seasons. Matt was a top college player at Duke University. He won the Tewaaraton Trophy in 2007. At the time he graduated, he was the all-time leading scorer in NCAA Division I lacrosse. He had an amazing 353 points in his college career.

College Lacrosse Career

Matt Danowski was a starter for the Duke University lacrosse team. He played as a key offensive player throughout his entire college time.

Early Success at Duke

In 2005, during his second year, Matt won the Jack Turnbull Award. This award goes to the best college attackman in the country. It showed how talented he was very early in his career.

A Challenging Season

Matt's junior year in 2006 was cut short. The university ended the season early due to unusual circumstances. After this, Matt's father, John Danowski, became the new head coach for the Duke team. Because of the shortened season, Matt and 32 other Duke lacrosse players were given an extra year to play college lacrosse. This was a rare decision by the NCAA.

Reaching the Finals

In 2007, Matt Danowski and his teammate Zack Greer led the Duke Blue Devils. Their powerful offense helped the team reach the NCAA Final Four. Duke played against Johns Hopkins University in the championship game. Even though Duke made a strong comeback, they lost the final match. This game was a rematch of the 2005 championship.

Top College Player Awards

Matt won the Tewaaraton Trophy in 2007. This award is given to the most outstanding college lacrosse player in the nation. In the same year, he also won the Lt. Raymond Enners Award. This award recognizes the national player of the year. He also earned his second Jack Turnbull Award as the best attackman.

Breaking Records and Final Season

In the first round of the 2008 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship, Duke played against Loyola. Matt broke the career points record in this game. He passed the previous record held by Joe Vasta. However, Duke was again defeated by Johns Hopkins in the 2008 NCAA semifinals. This loss ended Matt's college career without him winning an NCAA championship. In 2008, he received the Lt. Raymond Enners Award again, making him national player of the year twice.

Professional Lacrosse Career

Just a few days after winning his second Enners award in 2008, Matt Danowski was drafted. He was the second player chosen overall in the 2008 Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft. The New Jersey Pride picked him.

Early MLL Days

Matt quickly showed his skills in the MLL. He earned Rookie of the Week honors in his first season. He scored 19 goals and had 14 assists in 12 games. This gave him a total of 36 points.

Moving Between Teams

In 2009, Matt was traded from the Colorado Mammoth to the New York Titans. He played for several teams during his career. In 2011, he was traded from the Long Island Lizards to the Charlotte Hounds. These trades are common in professional sports.

Joining the PLL and Retirement

In 2018, Matt Danowski was one of about 140 professional players who left the MLL. They joined the new PLL. He became an important player for the Chrome Lacrosse Club. He played in all ten games during the first PLL season in 2019. Matt did not play in the shortened 2020 season. This season was a special bubble tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On February 22, 2021, Matt announced his retirement from professional lacrosse.

Family Connections

Matt Danowski comes from a family of athletes. His father, John Danowski, became the head coach for the Duke men's lacrosse team in 2006. Matt's grandfather, Ed Danowski, was also a famous athlete. He played as a quarterback for the New York Giants football team. Ed led the Giants to two championships in 1935 and 1938.

Awards and Honors

• Seven-time MLL All-Star (2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014)
• Tewaaraton Trophy (2007)
• Four-time USILA All-American (2004, 2005, 2007, 2008)
• Lt. Raymond Enners Award (2007, 2008)
• Jack Turnbull Award (2005, 2007)
• Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year (2005)
• Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year (2004)