Ryan Benesch

{{short description|Canadian professional lacrosse player|bot=PearBOT 5}}

{{Infobox lacrosse player

| position = Forward

| shoots = Left

| height_ft = 5

| height_in = 8

| weight_lb = 180

| nll_team = San Diego Seals

| league = MSL

| team = Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks

| former_nll_teams = Rochester Knighthawks
Colorado Mammoth
Buffalo Bandits
Minnesota Swarm
Edmonton Rush
Toronto Rock
Panther City LC
Albany FireWolves
Halifax Thunderbirds

| nationality = Canadian

| nll_draft = 1st overall

| nll_draft_year = 2006

| nll_draft_team = San Jose Stealth

| birth_date = {{birth date and age|1985|1|30|mf=y}}

| birth_place = Kitchener, Ontario

| career_start = 2007

| nickname = The Bullet

Eric Benesch’s brother

}}

Ryan Benesch (born January 30, 1985) is a Canadian professional box lacrosse player who plays for the San Diego Seals of the National Lacrosse League (NLL). Benesch has also played for the Halifax Thunderbirds, Albany FireWolves, Colorado Mammoth, Buffalo Bandits, Minnesota Swarm, Edmonton Rush, Toronto Rock, and Panther City LC and was the 2011 NLL scoring leader. Benesch was born in Kitchener, Ontario, Canada.

Professional career

Benesch was drafted first overall by the San Jose Stealth in the 2006 NLL entry draft,{{cite web|url=http://www.lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/news060913a.htm|title=Stealth doubles up with Benesch, Sorensen atop draft|author=Philly, R.A.|work=Outsider's Guide to the NLL|date=September 13, 2006|accessdate=2007-04-01|url-status=usurped|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081121015951/http://lacrosse-network.com/outsidersguide/news060913a.htm|archive-date=November 21, 2008}} but was traded to Toronto Rock along with Chad Thompson and Kevin Fines for 2005 NLL MVP Colin Doyle.{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=2629|title=Colossal trade as season nears|work=NLL.com|date=December 27, 2006|accessdate=2007-04-01|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110714190137/http://nll.com/article.php?id=2629|archive-date=July 14, 2011}} Benesch played his minor lacrosse in Kitchener-Waterloo as well as his Junior 'A' lacrosse. He is currently the second leading scorer all-time in Kitchener-Waterloo Braves history behind Colin Doyle.

Benesch was named Rookie of the Week three times in the 2007 season, in weeks 4, 11, and 12, and was also named Rookie of the Month in March. On May 8, 2007, Benesch was awarded the Rookie of the Year Award, and named to the All-Rookie team.{{cite web|url=http://nll.com/article.php?id=2942|work=NLL.com|title=Benesch Named Rookie of the Year|date=May 8, 2007|accessdate=2007-05-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110929142535/http://nll.com/article.php?id=2942|archive-date=September 29, 2011}}

Early in the 2009 NLL season, Benesch and veteran Derek Suddons were traded to the Edmonton Rush for future draft picks.{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3724|title=Rock trade Benesch & Suddons to Rush|date=January 14, 2009|work=NLL.com|accessdate=2009-01-14|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612002002/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=3724|archive-date=June 12, 2011}} After one season in Edmonton, he was traded again, this time to the Minnesota Swarm along with Scott Self and a draft pick for Scott Stewart, Ryan Ward, Justin Norbraten, and Richard Morgan.{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=4013|title=Busy day on trading front|date=July 7, 2009|work=NLL.com|accessdate=2011-09-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110612003811/http://www.nll.com/article.php?id=4013|archive-date=June 12, 2011}}

After four seasons in Minnesota where he averaged 83 points per season (leading the league in 2011{{cite web|url=http://www.nll.com/news_article/show/271064|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130717082224/http://www.nll.com/news_article/show/271064|url-status=dead|archive-date=July 17, 2013|work=NLL.com|title=Bandits land Benesch in trade|date=July 15, 2013|accessdate=July 15, 2013}}), Benesch was traded to the Buffalo Bandits along with Andrew Watt for two first round draft picks and a third round pick. Benesch was traded to the Colorado Mammoth, along with a conditional third round draft pick in exchange for Callum Crawford and Alex Buque on August 1, 2017. After spending one and a half seasons with the Colorado Mammoth, on March 6, 2019 he was traded to the Rochester Knighthawks for Cory Vitarelli. He finished the season in Rochester, but signed with the Halifax Thunderbirds for the 2020 season.{{Cite web |last=DanWist |date=2025-01-04 |title=League Transactions |url=https://www.nll.com/news/transactions/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=NLL |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Ryan Benesch |url=https://www.nll.com/players/12319/ryan-benesch/ |access-date=2025-01-05 |website=NLL |language=en-US}}

Benesch was then selected by the Panther City LC in the 2021 NLL expansion draft. He was traded to the Albany FireWolves after three games with Panther City LC.{{Cite web |last=Tutka |first=Paul |date=2022-01-03 |title=Panther City trades Benesch to Albany for Pearson plus picks |url=https://www.thelaxmag.com/home/panther-city-trades-ryan-benesch-to-albany |access-date=2022-11-23 |website=The Lax Mag |language=en-CA}} On October 10, 2022 Benesch returned to the Halifax Thunderbirds for a second stint, spending the 2023 and 2024 seasons there. On September 3, 2024 the San Diego Seals signed Ryan Benesch to a one year agreement.

