The San Diego Seals are proud to announce that Austin Staats has been selected as The World Games Athlete of the Month for January 2019. Staats is the first lacrosse player ever to be so honored.

Staats is among the league leaders in points (31) and goals-scored (18) in the National Lacrosse League. He has helped lead the Seals to a 4-2 record and first place in the NLL Western Division standings in this, the team’s inaugural season.

In January, Staats registered 13 goals and 20 points in four games, leading the Seals to a 3-1 record.

Last year, at the 2018 FIL World Championships in Israel, Staats scored 16 goals in helping Iroquois National Team secure the bronze medal. He was named to the All-World Team at the tournament.

“We would like to thank The World Games for recognizing the dedication, talent and accomplishments of one of the rising stars in men’s lacrosse, Austin Staats,” said Federation of International Lacrosse President Sue Redfern.  “Equally, we extend our congratulations to Austin, his teammates and coaches with both the Iroquois Nationals and San Diego Seals.

“Austin’s performance in the 2018 FIL World Championship was a preview of the success he is now enjoying in his first season in the National Lacrosse League,” added Redfern. “For our sport to have an athlete recognized by The World Games is yet another important step in our ongoing efforts to expand awareness and participation in lacrosse worldwide.”

Austin Staats was the first player selected in the 2018 NLL Entry Draft.

“Austin is off to a great start,” said Seals general manager and head coach Patrick Merrill. “He has bought in to the culture and has learnt a lot from the veterans around him. We knew when we drafted him how NLL-ready he was, and now he’s proving it to the rest of the league. He’s a fierce competitor and a good teammate. We rely on him to be a difference-maker every week, even though he’s a young player, and he’s risen to that challenge so far.”

The 20-year-old forward is originally from Six Nations, Ontario, Canada. He will receive The World Games Athlete of the Month diploma as well as a branded gift from the Official Sponsor of Athlete of the Month, Protective Life.

Watch Austin Staats and the first-place Seals take on the Vancouver Warriors when the team returns home to Pechanga Arena San Diego on Fri., Feb. 8. Click here to reserve your seats.