Ohio Machine

In January 2011, MLL voted to grant expansion franchises to Columbus and Charlotte, North Carolina for the 2012 MLL season.{{cite web|last=McLean|first=Derek|publisher=Major League Lacrosse|url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/1968/mll-adds-two-new-teams/|title=Major League Lacrosse To Add Two New Franchises in 2012|date=January 21, 2011|access-date=February 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210165049/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/1968/mll-adds-two-new-teams/|archive-date=February 10, 2015|url-status=dead}} Both teams were owned by New Balance founder and MLL investor Jim Davis.{{cite news |last1=Wagner |first1=Bill |title=Major League Lacrosse disbands three franchises |url=https://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/ac-cs-mll-announcement-0403-story.html |access-date=July 2, 2019 |work=Capital Gazette |date=April 2, 2019}} The league announced on April 12, 2011, the team name would be the Ohio Machine, borrowing the moniker and colors of the team previously located in Chicago. On May 19, 2012, the Ohio Machine got their first win in their franchise history in a home game against the Rochester Rattlers.

On June 24, 2013, two days after a 19–5 loss to the Denver Outlaws, Ted Garber was fired as head coach and replaced by Bear Davis. Garber had led the expansion franchise to a 3–19 record through its first 22 games including a 1–7 start in 2013.{{Cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/7818/ohio-machine-makes-coaching-change/ |title=Ohio Machine Makes Coaching Change |access-date=2013-06-24 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131023230007/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/7818/ohio-machine-makes-coaching-change/ |archive-date=2013-10-23 |url-status=dead }}

After putting up only four victories combined in their first two seasons and getting off to a 3–6 start in 2014, the Machine rattled off five straight victories to end the regular season and clinched their first playoff berth.{{cite news |last1=Shawn |first1=Mitchell |title=Pro lacrosse: Machine clinches playoff spot for first time |url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/sports/2014/08/10/machine-clinches-playoff-spot-for-first-time.html |access-date=July 3, 2019 |work=The Columbus Dispatch |date=August 10, 2014 |language=en}} Their streak included wins over the top-seeded Rochester Rattlers and the eventual champion Denver Outlaws. On the road in their first playoff game, the Machine took an early 4–0 lead over Rochester, however the Machine would run out of magic, as the Rattlers came back to end Ohio's Cinderella run, 15–11.{{cite news |title=Rochester Advances to MLL Title Game with 15-11 Win Over Ohio |url=http://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/rochester-advances-to-mll-title-game-with-15-11-win-over-ohio/29464 |access-date=July 3, 2019 |work=Inside Lacrosse |date=August 16, 2014}}

In 2015, the Machine improved upon their previous record with a 9–5 campaign, earning them the second seed. However, they would lose to the Rattlers again in the playoffs, falling 12–8.

Ohio got off to their best eight-game start in 2016 at 6–2. The Machine would stumble and go 1–3 over their next four games but clinch their third straight playoff berth with a dominant 22–13 win over the defending champion New York Lizards. In that game, John Grant Jr. scored ten goals, a single-game MLL record. The Machine had also defeated the Lizards 22–10 earlier in the season at home. The 2016 MLL season saw seven teams finish at 8–6, but due to tiebreaker procedures, the Machine were rewarded with the #1 seed in the postseason.

The Machine defeated the Charlotte Hounds 16–10 on August 13 for the franchise's first playoff victory ever. The next week, they faced Grant Jr.'s former team in the Denver Outlaws, who including the semifinals entered the game on a seven-game winning streak. The Machine took a 9–3 lead before a 97-minute weather delay and a 14–7 lead into halftime but could not hold on, losing 19–18 on a goal by Eric Law with 12.9 seconds left. It was Grant Jr.'s first loss in a Steinfeld Cup game in six trips.

The Machine finished the 2017 season with a 9–5 record and the second seed in the postseason. It was the fourth consecutive playoff berth for the Machine. With the New York Lizards not making the field, that became the longest active streak in the league. On August 12, the Machine hosted the Launch in Florida's first ever postseason game. The Machine prevailed 18–13, advancing to the championship game for the second year in a row.[https://www.theohiomachine.com/articles/championship-bound-the-ohio-machine-defeat-the-florida-19-17-in-the-first-round-of-the-mll-playoffs-to-send-them-to-dallas The Ohio Machine defeat the Florida Launch] Again, they would face the Outlaws.

On August 18, the league would host its first ever MLL Honors show. Goalie Kyle Bernlohr would win Most Improved Player, and Tom Schreiber would be named the league's Most Valuable Player for the second straight season.[https://www.theohiomachine.com/articles/five-ohio-machine-players-and-head-coach-selected-for-2017-post-season-awards Five Ohio Machine players and head coach selected for 2017 post season awards] The next day, the Machine would compete for a title in Frisco, Texas, at The Ford Center at The Star. With three minutes left in the third quarter, the Machine trailed 10–6. However, Ohio was able to get some offense going and scored three straight to bring it within one heading into the fourth. After Matt Kavanagh scored a goal to make it 12-10 Denver with 10:30 remaining in the game, the Machine would finish the game on a seven-goal run, courtesy of Jake Bernhardt, Greg Puskuldjian, three straight from Marcus Holman, Connor Cannizzaro, and another Bernhardt score.[http://mll.stats.pointstreak.com/boxscore.html?gameid=3178921 MLL Championship Boxscore] After coming up short in 2014, 2015, and 2016, the Machine would finally break through to win the franchise's first Steinfeld Cup. They would be the first team since Denver in 2014 to win the team's first championship. Marcus Holman, who had four goals and two assists, was named the Most Valuable Player of the game.

