Dallas Rattlers

Rochester Rattlers

In 2001 and 2002 the team played home games at Frontier Field. They played at Bishop Kearney Field from 2003 to 2005, and moved into the new PAETEC Park in 2006. In April 2015, negotiations between the Rattlers and Sahlen's Stadium in Rochester fell through, resulting in the team moving its home field to Eunice Kennedy Shriver Stadium on the campus of SUNY Brockport.^[3] They returned to the city of Rochester for the 2016 season, using Wegmans Stadium at the Aquinas Institute as their home field. In 2017, they announced a return to the city's professional soccer stadium, now under new ownership and known as Capelli Sport Stadium.

The Rochester Rattlers (gold) vs. the Long Island Lizards (white) at PAETEC Park in 2008.

The Rattlers made the playoffs in 2001 and 2005 as a wildcard. They were the National Division champions in 2004. On June 16, 2007, the Rochester Rattlers won a 27–26 (in overtime) game over the Denver Outlaws in the highest scoring game in MLL history at INVESCO Field at Mile High.

In 2008, the Rattlers won their first and only MLL championship by defeating the Philadelphia Barrage 16–15 in overtime in the semifinals and the Denver Outlaws 16–6 in the championship game.

After the 2008 season, the team was dissolved and the rights to the team were sold to a Toronto, Ontario-based group on February 19, 2009.^[4] The Rattlers' staff and roster was transferred to the new Toronto franchise, named the Toronto Nationals;^[5][6] however, the Rattlers' history, team colors, and name remained in Rochester, thus allowing the Chicago Machine to be re-branded as the Rochester Rattlers in time for the 2011 season.^[7]

Dallas Rattlers

See also: 2018 Dallas Rattlers season

On November 16, 2017 the league announced that the Rattlers would be relocating to the Dallas market for the 2018 season and become the Dallas Rattlers. It was announced that head coach Tim Soudan would not be joining the team in Texas and instead Bill Warder, a long-time assistant coach for the Rattlers, would be the head coach.^[1] Warder and the rest of the Rattlers would play and win their first game as the new Dallas Rattlers on April 21 at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in a 15-9 defeat of the Chesapeake Bayhawks.^[8]

The Rattlers would finish first place in the league at 11-3, becoming the first team since the 2015 New York Lizards to win a double-digit number of games. They also finished a league-best 6-1 at their new home in Frisco, where they finished second place in the league in attendance. Five of the seven home games in the regular season were decided by one goal.

On August 11, the Rattlers hosted their former in-state rival Lizards in Frisco. The Lizards were the only team to defeat the Rattlers at home in the regular season, just two weeks prior. However, the Rattlers used a balanced attack and a crowd of over 6,000 people to fuel them to a 15-12 victory.^[9] The win lifted them to a championship game appearance in their first season in Dallas, and fourth appearance in franchise history.

The championship game was held on August 18 in Charleston, South Carolina at MUSC Health Stadium. The Rattlers would face the third-seeded Denver Outlaws, who defeated the team in the 2014 championship game. After grabbing a 9-6 lead midway through the second quarter, Dallas would suffer a 15-minute scoreless drought while the Outlaws went on a 7-0 run. The Rattlers would never recover and ended up dropping the contest, 16-12.^[10] The night before, Bill Warder was named Coach of the Year^[11], John Galloway was named Co-Goalie of the Year^[12], and Matt Dunn was named Defensive Player of the Year.^[13]

MLL Award Winners

Most Valuable Player Ryan Powell: 2001 John Grant Jr.: 2007, 2008 Rookie of the Year Adam Doneger: 2003 Alex Smith: 2007 Coach of the Year Tim Soudan: 2014 Bill Warder: 2018 Defensive Player of the Year Brodie Merrill: 2006, 2007, 2008 Michael Manley: 2014, 2016 Joel White: 2016 Matt Dunn: 2018 Offensive Player of the Year John Grant Jr.: 2001, 2007, 2008 Casey Powell: 2005 Jordan Wolf: 2015 Goalie of the Year John Galloway: 2014, 2016, 2018 Most Improved Player Andrew Combs: 2005 Justin Turri: 2014 Coaches and others # Name Term Regular Season Playoffs GC W L W% GC W L W% Rochester Rattlers 1 Guy Van Arsdale 2001–2003 40 19 21 .475 1 0 1 .000 2 B.J. O'Hara 2004–2008, 2011 61 36 25 .590 5 2 3 .400 3 Tim Soudan 2011– 2017 95 49 46 .515 5 2 3 .400 Dallas Rattlers 4 Billy Warder 2018– 14 11 3 .786 1 1 1 .500 References Wikimedia Commons has media related to Dallas Rattlers. 1 2 "Rattlers to Relocate to Frisco, TX for 2018 Season" (Press release). Major League Lacrosse. Retrieved November 16, 2017. ↑ Wagner, Bill (July 19, 2017). "Bayhawks owner likes team, future of MLL". Capital Gazette. Retrieved 28 November 2017. ↑ Nicholas Newcomb, Nicholas (April 7, 2015). "Rochester Rattlers find new home in B-port". The Stylus. Archived from the original on April 10, 2015. Retrieved April 10, 2015. ↑ Robin De Wind (February 19, 2009). "Rochester Rattlers rights sold to Toronto, Curt Styres to be part owner". News 10 NBC. Archived from the original on December 14, 2014. Retrieved March 9, 2009. ↑ David Naylor (February 10, 2009). "Investors finishing deal to move pro field lacrosse team to Toronto". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved March 9, 2009. ↑ Jecoliah Ellis (February 11, 2009). "Amerks Owner in Group Looking to Buy Rattlers, Move Them to Toronto". RochesterHomepage.net (WROC and WUHF). Retrieved March 9, 2009. ↑ Sal Maiorana (February 20, 2009). "Rochester Rattlers players find new MLL home in Toronto". Democrat and Chronicle. Retrieved March 9, 2009. ↑ New Rattlers win first game 15-9 at Chesapeake ↑ Rattlers advance to MLL Championship game ↑ Denver defeats Dallas for third Steinfeld Cup ↑ Warder named coach of the year ↑ John Galloway ties for Goalie of the year ↑ Matt Dunn takes home first Defensive Player of the Year award