Matt Danowski Bio
Matt Danowski (born August 12, 1985) is a former American professional lacrosse attackman who spent twelve seasons competing across Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), and the National Lacrosse League (NLL). Known by the nickname “Dino,” he built a reputation as a precise shooter and creative playmaker, finishing his career with the Chrome Lacrosse Club before announcing his retirement on February 22, 2021. He previously suited up for the New Jersey Pride, Long Island Lizards, Charlotte Hounds, and Chesapeake Bayhawks in outdoor play, while also representing the Colorado Mammoth, Rochester Knighthawks, and Philadelphia Wings indoors.
Standing 6 feet 1 inch tall and weighing 195 pounds, Danowski combined size with polished field vision, traits that helped him set scoring records at the highest levels of the sport. He is widely remembered as one of the most decorated attackmen of his generation and as a central figure in Duke University’s modern lacrosse tradition.
Early Life and Background
Matt Danowski was born on August 12, 1985, in Farmingdale, New York, and grew up in a family deeply connected to athletics. His father, John Danowski, is a longtime lacrosse coach who eventually took over as the head coach of the Duke University men’s lacrosse program in 2006. Growing up around the sport gave Matt an early understanding of offensive systems, practice habits, and the discipline required to compete at elite levels.
His grandfather, Ed Danowski, added another athletic layer to the family tree. Ed Danowski was a quarterback for the New York Giants and led the franchise to NFL championships in 1935 and 1938, establishing a tradition of competitive success that Matt carried into the lacrosse world. Surrounded by coaches, athletes, and strong mentors, Matt developed the work ethic and field awareness that would later define his career.
Path to Lacrosse
Danowski’s progression into high-level lacrosse was shaped by years of training on Long Island, one of the most competitive regions in the country for youth and high school lacrosse. His father’s coaching background and the local lacrosse culture gave him a steady stream of competitive opportunities from a young age. Those formative years built the scoring instincts and shooting touch that scouts would later notice.
His path led him to Duke University, where he became a starter throughout his entire college career. As a sophomore in 2005, he won the Jack Turnbull Award, given to the nation’s top collegiate attackman, signaling his arrival as an elite offensive talent. That award marked the first of several major honors that would punctuate his time in Durham.
Matt Danowski Career
Early Career (2005–2007)
During his early years at Duke, Danowski emerged as the centerpiece of one of college lacrosse’s most productive offenses. In 2005, he captured the Jack Turnbull Award as a sophomore, establishing himself as a player to watch. By his junior season in 2006, however, his campaign was cut short after only eight games when Duke’s season ended prematurely amid the highly publicized 2006 Duke University lacrosse team scandal.
Following the forced resignation of longtime coach Mike Pressler, Danowski’s father, John Danowski, was named head coach of the Blue Devils. The NCAA later granted 33 Duke players, including Matt, a rare fifth year of eligibility due to the unusual circumstances. Danowski responded in 2007 by leading Duke, alongside teammate Zack Greer, to the NCAA Final Four, where the Blue Devils faced Johns Hopkins in the championship and narrowly lost despite a late comeback. That same year, he won the prestigious Tewaaraton Trophy, awarded to the nation’s most outstanding collegiate lacrosse player, and added the USILA Lt. Raymond Enners Award as national player of the year along with a second Jack Turnbull Award.
Duke Senior Season and NCAA Records (2008)
Danowski’s senior season in 2008 cemented his place in college lacrosse history. In the first round of the 2008 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship, he broke the career points record against Loyola, eclipsing Joe Vasta’s longstanding mark. His final college totals of 353 points made him the NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer at the time of his graduation.
Although Duke was eliminated by Johns Hopkins in the 2008 NCAA semifinals, denying Danowski an NCAA championship, he earned his second straight Lt. Raymond Enners Award as national player of the year. He finished his college career as a four-time All-American, leaving Durham with one of the most decorated résumés in program history.
