Austin Staats

{{Infobox lacrosse player|name=Austin Staats|birth_date={{birth date and age|1998|04|23}}|birth_place=Six Nations, Ontario, Canada|nationality=Canadian|height_ft=5|height_in=10|weight_lb=220|position=Attack|shoots=Left|ncaa_team=Onondaga Community College|nll_draft=1st overall|nll_draft_year=2019|nll_draft_team=San Diego Seals|medal_templates={{MedalCountry|{{iflm|Iroquois}}}}

{{Medal|B|2016 Coquitlam|}}|career_start=2019|career_highlights=NLL

:*Rookie Of The Year (2019)

:*All-Rookie Team (2019)

WLC

:*Best Attacker (2023 Revoked)

:*2x All-World Team (2018, 2023 Revoked)

:*U-19 All-World Team (2016)

NJCAA

:*2x National Champion (2017, 2018)

:*2x All-American (2017, 2018)

OJLL

:*Minto Cup MVP (2017)|nll_team=San Diego Seals|pll_team=Chaos Lacrosse Club}}

Austin Staats (born April 23, 1998) is a Canadian professional lacrosse player who plays for the San Diego Seals of the National Lacrosse League (NLL), and formerly a player for the Chaos Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). He was drafted 1st overall by the San Diego Seals in the 2018 NLL Entry Draft. He is known for his aggressive style of play.{{cite web | title=San Diego loses Staats to injury | website=Two Row Times | date=2019-04-17 | url=https://tworowtimes.com/sports/lacrosse/san-diego-loses-staats-to-injury/ | access-date=2025-01-19}}

Early life and education

Austin Staats was born April 23, 1998, in Six Nations, Ontario, Canada, where he grew up learning to play lacrosse from his older brother, Randy Staats. By the time Staats graduated from Assumption College High School in 2016,{{Cite web |title=Austin Staats - 2018 - Men's Lacrosse |url=https://onondagalazers.com/sports/mens-lacrosse/roster/austin-staats/2983 |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Onondaga Community College Athletics |language=en}} he knew that his grades did not meet the requirements needed to play NCAA Division I lacrosse, so instead followed his brother Randy's steps by attending and playing at Onondaga Community College (OCC).{{Cite web |last=Schafer |first=Josh |date=July 14, 2020 |title='Stop Sleeping On Me': Why Austin Staats could be the breakout rookie at the Championship Series |url=https://premierlacrosseleague.com/articles/stop-sleeping-on-me-why-austin-staats-could-be-the-breakout-rookie-at-the-championship-series |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Premier Lacrosse League |language=en-US}}

In July 2016, Staats was named to the Haudenosaunee National Lacrosse team, which he competed for in the 2016 Men's U-19 World Lacrosse Championship in Coquitlam, British Columbia. The team won the bronze medal and Staats was named to the All-World Team.{{Cite web |last=Watson |first=Andy |title=2016 FIL U19 Men's World Lacrosse Championships |url=http://www.2016worldlax.com/news/79-final-standings-award-winners-and-results.html |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=2016worldlax.com |language=en-gb}}

Additionally, throughout his high school and junior collegiate career, Staats played for the Six Nations Arrows in the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League.{{Cite web |title=Austin Staats - Ontario Jr. A Lacrosse League|url=https://stats.pointstreak.com/playerpage.html?playerid=6923881&seasonid=19572 |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies |language=en}} In 2017, led by coach Patrick Merrill, he won the Minto Cup for the Six Nations Arrows and earned MVP honors in the championship game.{{Cite web |title=Austin Staats - Minto Cup - on Pointstreak Sports Technologies |url=https://stats.pointstreak.com/playerpage.html?playerid=10339169&seasonid=17326 |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Pointstreak Sports Technologies |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Austin Staats player bio |url=https://www.nll.com/players/14307/austin-staats/ |website=National Lacrosse League}}{{Cite web |last=Shanahan |first=Brian |date=August 22, 2017 |title=Minto Cup Headed to the Final Most Expected as Arrows Will Face Adanacs |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/minto-cup-headed-to-the-final-most-expected-as-arrows-will-face-adanacs/50353 |website=Inside Lacrosse}}

