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D.J. HESSLER ON MAJOR LEAGUE LACROSSE'S BOSTON CANNONS PRACTICE SQUAD
MEDFORD - D.J. Hessler (Monkton, MD), who completed his
All-American lacrosse career at Tufts in May, was signed to the
practice squad of Major League Lacrosse's Boston Cannons over the
summer.
Hessler was picked up by the Cannons after the collegiate season ended. The league conducted a waiver wire draft for all players who were not picked in the regular draft and who submitted their names for the post-collegiate waiver draft. He was one of approximately 15 players selected by the league's six teams out of 70 applicants. He signed a contract in mid-June, about three weeks into the MLL season.
Whereas most MLL players have other full-time jobs, the team only practices once per week for home games. They practice on Friday night and then have a walk-through on Saturday morning followed by the game later that night. For away games, teams carry a smaller roster and only have a walk-through before the game. By the time Hessler was selected, the Cannons had already played four home games and were about to go on a four-game road stretch plus the all-star weekend. He practiced with the team for the first time on July 22, which was their first time back home in five weeks. The season is winding down with only two more regular season games, including a home game next weekend for which Hessler hopes to participate in the Friday practice.
Teams carry a 25-man active roster and additional practice squad players. Only the 25 men on the active roster are eligible to make the 19-man game day roster. At this point in the season, it is unlikely that Hessler would suit up for the Cannons in a game situation, especially considering that all three of their attackmen were selected to the all-star team. However, he's excited about future possibilities.
"At this point it is difficult to really know too much, but I am hoping that it will eventually lead somewhere," Hessler said. "After this season is over, the league is adding two more franchises to increase the size to eight teams, so there will be an expansion/supplemental draft sometime in the fall or winter. At that point I could potentially be picked up by a new franchise, or remain with the Cannons and try to work my way into the active roster. It is definitely something I am interested in doing."
A biomedical engineering major at Tufts who earned the NCAA's Elite 88 award as the highest performing student at the 2011 NCAA Men's Lacrosse Championship, Hessler is currently working at Hydra Biosciences on Memorial Drive in Cambridge as a Research Associate: Compound Handler. The MLL would not interfere with this, as the league's commitments are on weekends.
Hessler completed his Tufts career as the all-time leading scorer in the program's history with 321 points on 140 goals and 181 assists. He was a three-time All-American for Coach Mike Daly's Jumbos and was named named the 2011 Lt. Col. J.L. (Jack) Turnbull Award recipient as the Outstanding Attackman in NCAA Div. III. He earned the Most Outstanding Player Award when the Jumbos won Tufts' first-ever NCAA team title in 2010 with a 9-6 win over Salisbury.
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