HAMILTON NATIONALS RE-SIGN KEY MEMBERS FROM 2009 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM

3/9/11 12:00 AM

(Hamilton, March 4)... The Hamilton Nationals re-signed two key members of the 2009 Major League Lacrosse championship team: Joe Walters and Brett Queener. Both players have signed deals to play for Hamilton's newest professional team for the 2011 season.

Walters enters his fifth season with the league, his second season with the Nationals. The midfielder is also a two-time MLL champion, winning in 2008 with the Rochester Rattlers and in 2009 with the Nationals. He also earned Playoff MVP honors in 2008.

In his career, he has 150 points (96+5+49) in just 45 games. In 2009, he finished second on the Nationals with 42 points and assisted on the game-winning goal in the title game. Prior to going to the Nats, Walters played three seasons for Rochester and in 2007 he led all league midfielders with 43 points (29+2+12). The four-time All-American was the Rochester Rattlers? first-round selection (first overall) in the 2006 MLL Collegiate Draft.

He is currently in his third season with his hometown Rochester Knighthawks of the National Lacrosse League. Walters is excited to return to the Nationals for the upcoming season.

"I'm pumped for this upcoming season with the Nationals and getting back out there. The front office did a great job with the college draft and anything less than a championship is a failure for this team," he said. "The biggest hurdle is finding that team chemistry, but I'm confident we have the right components to make it a special season."

Queener enters his fourth season in the MLL. The goalie played in 11 games for Toronto last year and saw 360 minutes of action and made 101 saves. This will be his third season with the Nationals.

"It's exciting to have Joey back and a new coaching staff with Regy (Thorpe) and Gary Gait. We have a lot of new, young talent. It should be a great summer," said Queener.

Queener began his career in 2008, as he helped the Rochester Rattlers win their first Steinfeld Cup. The following season, he led the Nationals to an MLL championship. In his career, the former fifth-round pick holds a 13-10 record and a 12.84 goals-against average. He also owns a 3-0 playoff record.

The Penn Yan native currently plays forward for the Boston Blazers in the NLL. He spent his college career at the University at Albany, where he led the America East Conference in saves per game and earned First Team All-Conference honors his senior season.

The Nationals open their season on the road on Saturday, May 14th against the Denver Outlaws at 9:00 p.m. Hamilton plays its home opener on Thursday, May 19th at Les Prince Field at Ron Joyce Stadium on the grounds of McMaster University. The 7:30 p.m. contest features the defending MLL Champion Chesapeake Bayhawks.

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