Two local lacrosse players with promising futures in the sport have been recognized by the BC Junior A Lacrosse League.
The league recently announced its 2024 BCJALL Awards, with selections based on tabulated responses from team executives who voted for players from other teams.
Two Junior A Salmonbellies were named to the BC Junior A Lacrosse League’s all-star teams, with Lukas Nielsen being named a 1st Team all-star and Wren Glanville selected as a 2nd Team all-star.
Lukas also received the Henry “Del” Delmonico Trophy as the league’s Most Valuable Player.
“We are really proud of both Lukas and Wren, and they are well deserving of this recognition from the league for their outstanding seasons,” said Warren Goss, general manager of the Junior A Salmonbellies.
Both players have grown up playing lacrosse for the New Westminster Salmonbellies, first with the minor lacrosse association and now with the Junior A squad.
Lukas will be heading into his fifth and final season of Junior A lacrosse with the Bellies next year, and the team is excited to see what he can accomplish, Goss said.
“Lukas had another incredible year and led the league in scoring with 50 goals,” he said. “He will be declaring for the upcoming draft where he is projected to be a very early pick.”
Lukas, who had 50 goals and 25 assists in 18 games with the Junior A Salmonbellies, was one of only two Junior A players in Canada to score 50 goals in the 2024 regular season.
Lukas also suited up in seven regular season games and five playoff games for the Senior A Salmonbellies, where he had 14 points (11 goals) in regular-season play and seven points (four goals) in the team’s recent five-game series against the Victoria Shamrocks.
A forward, Lukas is eligible for the National Lacrosse League draft in 2025 but has declared early for the 2024 NLL entry draft. Along with playing for the Salmonbellies, he plays for the Sea Spray Lacrosse Club in the Arena Lacrosse League.
University bound
Wren just completed his sophomore season with the Junior A Salmonbellies, finishing second in team scoring with 51 points (30 goals and 21 assists) in 16 games.
“He has had a fantastic start to his Junior A career and will be a huge part of our quest for the Minto Cup over the next couple of years,” Goss said. “Wren is off to Highpoint University in North Carolina for his freshman year.”
Wren began playing box and field lacrosse with New Westminster Minor Lacrosse Association as a tyke (seven- and eight-year-olds). In 2023, his first year in Junior A, Wren was named to the BCJALL All Rookie Team All Star.
Wren also scored 51 points last year (28 goals and 23 assists) and was selected by the Junior A Salmonbellies as the league’s 2023 Rookie of the Year.
Wren’s most memorable moment from his 2023 rookie year was being able to play with his older brother Ezrah, who was a senior on the same team.
Along with playing for the Salmonbellies, Wren has played field lacrosse at New Westminster Secondary School (grades nine to 11), has played for Team BC and Fusion West, and attended the Little League World Series in Denver with Evolve travel team.
After finishing Grade 11 at NWSS, Wren attended a lacrosse academy at Vandermont High School in Dallas Texas for his Grade 12 year on a sports scholarship. He’s now attending High Point University (NCAA Division 1 Lacrosse) in North Carolina, where he is studying communications on a lacrosse scholarship.
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