ALBANY, NY – The Albany FireWolves are a team full of young National Lacrosse League (NLL) stars and while the talented offensive players get a lot of love, there are defenders like Zachary Young who deserve some time in the spotlight.
Young is a 6-foot-3 defenseman who just finished his second NLL season. He can usually be found making well-timed checks and laying big hits in the defensive end.
During the 2024-2025 NLL season, Young contributed 2 assists, 47 loose balls, 5 caused turnovers, and 5 blocked shots. His stats might not jump out, but the role he plays on the FireWolves defense is a crucial one.
“Zach is someone that will fly under the radar,” said Glenn Clark, Albany FireWolves general manager and head coach. “He makes solid understated plays that are valuable to the team defensive unit.”
The Oshawa, ON native was selected 17th overall by the Albany FireWolves in the 2023 NLL Entry Draft and he would make an immediate impact as a rookie during the 2023-2024 season.
He played beyond his years as he became a steady defender who played in all 18 regular season games and all 5 playoff games on the way to Albany reaching the 2024 NLL Finals. Despite the FireWolves falling to the Buffalo Bandits in the Finals, that experience showed him what it takes to win championships in such a competitive league as the NLL.
In his sophomore season, Young was asked to help hold down the fort with the FireWolves defense suffering several injuries throughout the season. He continued to be a reliable defender who played all 18 regular season games and helped Albany make a late season push for a playoff spot.
“Zach has a really good sense of the floor and processes offensive movement patterns well,” said Clark. “He understands where to be and when to be there.”
After two years of learning the ins and outs of the NLL, Young will be a foundational piece of the defense heading into his third NLL season. FireWolves fans should be excited about what’s to come from #24.
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.
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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