Canadian Box career

=Junior=

Benesch played five full years for the Kitchener-Waterloo Braves of the OLA Junior A Lacrosse League. In 2002, Benesch was given the "Joey Nieuwendyk Award" for Rookie of the Year.{{cite web|url=http://wampsbibleoflacrosse.com/newstats/jrtrophy.txt|title=O.L.A. Junior A Trophy Winners|publisher=wampsbibleoflacrosse.com}} He finished his junior career with an outstanding 178 goals and 391 points in just 104 games.

=Senior=

Benesch currently plays for the Victoria Shamrocks of the Western Lacrosse Association after his playing rights were acquired from the Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks on 29 May 2010, along with those of Chet Koneczny. He was awarded the "Gene Dopp Memorial Trophy" for Rookie of the year in 2007.{{cite web|url=http://wampsbibleoflacrosse.com./newstats/trophies.txt|title=Trophy Winners In O.L.A. Major/Senior|publisher=wampsbibleoflacrosse.com}} In 2009, Benesch won the Presidents Cup with the Owen Sound Woodsmen of the OLA Senior B Lacrosse League.

Statistics

=NLL=

Reference:{{cite web|url=https://www.nll.com/players/player?id=8206645|title=Player National Lacrosse League|accessdate=March 9, 2020|work=NLL.com}}

