ALBANY, NY – Will Johansen made a big impression in his rookie National Lacrosse League (NLL) season. He did anything and everything for the FireWolves whether he was flying down the floor in transition, battling for loose balls, playing lockdown defense, or scoring big goals that electrified MVP Arena.
During the 2024-2025 season, Johansen produced 12 points on 6 goals and 6 assists, picked up 146 loose balls, and caused 15 turnovers. He scored 2 shorthanded goals which tied for seventh in the NLL. His 146 loose balls ranked 10th in the NLL, led all rookies, and is the eighth most by a rookie in NLL history.
Along with being selected to the NLL’s All-Rookie Team, Johansen was voted by his Albany teammates as the winner of the Pup Award which is the team’s Rookie of the Year. He also split the Omega Award for hardest worker with defenseman Mike Byrne.
“Will stepped in and performed like a seasoned veteran,” said Glenn Clark, general manager and head coach of the Albany FireWolves. “He came back from a significant injury and had no hesitation. He used his athleticism to dominate on loose balls and in transition for us all season.”
Watch his season highlights below:
The road to his first NLL season was not an easy one for the Victoria, BC native.
Johansen was selected 7th overall in the 2022 NLL Entry Draft by the FireWolves, but would return to play his fifth year at Robert Morris University. The summer before the 2023-2024 NLL season, he unfortunately tore his ACL, which sidelined him for the entire year. Johansen was able to be around the FireWolves all season doing rehab and physical therapy while Albany made their run to the 2024 NLL Finals. He used that experience to learn what it takes to win in the NLL.
“Before I got hurt, I had never missed a game in my entire career,” said Will Johansen. “It gave me a greater appreciation to be out there playing with my best friends.”
The All-Rookie team member was trusted to be a Swiss Army Knife right away as he saw time on the penalty kill, on the faceoff unit, playing pressure defense, handling the ball at the end of games, and being a threat on breakaways. He stepped up when there were injuries to the defense and often covered the opponent’s best players.
Johansen could always be relied on to make the little plays that added up to wins for Albany.
“In my first season, I learned the speed that you have to play at in the NLL,” said Johansen. “Every time you go on the floor you have to be prepared defensively.”
The 26-year-old made the biggest impact by a first-year player at his position, but he knows that he couldn’t have done it without the support of his coaches and teammates.
“I had a lot of support, and my coaches and teammates were really helpful all year with our systems and giving me advice,” said Johansen. “We didn’t get the results we wanted, but we showed a lot of resilience and gained experience. We have a great group of guys and I can’t wait to get back on the floor with them.”
Heading into his second season, FireWolves fans can look forward to watching Johansen dominate all over the floor as he helps bring Albany back to the playoffs.
“We are very excited about the path that Will is on,” said Clark. “We think he’s going to be a dominant defender in the NLL for years to come.”
Season ticket deposits for the 2025-2026 season have begun! For more information, visit www.albanyfirewolves.com or call/text the FireWolves front office at 518-675-8678 to avoid fees and save 30-70% on tickets.
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) 675-8678 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 14 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, Ottawa Black Bears, 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 AFL 1 Arena Football League and the Division I Men’s College Basketball Siena Saints. For more information, please visit https://www.mvparena.com/
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