| Ryan Benesch | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 30, 1985 , Kitchener, Ontario, CA |
| Position | Forward |
| Height |
5 ft 8 in (1.73 m) |
| MSL Team | Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks |
| NLL Team F. Teams |
Minnesota Swarm Edmonton Rush Toronto Rock |
| Nationality | Canada |
| Pro Career | 2007–present |
| Shoots | Left |
| Nickname | The Bullet |
Ryan Benesch (born January 30, 1985 in Kitchener, Ontario) is a Canadian lacrosse player who plays for the Minnesota Swarm in the National Lacrosse League. Benesch has also played for the Edmonton Rush and Toronto Rock, and was the 2011 NLL scoring leader.
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Benesch was drafted first overall by the San Jose Stealth in the 2006 NLL entry draft,[1] but was traded to Toronto Rock along with Chad Thompson and Kevin Fines for 2005 NLL MVP Colin Doyle.[2] Benesch played his minor lacrosse in Kitchener-Waterloo as well as his Junior 'A' lacrosse. He is currently the second leading scorer all-time in Kitchener-Waterloo Braves history behind Colin Doyle.
Benesch was named Rookie of the Week three times in the 2007 season, in weeks 4, 11, and 12, and was also named Rookie of the Month in March. On May 8, 2007, Benesch was awarded the Rookie of the Year Award, and named to the All-Rookie team.[3]
Early in the 2009 NLL season, Benesch and veteran Derek Suddons were traded to the Edmonton Rush for future draft picks.[4] After one season in Edmonton, he was traded again, this time to the Minnesota Swarm along with Scott Self and a draft pick for Scott Stewart, Ryan Ward, Justin Norbraten, and Richard Morgan.[5]
Benesch played five full years for the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves of the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League. In 2002, Benesch was given the "Joey Nieuwendyk Award" for Rookie of the Year.[6] He finished his junior career with an outstanding 178 goals and 391 points in just 104 games.
Benesch currently plays for the Victoria Shamrocks of the Western Lacrosse Association after his playing rights were acquired from the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks on 29 May 2010, along with those of Chet Koneczny. He was awarded the "Gene Dopp Memorial Trophy" for Rookie of the year in 2007.[7] In 2009, Benesch won the Presidents Cup with the Owen Sound Woodsmen of the OLA Senior B Lacrosse League.
| Regular Season | Playoffs | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | LB | PIM | ||
| 2007 | Toronto | 15 | 33 | 25 | 58 | 64 | 6 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | ||
| 2008 | Toronto | 14 | 19 | 31 | 50 | 71 | 38 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2009 | Edmonton | 14 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 71 | 2 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| NLL Totals | 43 | 69 | 83 | 152 | 206 | 46 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 0 | |||
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2001 | Kitchener-Waterloo Braves | OLA Jr.A | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2002 | Kitchener-Waterloo Braves | OLA Jr.A | 19 | 25 | 35 | 60 | 4 | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | ||
| 2003 | Kitchener-Waterloo Braves | OLA Jr.A | 19 | 37 | 57 | 94 | 17 | 5 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 14 | ||
| 2004 | Kitchener-Waterloo Braves | OLA Jr.A | 19 | 28 | 36 | 64 | 25 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 2 | ||
| 2005 | Kitchener-Waterloo Braves | OLA Jr.A | 22 | 43 | 43 | 86 | 19 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 2 | ||
| 2006 | Kitchener-Waterloo Braves | OLA Jr.A | 22 | 42 | 39 | 81 | 34 | 5 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 4 | ||
| 2006 | Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks | MSL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 0 | ||
| 2007 | Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks | MSL | 17 | 29 | 30 | 59 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 2 | ||
| 2008 | Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks | MSL | 18 | 30 | 36 | 66 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks | MSL | 17 | 31 | 41 | 72 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | ||
| 2009 | Owen Sound Woodsmen | OLA Sr.B | 6 | 24 | 21 | 45 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 0 | ||
| Presidents Cup | Owen Sound Woodsmen | CLA | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 16 | 10 | 26 | 4 | ||
| Junior A Totals | 104 | 178 | 213 | 391 | 99 | 22 | 17 | 27 | 44 | 22 | ||||
| Senior A Totals | 52 | 90 | 107 | 197 | 10 | 40 | 20 | 19 | 39 | 2 | ||||
| Senior B Totals | 6 | 24 | 21 | 45 | 0 | 3 | 8 | 7 | 15 | 0 | ||||
| Presidents Cup Totals | -- | -- | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 16 | 10 | 26 | 4 | ||||
| Preceded by Brodie Merrill |
NLL Rookie of the Year 2007 |
Succeeded by Craig Point |