Albany, NY – The National Lacrosse League (NLL) today announced that Glenn Clark of the Albany FireWolves has been named the winner of both the Les Bartley Award (Coach of the Year) and General Manager of the Year.
After a 3-15 record during the 2022-23 season, Clark has led the FireWolves to a historic turnaround as they finished the regular season with a 11-7 record and earned the #3 seed in the NLL Playoffs. The FireWolves won their first two playoff rounds and have advanced to the NLL Finals presented by Axia Time for an opportunity to win their first NLL Championship in team history. Clark won five NLL Championships as a player with the Toronto Rock and with a win in the NLL Finals he would secure his first as a coach.
“I am really honored and happy for our organization,” said Glenn Clark. “These awards are truly team awards. Anyone that does this job knows that your success depends on a lot of people. My name goes on the nomination list but it’s the work of our coaching staff Clem D’Orazio, Darryl Gibson, Julian Kolb, and Mike McKay, our equipment manager Mike Kettell, and athletic trainer Kevin Montgomery that really paves the way for the organization’s success. I want to thank the ownership group for their support through a tough stretch last year and I’m proud of how our team performed this season.”
The Albany FireWolves moved to the Capital Region in 2021. In three seasons as the Head Coach and General Manager, Clark has been the leader on the bench as well as making the roster moves that have allowed them to find early success in the FireWolves’ history. They will face the defending NLL champion Buffalo Bandits in the best-of-three NLL Finals presented by AXIA Time that will begin with Game 1 this Friday, May 17 at 7 pm.
“Coach Clark leads the FireWolves organization with his commitment to success,” said Albany FireWolves President Chris Porreca. “We are proud to see him be recognized for his efforts as Head Coach and as General Manager. We’re excited to have him leading the FireWolves organization to its first ever NLL Finals appearance!”
This is Clark’s second Les Bartley Award (Coach of the Year) having previously won it in 2016 as Head Coach of the New England Black Wolves where the FireWolves franchise was located before relocating to Albany. This is Clark’s first time receiving the General Manager of the Year award.
Clark will look to cap off the FireWolves’ incredible 2023-24 season with an NLL Championship. The 2024 NLL Finals presented by AXIA Time begin with Game 1 at MVP Arena in downtown Albany this Friday, May 17 at 7 pm.
Tickets are now available for Game 1 of the NLL Finals presented by AXIA Time at MVP Arena this Friday, May 17 at 7 pm as the Albany FireWolves face the Buffalo Bandits. Get your playoff tickets starting at $27 here https://albanyfirewolves.com/tickets/ticket-center/
About Albany FireWolves
The Albany FireWolves is the Capital Region’s very own Professional Box Lacrosse team, playing in the National Lacrosse League out of the MVP Arena in downtown Albany, NY. For more information, contact the Albany FireWolves Front Office at (518) 362-4900 or visit AlbanyFireWolves.com. Follow the team on Facebook at facebook.com/AlbFireWolves, Twitter @AlbFireWolves, and Instagram @AlbFireWolves.
About the National Lacrosse League
The National Lacrosse League (NLL) is North America’s premier professional lacrosse league. Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of 15 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, New York Riptide, Panther City Lacrosse Club (TX), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors. For more information, visit NLL.com and find @NLL on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
About MVP Arena
MVP Arena is a full-service entertainment and sports facility featuring a wide variety of family shows, sporting events, trade shows and concerts. Owned by Albany County and managed by ASM Global, MVP Arena opened in 1990 and is home to the Albany FireWolves of the National Lacrosse League, the Albany Firebirds of the Arena Football League and the Division I Men’s College Basketball Siena Saints. For more information, please visit https://www.mvparena.com/