Playing at OCC, Staats had back-to-back breakout seasons in 2017 and 2018, where he totaled 156 points and helped the team go undefeated, winning the NJCAA national championship and earning All-America honors in both years.{{Cite web |title=National Championships |url=https://onondagalazers.com/sports/2020/2/27/GEN_0806143204.aspx |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Onondaga Community College Athletics |language=en}}

Professional career

= National Lacrosse League =

Rather than continuing his collegiate career and transferring to an NCAA program, Staats decided instead to become declare himself for the 2018 NLL Entry Draft. He was selected first overall by the San Diego Seals, which was their first ever draft selection and reunited him with head coach Patrick Merrill. In his first season, he scored 61 points, helping guide the Seals to the playoffs, however Staats missed the postseason after tearing his ACL with only two regular season games remaining.{{Cite web |author=Staff Report |date=April 15, 2019 |title=San Diego Seals star rookie injured, will miss rest of season |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2019/04/15/san-diego-seals-star-rookie-injured-will-miss-rest-of-season/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |date=April 17, 2019 |title=San Diego loses Staats to injury |url=https://tworowtimes.com/sports/lacrosse/san-diego-loses-staats-to-injury/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Two Row Times |language=en}} He was named NLL Rookie of the Week four times, as well as NLL Rookie of the Year and he was named to the All-Rookie Team.{{Cite web |date=July 19, 2019 |title=NLL Announces 2018-19 Season Award Winners |url=https://www.nll.com/news/nll-announces-2018-19-season-award-winners/ |website=National Lacrosse League}}

After his ACL injury in 2019 and the COVID-19 pandemic shortening the 2020 season, Staats was able to play his first full NLL season in 2022. He scored 79 points and led the team to its second playoff berth, where the Seals lost 2 games to 1 in the Western Conference Final to the Colorado Mammoth. In the final minutes of the game, Staats was issued a gross misconduct penalty by the referees.{{Cite web |title=Austin Staats suspended one game for incident in Game 3 of West Conference Finals (Updated) |url=https://www.thelaxmag.com/home/austin-staats-suspended-one-game-for-incident-in-game-3-of-west-conference-finals |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=The Lax Mag |language=en-CA}} Though no further details were released, Staats was issued a two-game suspension to start the 2023 season.{{Cite web |title=Austin Staats suspension was for two games, not one like first thought |url=https://www.thelaxmag.com/home/austin-staats-suspension-was-for-two-games-not-one-like-first-thought |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=The Lax Mag |language=en-CA}}

In the 2024 season, Staats scored a career high 102 points, which helped send the Seals to their fourth playoff run. The Seals lost 2 games to 0 in the semi-finals to the Albany FireWolves, and in the final moments of their final game, Staats threw two unprovoked cross-checks into the back of FireWolves player Anthony Joaquim's head. Staats was issued a major penalty for the hits, and was suspended for the first seven games of the 2025 season.{{Cite web |last=Singelais |first=Mark |date=May 11, 2024 |title=San Diego player gets 7-game suspension for incident with FireWolves |url=https://www.timesunion.com/sports/article/san-diego-player-gets-7-game-suspension-incident-19451876.php |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Times Union |language=en}} After his suspension was due to expire, the NLL extended it through the rest of the 2025 season.{{Cite web |title=Breaking: Austin Staats Officially Out For at Least The Rest of This Season |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/breaking-austin-staats-officially-out-for-at-least-the-rest-of-this-season/64456 |access-date=2025-01-21 |website=www.insidelacrosse.com}}

= Premier Lacrosse League =

After his torn ACL prevented him from playing in the PLL's inaugural season, Staats made his Premier Lacrosse League debut in 2020 playing for the Chaos Lacrosse Club. He scored 6 points across his 7 appearances.

