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| Matt Danowski | |
|---|---|
| Name | Matthew Danowski |
| Birth date | 1985-05-27 |
| Birth place | Huntington, New York, U.S. |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Professional lacrosse player |
| Height | 6 ft 0 in |
| Weight | 190 lb |
| Position | Attack |
| College | Duke University |
| Teams | New York Lizards; Charlotte Hounds; Rochester Rattlers; Boston Cannons; Connecticut Hammerheads; Major League Lacrosse; Premier Lacrosse League |
Matt Danowski
Matt Danowski is an American former professional lacrosse player known for his prolific scoring and playmaking at the collegiate and professional levels. A standout at Duke University, he went on to play in Major League Lacrosse and the Premier Lacrosse League, earning multiple All-American selections and international appearances with the United States national team. Danowski's career is noted for high assist totals, lacrosse IQ, and a family lineage of lacrosse prominence.
Danowski was born in Huntington, New York and raised on Long Island, an area with strong ties to Huntington, New York and Nassau County, New York lacrosse traditions. He attended Saint Anthony's High School in Suffolk County, New York before transferring to St. Anthony's, where he played for youth programs linked to regional clubs and scholastic rivals such as Harborfields High School, Commack High School, and Smithtown High School. His early coaches included local figures from the Long Island lacrosse community, and he participated in national showcases that drew attention from Duke University, Syracuse University, University of Virginia, Johns Hopkins University, and Cornell University. Academically, he matriculated at Duke, joining a program led by coaches with ties to NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse history.
At Duke University, Danowski became a central figure in the Blue Devils' offense under head coach John Danowski, who is also his father and a prominent coach with connections to Stony Brook University and St. Anthony's High School. He played alongside teammates such as Max Quinzani, Myles Jones, Jordan Wolf, and competed in conferences that included Atlantic Coast Conference rivals like University of North Carolina, University of Virginia, University of Maryland, College Park, and Notre Dame University. Danowski earned multiple USILA All-American honors and was recognized with awards associated with the Tewaaraton Award watch lists and postseason ballots. His Duke teams advanced in the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship tournaments, facing programs such as Syracuse Orange men's lacrosse and Cornell Big Red men's lacrosse.
Following an accomplished collegiate tenure, Danowski entered professional play in Major League Lacrosse (MLL), joining franchises including the New York Lizards, Rochester Rattlers, Charlotte Hounds, and Boston Cannons. He later participated in the formation and competition of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), suiting up for clubs that competed against organizations like the Philadelphia Barrage, Chesapeake Bayhawks, and Denver Outlaws. Across his MLL and PLL seasons he accumulated high assist and goal totals, working with notable professionals such as Paul Rabil, Brodie Merrill, Kyle Hartzell, and Conor Gill. His professional career included postseason appearances in MLL playoffs and All-Star selections tied to league showcases and events hosted in cities like Boston, Massachusetts, Baltimore, Maryland, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Danowski represented the United States with call-ups to national team programs affiliated with USA Lacrosse and competed in international events that placed players against teams from Canada, Iroquois Nationals, England, and Australia. His involvement included training camps and exhibition matches tied to preparations for tournaments overseen by the Federation of International Lacrosse and selection processes for World Lacrosse Championship rosters. Danowski contributed to U.S. squads seeking to maintain rivalries with traditional powers such as Canada and the Iroquois Nationals.
A left-handed attackman, Danowski combined vision, timing, and ball distribution, making him effective as both a scorer and facilitator alongside attackmen like Matt Poskay and midfielders such as Myles Jones. Statistically he posted high single-season point totals, ranking in MLL and PLL leaderboards for assists and points during peak seasons. His skill set included pick-and-roll coordination with crease players and transition scoring similar to contemporaries like Zack Greer and Rob Pannell. Coaches praised his lacrosse IQ and ability to read defenses deployed by teams including Cornell Big Red and Syracuse Orange at the collegiate level, translating to efficient shooting percentages and turnover minimization in professional box and field contexts.
Danowski collected numerous honors: multiple USILA All-American selections, conference awards within the Atlantic Coast Conference, and professional All-Star nods in Major League Lacrosse events. He featured on lists for the Tewaaraton Award in various seasons and set program records at Duke for points and assists that placed him among leaders such as Lyle Thompson and Paul Rabil in collegiate statistical history. His professional milestones included franchise-leading single-season assist totals for teams like the New York Lizards and recognition in postseason All-MLL teams.
A member of a lacrosse family, Danowski is the son of coach John Danowski and part of a lineage that influenced Long Island and collegiate lacrosse, connecting to programs such as Hofstra University through regional networks. He participated in youth lacrosse development initiatives and camps in communities including Long Island and Connecticut, mentoring prospects who later attended Duke University and other NCAA programs. Danowski's legacy is reflected in coaching trees and player development paths that intersect with organizations like USA Lacrosse, the Atlantic Coast Conference, and professional leagues, contributing to the modern evolution of American field lacrosse.
Category:American lacrosse players Category:Duke Blue Devils men's lacrosse players Category:Major League Lacrosse players Category:Premier Lacrosse League players