Panther City Lacrosse Club Explained

Panther City Lacrosse Club
Founded:2020
Sport:Box lacrosse
League:National Lacrosse League
Conference:Western
Arena:Dickies Arena
City:Fort Worth, TX
Owner:Bill Cameron
Coach:Tracey Kelusky
Playoff Berths:2 (2023, 2024)
Colors:Purple, Black, White, Red

The Panther City Lacrosse Club is a professional box lacrosse team in the National Lacrosse League. They have played at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas since their inaugural 2021–2022 season.

History

On July 22, 2020, the NLL awarded an expansion franchise to the city of Fort Worth and owner Bill Cameron. It was announced that the team would begin play in the 2021–2022 season, with its home arena being Dickies Arena.[1] [2]

At a press conference on November 17, 2020, the franchise officially became the Panther City Lacrosse Club. The team's unique name is in reference to Fort Worth's "Panther City" nickname, which stems from an 1875 article in the Dallas Herald that derisively characterized the city's economy as being so slow that a panther could sleep in the street by the courthouse. Although an intended insult, the name Panther City was enthusiastically embraced by locals after Fort Worth recovered economically.[3] The team is also the league's first member to use the "Lacrosse Club" moniker, similar to teams in the Premier Lacrosse League.[4]

On January 25, 2021, former Philadelphia Wings assistant Tracey Kelusky was named the team's first head coach.[5]

Inaugural season

See also: 2022 Panther City Lacrosse Club season.

Panther City debuted on December 4, 2021, against the Wings in Philadelphia. Travis Cornwall scored the first goal in franchise history as Panther City took a 1–0 lead. Despite leading 7–4 at halftime, the team could not start 1–0 as they fell to the Wings, 12–11 in overtime.[6] A week later on December 10, the franchise played its first ever home game at Dickies Arena, where they fell to the Vancouver Warriors, 14–8 in front of 7,309 fans.[7] After five games, Panther City got their first franchise win on January 15, 2022, on Long Island against the New York Riptide, 13–12 thanks to an overtime goal from rookie forward Patrick Dodds.[8] It took a month and a half and four more tries, but Panther City notched their second win and first ever home win on February 26, 11–10, in a rematch with the Warriors in front of 4,714 fans. Again it would be Patrick Dodds providing late-game heroics with a goal with 39 seconds remaining.[9] The next week, Panther City collected a consecutive win for the first time, and set a franchise record for goals scored with a 17–16 home overtime win over the Saskatchewan Rush.[10]

The streak would eventually climb to five games, catapulting the team back to the playoff race with a 6–8 record.[11] Panther City would hang in there until the penultimate week of the regular season when they lost to the Georgia Swarm. A home loss to Saskatchewan closed out the year, though Panther City still posted the best inaugural season record by an expansion team since the San Diego Seals in 2018–19.

Season-by-season record

!Season!Conference!W!L!%!Finish!Home!Away!GF!GA!Coach!Playoffs
2022Western711.3895th3–64–5190223Tracey KeluskyDid not qualify
2023Western108.5563rd6–34–5204193Tracey KeluskyLost Western Conference Semi-Final
2024Unified99.5007th5–44–5205202Tracey KeluskyLost Quarterfinals
Total3 Seasons2628.48114–1312–155996181 Head Coach0 Championships
Playoff Totals2 Appearances02.0000-00-21721

Playoff results

!Season!Game!Visiting!Home
2023Western Conference Semi-FinalPanther City 9Calgary 12
2024QuarterfinalsPanther City 8San Diego 9

Awards and honors

!Year!Player!Award
2022Tracey KeluskyLes Bartley Award
Jeremy ThompsonTeammate of the Year Award
2023Jonathan DonvilleRookie of the Year

Draft history

NLL Entry Draft

First Round Selections

Notes and References

  1. News: Professional lacrosse is coming to Fort Worth, Dickies Arena . July 22, 2020 .
  2. News: NATIONAL LACROSSE LEAGUE ANNOUNCES FIRST-EVER EXPANSION INTO THE STATE OF TEXAS . July 22, 2020.
  3. News: History of Panther Mascot . The Panther Foundation . May 2009 . May 9, 2009 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20090826220421/http://www.pantherfountain.com/dallas_daily_herald.asp . August 26, 2009.
  4. https://www.nll.com/news/panthercitylacrosseclub/ Panther City Lacrosse Club
  5. Web site: 25 January 2021. Fort Worth's First National Lacrosse Team Names Head Coach. 26 January 2021. Fort Worth Business Press.
  6. https://www.panthercitylax.com/news/panther-city-lacrosse-club-falls-12-11-to-wings-in-franchise-opener/ Panther City Lacrosse Club falls 12–11 to Wings in franchise opener
  7. https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/panther-city-lacrosse-club-loses-14-8-to-vancouver/n-5772771 Panther City loses first home game
  8. https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/panther-city-lacrosse-club-defeats-new-york-riptide-13-12-in-ot/n-5782276 Panther City Lacrosse Club defeats New York Riptide, 13–12
  9. https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/panther-city-hang-on-for-first-home-win/n-5795574 Panther City hangs on for first home win
  10. https://www.thestar.com/sports/lacrosse/2022/03/06/malcom-scores-five-times-panther-city-edges-saskatchewan-rush-17-16-in-ot.html Malcom scores five times as Panther City edges Saskatchewan Rush, 17–16 in OT
  11. https://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/panther-city-slays-mammoth-10-6/n-5804678 Panther City slays Mammoth, 10–6