{{NLLCareerStats

|player_name_link=Ryan Benesch

|season1_year=2007

|season1_team_link=Toronto Rock

|season1_games_played=15

|season1_goals=33

|season1_assists=25

|season1_loose_balls=64

|season1_penalty_minutes=6

|season1_playoff_games_played=1

|season1_playoff_goals=3

|season1_playoff_loose_balls=8

|season2_year=2008

|season2_team_link=Toronto Rock

|season2_games_played=14

|season2_goals=19

|season2_assists=31

|season2_loose_balls=71

|season2_penalty_minutes=38

|season3_year=2009

|season3_team_link=Edmonton Rush

|season3_games_played=14

|season3_goals=17

|season3_assists=27

|season3_loose_balls=71

|season3_penalty_minutes=2

|season4_year=2010

|season4_team_link=Minnesota Swarm

|season4_games_played=15

|season4_goals=28

|season4_assists=55

|season4_loose_balls=85

|season4_penalty_minutes=2

|season4_playoff_games_played=1

|season4_playoff_goals=1

|season4_playoff_assists=3

|season4_playoff_loose_balls=5

|season5_year=2011

|season5_team_link=Minnesota Swarm

|season5_games_played=16

|season5_goals=46

|season5_assists=49

|season5_loose_balls=79

|season5_penalty_minutes=4

|season5_playoff_games_played=1

|season5_playoff_assists=3

|season5_playoff_loose_balls=6

|season5_playoff_penalty_minutes=2

|season6_year=2012

|season6_team_link=Minnesota Swarm

|season6_games_played=13

|season6_goals=33

|season6_assists=39

|season6_loose_balls=38

|season6_penalty_minutes=18

|season6_playoff_games_played=2

|season6_playoff_goals=4

|season6_playoff_assists=5

|season6_playoff_loose_balls=9

|season6_playoff_penalty_minutes=2

|season7_year=2013

|season7_team_link=Minnesota Swarm

|season7_games_played=16

|season7_goals=34

|season7_assists=50

|season7_loose_balls=59

|season7_penalty_minutes=14

|season7_playoff_games_played=2

|season7_playoff_goals=7

|season7_playoff_assists=9

|season7_playoff_loose_balls=9

|season8_year=2014

|season8_team_link=Buffalo Bandits

|season8_games_played=18

|season8_goals=25

|season8_assists=53

|season8_loose_balls=88

|season8_penalty_minutes=10

|season8_playoff_games_played=3

|season8_playoff_goals=8

|season8_playoff_assists=9

|season8_playoff_loose_balls=11

|season9_year=2015

|season9_team_link=Buffalo Bandits

|season9_games_played=18

|season9_goals=55

|season9_assists=58

|season9_loose_balls=99

|season9_penalty_minutes=6

|season9_playoff_games_played=1

|season9_playoff_goals=2

|season9_playoff_assists=4

|season9_playoff_loose_balls=9

|season9_playoff_penalty_minutes=5

|season10_year=2016

|season10_team_link=Buffalo Bandits

|season10_games_played=17

|season10_goals=39

|season10_assists=53

|season10_loose_balls=101

|season10_penalty_minutes=17

|season10_playoff_games_played=4

|season10_playoff_goals=10

|season10_playoff_assists=12

|season10_playoff_loose_balls=32

|season10_playoff_penalty_minutes=4

|season11_year=2017

|season11_team_link=Buffalo Bandits

|season11_games_played=14

|season11_goals=33

|season11_assists=35

|season11_loose_balls=62

|season11_penalty_minutes=7

|season12_year=2018

|season12_team_link=Colorado Mammoth

|season12_games_played=18

|season12_goals=36

|season12_assists=57

|season12_loose_balls=96

|season12_penalty_minutes=6

|season12_playoff_games_played=1

|season12_playoff_goals=2

|season12_playoff_assists=3

|season12_playoff_loose_balls=7

|season13_year=2019

|season13_team_link=Colorado Mammoth

|season13_games_played=10

|season13_goals=17

|season13_assists=30

|season13_loose_balls=55

|season13_penalty_minutes=2

|season14_year=2019

|season14_team_link=Rochester Knighthawks (1995–2019)

|season14_team=Rochester Knighthawks

|season14_games_played=8

|season14_goals=18

|season14_assists=15

|season14_loose_balls=42

|season15_year=2020

|season15_team_link=Halifax Thunderbirds

|season15_games_played=12

|season15_goals=18

|season15_assists=33

|season15_loose_balls=76

|season15_penalty_minutes=5

|season16_year=2022|season16_team_link=Panther City Lacrosse Club|season16_games_played=3|season16_goals=3|season16_assists=9|season16_loose_balls=13|season16_penalty_minutes=2|season17_year=2022|season17_team_link=Albany FireWolves|season17_games_played=16|season17_goals=26|season17_assists=43|season17_loose_balls=55|season17_penalty_minutes=8|season17_playoff_games_played=1|season17_playoff_assists=1|season17_playoff_loose_balls=7|season18_year=2023|season18_team_link=Halifax Thunderbirds|season18_games_played=18|season18_goals=31|season18_assists=44|season18_loose_balls=98|season18_penalty_minutes=4|season18_playoff_games_played=1|season18_playoff_goals=2|season18_playoff_assists=1|season18_playoff_loose_balls=3|season18_playoff_penalty_minutes=4|season19_year=2024|season19_team_link=Halifax Thunderbirds|season19_games_played=18|season19_goals=42|season19_assists=39|season19_loose_balls=86|season19_penalty_minutes=10|season19_playoff_games_played=1|season19_playoff_assists=1|season19_playoff_loose_balls=6}}

=OLA=

BORDER="0" CELLPADDING="3" CELLSPACING="0"
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! colspan="3" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! colspan="5" \| Regular Season ! rowspan="99" bgcolor="#ffffff" \| ! colspan="5" \| Playoffs
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" ! Season !! Team !! League !! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM !! GP !! G !! A !! Pts !! PIM
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2001	Kitchener-Waterloo Braves	OLA Jr.A	3	3	3	6	0	--	--	--	--	--
ALIGN="center" \| 2002	Kitchener-Waterloo Braves	OLA Jr.A	19	25	35	60	4	--	--	--	--	--
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2003	Kitchener-Waterloo Braves	OLA Jr.A	19	37	57	94	17	5	2	11	13	14
ALIGN="center" \| 2004	Kitchener-Waterloo Braves	OLA Jr.A	19	28	36	64	25	5	4	3	7	2
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2005	Kitchener-Waterloo Braves	OLA Jr.A	22	43	43	86	19	7	8	9	17	2
ALIGN="center" \| 2006	Kitchener-Waterloo Braves	OLA Jr.A	22	42	39	81	34	5	3	4	7	4
ALIGN="center" \| 2006	Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks	MSL	0	0	0	0	0	4	7	9	16	0
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2007	Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks	MSL	17	29	30	59	4	3	6	5	11	2
ALIGN="center" \| 2008	Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks	MSL	18	30	36	66	0	3	5	4	9	0
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2009	Kitchener-Waterloo Kodiaks	MSL	17	31	41	72	6	1	2	1	3	0
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| 2009	Owen Sound Woodsmen	OLA Sr.B	6	24	21	45	0	3	8	7	15	0
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#f0f0f0" \| Presidents Cup	Owen Sound Woodsmen	CLA	--	--	--	--	--	5	16	10	26	4
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" !colspan="3" \|Junior A Totals!!104!!178!!213!!391!!99!!22!!17!!27!!44!!22
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" !colspan="3" \|Senior A Totals!!52!!90!!107!!197!!10!!40!!20!!19!!39!!2
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" !colspan="3" \|Senior B Totals!!6!!24!!21!!45!!0!!3!!8!!7!!15!!0
ALIGN="center" bgcolor="#e0e0e0" !colspan="3" \|Presidents Cup Totals!!--!!--!!--!!--!!--!!5!!16!!10!!26!!4