The 2017-18 season went down to the wire for the Georgia Swarm, but the defending world champs were able to claim the top seed in the East Division for a second straight season with its 11-7 record. The Swarm won six-straight games at the end of the season to seize first in the East, and the players left it all out on the floor every game.
It was a team effort all season long, but that doesn’t mean the men in blue and yellow didn’t notch some new personal records and milestones. With the Swarm enjoying the bye week afforded by being the No. 1 team in the East, let’s take a look at the personal records for the Swarm players in 2017-18:
#4 – Lyle Thompson
The 2017 NLL MVP set a new personal high in goals for a season with 46, a figure he achieved against New England on April 29. Lyle led the team in points for the second straight season with 86 (46G, 40A), loose balls with 123, and set a new personal best in caused turnovers with 22, also a team-high. He reached and surpassed 100 career goals against New England on March 24, the same game where he exceeded 300 career loose balls with a 9-LB night. The University at Albany alum recorded his 200th career point with his second goal of the night when Georgia played Vancouver on Jan. 27.
#10 – Alex Crepinsek
In his sixth season in the NLL and with the Swarm, Crepinsek played in his 100th career game on March 24 against New England. He recorded his 50th career point in that game with an assist on a Joel White goal. Crepinsek scored his first career power play goal in the Swarm’s game against Calgary on Jan. 13. The Rochester Institute of Technology alum collected his 400th career loose ball in Georgia’s second game against Colorado on March 2.
#11 – Joel White
Rejoining the Swarm halfway through the season, White managed to surpass 700 career loose balls when he collected four in the final game of the season on April 29, the 89th game of his NLL career.
#13 – Connor Sellars
Photo Credit: Kyle Hess
The sophomore defensive player set a number of career highs. Sellars recorded 10 assists, scooped up 76 loose balls and caused 13 turnovers. He surpassed 100 career loose balls in the Swarm’s game against Toronto on March 3.
#19 – Jesse King
After missing the entire 2017 season due to injury, King rejoined the offense as an important cog. He set a new career-high in goals with 28, and his last goal of the season on April 29 put him at 50 career goals. King surpassed 100 points with his final point of the night against Buffalo on Feb. 10, a goal in the third quarter.
#24 – Jordan MacIntosh
In his seventh season in blue and yellow, MacIntosh surpassed 300 points when he handed out three assists for goals against Toronto on April 8. The team captain finished with 113 loose balls, his seventh consecutive season with more than 100 loose balls.
#25 – Leo Stouros
Stouros set new career highs in loose balls and caused turnovers with 44 and seven respectively. Against New England on March 24, the sophomore defenseman scored his first career goal in exciting fashion.
#30 – Mike Poulin
Photo Credit: Kyle Hess
The Swarm’s steady goaltender surpassed 7000 career minutes in front of the net and set a new career-high in minutes played with 1042:11, which led the league in 2017-18. Poulin also established a new career-high in single season saves, finishing the season with 692.
#32 – Shayne Jackson
In his sixth season with the Swarm, Jackson set a new career-high in single season assists and led the team in assists with 52. He also established a new career-high in points with 85. Jackson scored 30 or more goals for the fourth straight season. The Swarm assistant captain recorded his 400th career point on Feb. 11 against Rochester, reaching this milestone with an assist on a Lyle goal in the third quarter. For the third straight season, Jackson finished with 75 loose balls and caused a career-high 6 turnovers. He collected his 400th career LB in the Swarm’s third game of the season against Toronto on April 8.
#46 – Kiel Matisz
It was a good year for Matisz as he was inducted into the Robert Morris University Hall of Fame. He set a new career-high in assists with 50, simultaneously surpassing the 200-assist threshold on April 8 against Toronto with a helper to Lyle in the fourth quarter. The sixth-year forward reached 300 career points when the Swarm clashed with the Knighthawks on March 10.
#55 – Bryan Cole
In his sophomore season, Cole set career-highs in a number of statistics. He handed out eight assists, achieved 14 points, set a new high with two shorthand goals, and collected 95 loose balls.
#83 – Randy Staats
For the third straight season, Staats scored 30 or more goals. He surpassed 200 career points on Feb. 11 with an assist on a Jerome Thompson goal. The Syracuse University alum eclipsed 200 career loose balls when Georgia and New England played on March 24.
Photo Credit: Kyle Hess
