IL Indoor

Nick Tsouris

Nick Tsouris is one of those lacrosse players, the kind whose stats don’t really have a spot on the scoresheet. He never scored more than 2 goals in a season while at Yale University, and he wasn’t much for faceoffs. The midfielder didn’t exactly light up the scoresheet with assists, either. But when coach Andy Shay needed a defensive stop, he knew where to turn. After all, this is Yale and there are no dummies in the Ivy League, right? Right. Speed and tenacity defines the game of Tsouris and that’s exactly the sorta demeanor you want in a defender extraordinaire and that’s what Tsouris is. And that’s exactly what he’s hoping to be in the National Lacrosse League as well.

Hustle is a tough stat to measure in any sport, but one of the closest gauges we have is ground balls. Tsouris gets that. He’s also a healthy lad, never playing in fewer than 13 games in his 4 seasons for the Bulldogs. As for balls on the ground, he scooped 34 his freshman season, then followed that with seasons of 28, 14 and 29 while finishing with a grand total of 5 NCAA goals. But again, it’s not about the scoring for this fella.

It all starts with defense, any coach will tell you, and in field lacrosse defense is tough enough even with a long stick. Tsouris never went that route, keeping the short stick in his hand and the MLL’s Boston Cannons thought enough of his ability to make him a 4th-round draft choice this summer. In his debut, he scooped a pair of ground balls to help the Cannons defeat Denver, 17-12. Even better, that performance came at Harvard Stadium, home of his NCAA arch rival.

“Tsouris is a great athlete,” Cannons coach Bill Daye told Inside Lacrosse earlier this summer. “He has tremendous speed and can play one-on-one with a short stick vs. a lot of middies in this league, which is extremely important.”

So there ya have it. You want defense from a guy who has the speed to get the ball up after he puts it on the floor? Then you want Nick Tsouris on your NLL team.

Nick Tsouris

Height: 6′
Weight: 180
Position: Defensive Midfield
From: Stony Brook, N.Y.
College: Yale University
MLL: Boston Cannons

What’s your greatest asset that will help you in the NLL? My speed and playing defense with a short stick all my life.
Any indoor lacrosse experience? No.
A few words to describe your game? Quick, pressing, unrelenting defense.
What role or position can you see yourself playing for an NLL team? I will be an integral asset to a team’s defense by providing impenetrable defense and opportunities for transition.
What accomplishment in college are you most proud of? Ivy League championship my senior year.

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