In 2018, the team would finish 3-11 during the regular season for last place of the 9 teams.

Before the 2019 season, the league was faced with competition from the Premier Lacrosse League as well as a desire to achieve a "one owner, one vote" structure. Therefore, Major League Lacrosse contracted from 9 teams to 6. Jim Davis was forced to choose to keep only one of the four teams he owned: the Machine, the Charlotte Hounds, the Florida Launch, or the Dallas Rattlers. Davis chose the Rattlers and folded the other three teams.

Fortress Obetz was the third and final home of the Ohio Machine.{{cite news|url=http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/11/17/Obetz-sports-stadium.html|title=Obetz says lacrosse stadium eventually will pay for itself|last=Widman Neese|first=Alissa|date=November 17, 2016|newspaper=Columbus Dispatch|access-date=2017-01-21|location=Columbus, Ohio}} On November 16, 2016, the village of Obetz, a community just south of Columbus, announced they would be constructing a 6,500-seat multipurpose stadium, Fortress Obetz, at the site of the closed Columbus Motor Speedway. It would be ready in time for the Machine's first home game of the 2017 season on May 6.[http://www.bizjournals.com/columbus/news/2016/11/16/obetz-building-6-500-seat-sports-and-concert-venue.html Obetz building 6,500-seat sports and concert venue] The stadium opened on May 6, 2017, for the home opener of the Machine against the Rochester Rattlers, who beat the home team 12–11 in overtime. It would take three tries for the Machine to finally get a victory on their new home field. The Machine defeated the Florida Launch 19–7 on May 27.{{cite web|url=http://stats.pointstreak.com/teamschedule.html?teamid=361259&seasonid=16530|title=Ohio Machine 2017 Schedule|website=Pointstreak.com}}

The Machine began play in 2012 on Selby Field at Ohio Wesleyan University and moved to Panther Stadium at Ohio Dominican University for the 2016 season.{{cite news|url=http://delgazette.com/news/3747/machine-leaving-delaware-moving-to-ohio-dominican-university|title=Machine leaving Delaware, moving to Ohio Dominican University|last=Stroup|first=Ben|date=October 27, 2015|newspaper=The Delaware Gazette|access-date=2017-01-21|location=Delaware, Ohio}} Panther Stadium is less than half of the size of Selby Field.

• updated 2018-07-16

Most Valuable Player

• Tom Schreiber: 2016, 2017

Most Improved Player

• Kyle Bernlohr: 2017

{{see also|Major League Lacrosse Collegiate Draft}}

• 2012: Steele Stanwick, Virginia (2nd overall); Robert Rotanz, Duke (8th overall){{cite press release |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/press-release/4365/2012-mll-collegiate-draft-results/ |title=2012 MLL Collegiate Draft Results |author=MLL Statistics and Information |date=January 14, 2012 |publisher=Major League Lacrosse |access-date=December 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130913005605/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/press-release/4365/2012-mll-collegiate-draft-results |archive-date=September 13, 2013 |url-status=dead }}
• 2013: Peter Baum, Colgate (1st overall){{cite press release |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/6531/2013-collegiate-draft-results/ |title=2013 Collegiate Draft Results |date=January 11, 2013 |author=MLL Statistics and Information |publisher=Major League Lacrosse |access-date=December 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140226214252/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/6531/2013-collegiate-draft-results |archive-date=February 26, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
• 2014: Tom Schreiber, Princeton (1st overall){{cite press release |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/8798/2014-collegiate-draft-results/ |title=2014 Collegiate Draft Results |date=January 10, 2014 |author=MLL Statistics and Information |publisher=Major League Lacrosse |access-date=December 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140209112120/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/8798/2014-collegiate-draft-results/ |archive-date=February 9, 2014 |url-status=dead }}
• 2015: None{{cite press release |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/10903/2015-collegiate-draft-results/ |title=2015 Collegiate Draft Results |date=January 23, 2015 |author=MLL Statistics and Information |publisher=Major League Lacrosse |access-date=December 10, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150126230334/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/news/10903/2015-collegiate-draft-results |archive-date=January 26, 2015 |url-status=dead }}
• 2016: Michael Quinn, Yale (8th overall){{Cite web |url=http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/press-release/12859/2016-mll-collegiate-draft-live-updates/ |title=Atlanta Blaze Select Duke's Myles Jones No.1 Overall in 2016 MLL Collegiate Draft | Major League Lacrosse |access-date=2016-04-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160330192944/http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/press-release/12859/2016-mll-collegiate-draft-live-updates |archive-date=2016-03-30 |url-status=dead }}
• 2017: Connor Cannizzaro, Denver (5th overall)
• 2018: Justin Guterding, Duke (9th overall)

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.majorleaguelacrosse.com/ majorleaguelacrosse.com]
• [http://snagfilms-a.akamaihd.net/eb/68/e364f8614c39acec23ebdacbdcd7/2017-ohio-machine-team-guide.pdf 2017 Media Guide]

{{Major League Lacrosse}}

{{Lacrosse topics}}

{{Columbus, Ohio}}

{{Ohio Sports}}

Category:Sports clubs and teams in Columbus, Ohio

Category:Lacrosse clubs established in 2011

Category:Lacrosse teams in Ohio

Category:2011 establishments in Ohio