Oakville, Ontario — The New England Black Wolves selected Colton Watkinson with the seventh overall pick, one of their three first round selections in the 2017 National Lacrosse League Entry Draft on Monday night at the Toronto Rock Athletic Centre.

The Black Wolves picked Watkinson after receiving the selection in a trade with the Georgia Swarm. They also took Anthony Joaquim with eighth overall pick and JP Kealy with the 10th overall selection.

Watkinson, who won three NCAA Division II titles at Limestone College, earned USILA First Team All-American honors and was voted to receive the Lt. J.G. Donald MacLaughlin Jr. Award as the Most Outstanding Midfielder as a senior in 2017. He had 11 points on 10 goals and one assist in 13 regular season games in Major Series Lacrosse play with the Brooklin Redmen this summer.

Joaquim, a two-time gold medalist with Team Ontario in field lacrosse, tied for second all-time with 62 games played during his career at St. Joseph's University. He had 26 points along with 140 ground balls and 35 caused turnovers during his collegiate career. In MSL action this summer, he saw action in six games for the Brampton Excelsiors, scoring two goals and dishing out one assist.

A member of the Langley Thunder in the Western Lacrosse Association this summer, Kealy had 43 points on 20 goals and 23 assists in 12 games. He had a season-high six points — three goals, three assists — twice. Kealy earned All-NEC Rookie Team honors while playing collegiately at Robert Morris.

The Black Wolves also selected Nick Chaykowsky with the 17th overall pick. He played collegiately at Nipissing and spent this past summer in Junior A with the Barrie Lakeshores before being traded to the New Westminster Salmonbellies for the playoffs. With the 27th pick, New England took Larken Kemp from Brown University. A first team All-American with the Bears, Kemp ranked 12th in the nation in caused turnovers at 1.84 in his final season before spending the summer with the Denver Outlaws in Major League Lacrosse.

With the 37th overall selection, New England chose Nick Mariano from Syracuse. A first Team All-American, Mariano led the Orange in his final two seasons of collegiate play after transferring from UMass. The Black Wolves also have the 46th and 54th picks upcoming in the final two rounds.

With their final two picks of the night, the Black Wolves picked Matt Rambo, the 2017 Tewaaraton Award winner, with the 46th overall selection, and Cam Milligan of the University of Vermont with the 54th pick.

Rambo was the career points and career goals leader in Maryland lacrosse history. He was a two-time first team All-American and the 2017 Enners Award honoree as the nation's Most Outstanding Player. Milliagan led the Catamounts with 44 points on 22 goals and 22 assists in his senior season.