In the 2021 PLL season, after playing only a single game, Staats' contract was abruptly terminated by the PLL after an off-field fight between himself and Chrome Lacrosse Club player Matt Gaudet, in which he bit off part of Gaudet's middle finger.{{Cite web |last=Jordie |title=[GRAPHIC] Pro Lax Player Gets Part Of His Finger Bitten Off In A Hotel Lobby Brawl |url=https://www.barstoolsports.com/blog/3367605/graphic-pro-lax-player-gets-part-of-his-finger-bitten-off-in-a-hotel-lobby-brawl |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=www.barstoolsports.com |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Carlson |first=Chris |date=June 7, 2021 |title=Former OCC star Austin Staats suspended by Premier Lacrosse League after off-field altercation |url=https://www.syracuse.com/sports/2021/06/former-occ-star-austin-staats-suspended-by-premier-lacrosse-league-after-off-field-altercation.html |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=syracuse |language=en}} Staats' PLL contract with the Chaos was reinstated in June 2022, after he completed a program organized by the PLL's Discipline and Conduct Committee.{{Cite web |last=Brown |first=Kevin |date=June 9, 2022 |title=Austin Staats Reinstated With Chaos, PLL After '21 Fight and Contract Termination |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/austin-staats-reinstated-with-chaos-pll-after-21-fight-and-contract-termination/59848 |website=Inside Lacrosse}} In the 2022 season, he only played in two games before being let go by the Chaos.

= International Competition =

In 2015, Staats competed in the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship in the Onondaga Nation in the United States, south of Syracuse, New York. The team won silver.{{Cite web |last=Rogers |first=Daniel |title=World Indoor Lacrosse Championship 2015 Results: Medal Winners and Final Scores |url=https://bleacherreport.com/articles/2572789-world-indoor-lacrosse-championship-2015-results-medal-winners-and-final-scores |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Bleacher Report |language=en}}

In July 2018, Staats competed in the 2018 World Lacrosse Championship in Netanya, Israel, again playing for the Haudenosaunee National team.{{Cite web |date=February 22, 2019 |title=FIL Honors Haudenosaunee Athlete Austin Staats |url=https://iroquoisnationals.com/fil-honors-haudenosaunee-athlete-austin-staats/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230806104842/https://iroquoisnationals.com/fil-honors-haudenosaunee-athlete-austin-staats/ |url-status=usurped |archive-date=August 6, 2023 |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Iroquois Nationals Lacrosse |language=en-US}} The team won a bronze medal and he was named to the All-World team.{{Cite web |last=Rareview |date=February 4, 2019 |title=Rising Star Austin Staats Honored As January Athlete of the Month by The World Games |url=https://worldlacrosse.sport/article/rising-star-austin-staats-honored-as-january-athlete-of-the-month-by-the-world-games/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=World Lacrosse |language=en-US}}

In January 2019, World Games named Staats as their Athlete of the Month.{{Cite web |title=Meet Austin Staats - Athlete of the Month {{!}} IWGA |url=https://www.theworldgames.org/news/Athletes-26/Meet-Austin-Staats-Athlete-of-the-Month-1909 |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=www.theworldgames.org}}

In 2023, Staats again competed for the Haudenosaunee National Lacrosse team at the 2023 World Lacrosse Championship in San Diego, California. The team again came in third, winning the bronze medal, and he was named as the Best Attacker and named to the All-World Team.{{Cite web |date=July 2, 2023 |title=O'Neill's MVP highlights 2023 Men's Championship Awards - World Lacrosse |url=https://worldlacrosse.sport/article/wlmc23-awards/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230702024052/https://worldlacrosse.sport/article/wlmc23-awards/ |archive-date=July 2, 2023 }} However, in January 2024, after an investigation by the International Testing Agency found that Staats tested positive for recreational cocaine usage, his individual awards were revoked by World Lacrosse.{{Cite web |last=International Testing Agency |author-link=International Testing Agency |date=January 22, 2024 |title=Haudenosaunee Nationals Lacrosse player Austin Staats accepts a 3-month period of ineligibility |url=https://www.lawinsport.com/topics/news/item/haudenosaunee-nationals-lacrosse-player-austin-staats-accepts-a-3-month-period-of-ineligibility |website=LawInSport}}

Personal life

Because of the low pay issued to professional lacrosse players, Staats supplements his income by being a part-time firefighter.War on the Floor, Episode 2. (n.d.). Amazon Prime Video. Retrieved from https://www.amazon.com/War-on-the-Floor/dp/B0CKNVGGM5.

