NLL Insider

Mars Hill's Alberta lacrosse product Danny Farmer.

Pretty coincidental that Joel Derechinsky’s post from the Alberta Junior A loop this week had a theme of the province’s impact ball players in the NCAA, because today’s National Lacrosse League entry draft profile will feature one of the top DII high scoring attackers, Danny Farmer, who, you guessed it, is a product of the province of Alberta.

Farmer has spent the last four years at Mars Hill College, posting an impressive 150-goals in all games played at the school since ‘06, always near the top of DII’s scoring charts, Mars Hill seeing a change in fortunes since the inclusion of Farmer and a host of other box-first Canucks.

In ‘03 the college went just 0-12 and had spitted out similar disappointing runs previous to that winless campaign. In entered the likes of Farmer, Dave Hodgins, Andrew Chapman, Eric Benesch, Tyler Farmer (Danny’s brother), TJ Cowx, Cade Zulak and Chris Cudmore, all accomplished box lacrosse studs in Alberta, BC and Ontario, all impact ball players at Mars Hills. In fact, after picking up some of the names above, the school has coincidentally seen a steady increase in the win column, with either ten or elevan W’s over the past three seasons, routinely ranked inside the USILA Division II Coaches Poll.

Farmer was named the Deep South Conference Player of the Year this past spring (his second straight year getting the nod), his season also landing himself and fellow Canuck Cudmore Second Team All-American honours.

The Calgary, Alberta product spent his Junior A career with the Calgary Mountaineers (coached by former NLLer John Kilbride), Farmer playing in the ‘08 Minto Cup, the Mounties upsetting the favoured Edmonton Miners to seal a spot in the national semi-finals, falling just short to the Victoria Shamrocks (the game was tied in the third with less than five minutes on the clock).

Farmer also spent the first part of this summer playing for the Nanaimo Timbermen of the WLA, not always a regular next step for graduating kids from Alberta, the 2010 pro prospect showing he could hang with the bigs boys while gaining some valuable extra experience before being picked up in the NLL.

Although his lack of size (5′9″) may scare some teams off, Farmer is a hard worker away from the ball, who tries to do all the little things to help put points on the board, and has proven over his career that he has the ability to put the ball in the back of the cage. Considered by some NLL team staffers/scouts as probably still a year away from being an everyday pro full-timer, Farmer’s willingness to improve his game and good work ethic make him one in a long line of upcoming Albertans who will start saturating the NLL scene.

DANNY FARMER

Height: 5′9″
Weight: 185 lbs
Position: Offense
Shoots: Right
From: Calgary, Alberta
NCAA: Mars Hill
Junior: Calgary Mountaineers
Senior: Nanaimo Timbermen

What do you feel your greatest asset is that would allow you to translate your game to the NLL?
My ability to see plays developing well ahead of time and use that to generate shots for others and myself.

Couple words to describe your game?
Hardworking, heads up, and smart.

What role/position do you see yourself playing in the NLL?
Working off ball, setting picks to get others and myself open, and finding openings for shots.

What current or former NLLer would you must closely compare or model your game after?
Tracey Kelusky and Aaron Wilson because I work hard off ball to get others open and cut through the middle. They both are great at what they do and I always try and play in the same style they do.

Your greatest accomplishment (team or individual) during you career so far?
Playing in a Minto Cup with Calgary. My college career, being conference Player of the Year twice and making Second Team All-American.

Anything else to add?
I’m available to play in any NLL city and plan on attending grad school on the East coast.

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