DENVER – Sophomore seasons can forecast a lot about athletes in any given sport or situation.
The second professional campaign represents an opportunity to grow on experiences earned in year one while providing a runway to spread one’s wings with hopes of soaring skies.
So, it wasn’t much of a surprise to General Manager Brad Self or Head Coach Pat Coyle when they witnessed defenseman Owen Down take several significant steps towards securing a role as one of the squad’s regular back-enders.
Which is to be expected from the organization’s most recent first-round draft selection at this point.
Selected in the first round (15th overall) of the 2022 NLL Entry Draft, Down remains the first and only opening round selection the team has made since welcoming fellow defenseman Warren Jeffrey into the fold back in 2019.
So, to say the team is counting on him to pan out would be quite the understatement at this point.
Thankfully for the aforementioned shot-callers, the Scarborough, Ontario native put together quite the standout session throughout the National Lacrosse League’s (NLL) 2024-25 campaign.
After drawing into just eight games during his rookie season, the 26-year-old appeared in 15 regular season games for the Mammoth this past go, nearly doubling down on statistics across the board.
Had he not suffered a hand injury towards the end of the season, which ultimately earned him a spot on the team’s Injured Reserve List for the final three games, he likely would’ve competed in each of the team’s 18 sessions.
Recording career-high totals in points (0g, 5a), loose balls (53), caused turnovers (12), blocked shots (12) and penalty minutes (10), it’s safe to say he took several strides in developing his game.
His lanky stature and big-bodied frame will ultimately keep him on the floor – But the idea his lacrosse IQ continues to develop at an impressive rate suggests he’ll remain a foundational building block for seasons to come.
Mammoth fans can stay tuned to coloradomammoth.com and Colorado Mammoth social media channels for the team’s latest news, offseason transactions and everything #TuskUp.