In October 2023, Staats was charged with aggravated assault.{{Cite web |last=Sandy |date=August 21, 2024 |title=Well known lacrosse player facing assault charges |url=https://theturtleislandnews.com/index.php/2024/08/21/well-known-lacrosse-player-facing-assault-charges/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=The Turtle Island News |language=en-CA}} In August 2024, Staats was arrested in Brantford, Ontario, on three counts of assault.{{Cite web |date=August 21, 2024 |title=San Diego Seals star Austin Staats reportedly arrested on suspicion of assault |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2024/08/21/report-san-diego-seals-star-austin-staats-arrested-on-suspicion-of-assault/ |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=San Diego Union-Tribune |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |last=Inside Lacrosse Staff |date=August 21, 2024 |title=Reports: Austin Staats Arrested, Charged With Assault |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/reports-austin-staats-arrested-charged-with-assault/63962 |website=Inside Lacrosse}}

Player stats

=National Lacrosse League=

Reference:{{Cite web |title=Austin Stats statistics |url=https://nllstats.com/player?id=30674 |website=NLLStats.com}}{{NLLCareerStats

| player_name_link = Austin Staats

| season1_year = 2019

| season1_team_link = San Diego Seals

| season1_games_played = 14

| season1_goals = 32

| season1_assists = 29

| season1_loose_balls = 81

| season1_penalty_minutes = 25

| season1_playoff_games_played = 0

| season2_year = 2020

| season2_team_link = San Diego Seals

| season2_games_played = 5

| season2_goals = 10

| season2_assists = 16

| season2_loose_balls = 22

| season2_penalty_minutes = 5

| season2_playoff_games_played = 0

| season3_year = 2022

| season3_team_link = San Diego Seals

| season3_games_played = 15

| season3_goals = 37

| season3_assists = 42

| season3_loose_balls = 53

| season3_penalty_minutes = 35

| season3_playoff_games_played = 4

| season3_playoff_goals = 10

| season3_playoff_assists = 9

| season3_playoff_loose_balls = 21

| season3_playoff_penalty_minutes = 12

| season4_year = 2023

| season4_team_link = San Diego Seals

| season4_games_played = 16

| season4_goals = 37

| season4_assists = 38

| season4_loose_balls = 83

| season4_penalty_minutes = 35

| season4_playoff_games_played = 1

| season4_playoff_goals = 3

| season4_playoff_assists = 1

| season4_playoff_loose_balls = 8

| season4_playoff_penalty_minutes = 0

| season5_year = 2024

| season5_team_link = San Diego Seals

| season5_games_played = 18

| season5_goals = 50

| season5_assists = 52

| season5_loose_balls = 84

| season5_penalty_minutes = 38

| season5_playoff_games_played = 3

| season5_playoff_goals = 9

| season5_playoff_assists = 6

| season5_playoff_loose_balls = 18

| season5_playoff_penalty_minutes = 24

}}

=Premier Lacrosse League=

Reference:{{Cite web |title=Austin Staats |url=https://premierlacrosseleague.com/player/austin-staats/stats |access-date=November 13, 2024 |website=Premier Lacrosse League |language=en-US}}

{{MLLCareerStats

| player_name_link = Austin Staats

| season1_year = 2020

| season1_team_link = Carolina Chaos

| season1_team = Chaos Lacrosse Club

| season1_games_played = 7

| season1_goals = 5

| season1_assists = 1

| season1_shots = 10

| season1_loose_balls = 2

| season1_penalty_minutes = 2

| season1_faceoffs_att = 0