Hamilton Nationals - Tucker Durkin named Warrior Defensive Player of the Week

Tucker Durkin has been named the Warrior Defensive player of the week. Durkin, the Johns Hopkins product was drafted third overall by the Charlotte Hounds and later acquired by Hamilton. In the Nationals last game, he played a huge role, dominating the crease and holding Ned Crotty to just one goal.

Durkin was the second player in Johns Hopkins history and the eighth in college lacrosse history to win the C. Schmeisser Award as the top defenseman. This season he has scooped up 9 ground balls so far in his 5 games with the Nationals.

Durkin made his debut with the Nationals on May 17^th in Hamilton when the Nationals hosted the Charlotte Hounds. In his debut game he picked up three ground balls.

The Hamilton Nationals will be back at home this weekend to host the Chesapeake Bayhawks for the second time this season. While the Bayhawks will be looking for redemption after their over time loss on June 1^st, they’ll have to get past Durkin and the Nationals defense… And Brett Queener who currently leads the league with a .620 save percentage. The game will air live on Youtube at 7pm.

Hamilton Nationals - Q&A with Tucker Durkin

Tucker Durkin made his MLL debut on May 17^th with the Nationals against the Charlotte Hounds at Ron Joyce Stadium. Durkin played all four years of his College career at Johns Hopkins, and started in every game. In 2012 he was awarded the William C Schmeisser Award as the nation’s top defenseman, and was first team all American. Durkin was awarded the top defensive player again in 2013 and is the eighth player in college lacrosse history to win it twice.  Durkin was originally drafted to the Hounds (3^rd overall) and then later traded to the Nationals.

Becca Luden: How did you get into lacrosse?
Tucker Durkin: I started playing when I was in like fourth grade and I actually played baseball originally like as a kid growing up. My best friend Mike and my older brothers were all lacrosse players and I kinda wanted to play baseball but they made me switch and every since then I kinda ell in love with the sport. 

BL:  What have been your greatest accomplishments?
TD: Uhm, greatest accomplishment was probably playing for Johns Hopkins and getting recruited there. Just having the opportunity to play for that program for four years and uh under coach Petro and uh just the whole experience at Hopkins. Id say is my greatest accomplishment, being able to play there.

BL: So who is your athletic motivation?
TD: My athletic motivation , wow. Uhm I gotta think about this one. Uhm, like a person? Obviously.Well in high school one of my high school coaches was a denfensiman , Tony Resh and hes regarded as one of the best defenceman ever, best lacrosse defenceman ever and I kind of always you know looked up to him and respected him as a player and a coach and when I got serious in lacrosse starting in high school uhm so im gonna have to go with him.

BL: Superman or Batman?
TD: Im gonna have to go with Batman.
BL: Really ? Why ? 
TD: Yah I’m gonna go with batman because uhm, I just like his stealth image that he has that superman doesn’t have. Batman’s really mysterious and I really like that about him.
BL: Which ones your favourite one?
TD: uhh, the one with heath ledger whatever one that is. That might have been two times ago.

BL: Yeah , I think so .. What’s your favourite holiday and why?
TD: Uhm , Im gonna have to go Christmas just cause uhm, normally a lot of family comes in and its good to see family and friends. Christmas is kinda like the whole month of cdecember where the other holidays really last like a day or two. So it’s like a season and I kinda like that about it.

BL: And what is a song on your ipod that you wouldn’t want people to know about?
TD: uhm, wouldn’t want people to know about. Whats that song I love it that just came out?
BL: oh yah that’s a pretty good song, its really catchy I didn’t like it at first tho
TD: yah no im pretty much singing it all the time after I hear it. 

BL: Haha Same.. Justin beiber or one direction?
TD: oh my God. Uhm, im gonna go with beiber even though im not a huge fan of either. I do respect them, after I watched the beiber movie, I have a little more respect for him so im gonna say beiber.
BL: So you watched the Justin beiber movie?
TD: yeah I did watch 
BL: were you forced?
TD: yah .. I mean I didn’t watch it alone. 

BL: haha , What is your biggest pet peeve?
TD: My biggest pet peeve … probably be when like I see or hear about the amount of little kids playing video games and not being outside and doing outdoors type activities. I feel like video games should be illegal.