Professional Lacrosse (2008–2021)
Within days of receiving his 2008 Enners Award, Danowski was selected second overall by the New Jersey Pride in the 2008 MLL Collegiate Draft. He wasted little time making an impact, earning Rookie of the Week honors in Week 5 of the 2008 MLL season and finishing his first year with 19 goals, 3 two-point goals, 14 assists, and 36 total points across 12 games. He was also drafted seventh overall in the 2008 NLL Draft by the Colorado Mammoth, beginning a four-season indoor career that included stops with the Rochester Knighthawks and the Philadelphia Wings.
His outdoor path continued to evolve. In July 2009, he was traded from the Colorado Mammoth to the New York Titans, becoming one of the few players that year to compete for both the Long Island Lizards and the Titans in the same season. In 2011, he was dealt from the Long Island Lizards to the Charlotte Hounds in a package that also included Stephen Berger and two draft picks, exchanged for the number one pick in the 2012 MLL Collegiate Draft. Danowski later joined the Chesapeake Bayhawks, with whom he spent part of his later MLL career.
Danowski was part of the wave of roughly 140 professional players who left MLL for the newly formed PLL in 2018. He became an important contributor for the Chrome Lacrosse Club, playing in all ten games during the PLL’s inaugural 2019 season. He did not participate in the shortened 2020 bubble tournament during the COVID-19 pandemic and announced his retirement on February 22, 2021, closing a twelve-year professional career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among the defining moments of Danowski’s career were his 2007 Tewaaraton Trophy win, his record-breaking 353 career points at Duke, and his leadership of the 2007 Blue Devils squad to the NCAA championship game. His transition from the MLL to the PLL in 2018 also marked a meaningful moment in professional lacrosse history, as he helped establish the credibility of a new league alongside other established stars.
Matt Danowski Career Wins
Throughout his twelve professional seasons, Matt Danowski built a consistent record of offensive production across multiple leagues. While specific game-by-game win totals vary by season, his value to each organization was reflected in regular playing time, offensive responsibilities, and his selection in the early rounds of both the MLL and NLL drafts.
MLL and PLL Highlights
Danowski’s MLL and PLL résumé includes stints with the New Jersey Pride, Long Island Lizards, Charlotte Hounds, Chesapeake Bayhawks, and Chrome Lacrosse Club. His most productive years came as a scoring leader in the MLL during the early 2010s, and he remained a reliable contributor during Chrome’s inaugural PLL campaign in 2019, appearing in every game of that season.
NLL Highlights
Indoor, Danowski played four NLL seasons, beginning with the Colorado Mammoth after being selected seventh overall in 2008 and continuing with the Rochester Knighthawks and the Philadelphia Wings. His ability to adapt to the smaller indoor field and faster pace added another layer to his professional profile.
Matt Danowski Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Matt Danowski comes from one of the most accomplished athletic families in American sports. His father, John Danowski, has served as the head coach of the Duke University men’s lacrosse program since June 2006, guiding the Blue Devils to national prominence. His grandfather, Ed Danowski, was a quarterback for the New York Giants who led the team to NFL championships in 1935 and 1938, giving the family a multi-generational championship pedigree.
Personal Life
Matt Danowski has largely kept his personal life private, focusing public attention on his professional career and his family’s deep ties to lacrosse and football. He announced his retirement from professional play in February 2021 and has since been recognized as one of the most influential attackmen of his era.
2025 Season Performance
As of 2025, Matt Danowski remains retired from professional lacrosse following his February 2021 announcement. He is not listed on any active MLL, PLL, or NLL roster and does not appear in current league transactions. His post-playing activities have focused on his legacy as a four-time All-American, Tewaaraton Trophy winner, and former NCAA Division I all-time leading scorer at the time of his graduation.
Danowski’s name continues to surface in lacrosse circles as a reference point for young attackmen, and his family connection to the sport remains strong through his father’s ongoing role at Duke. While he is no longer competing on the field, his record of 353 collegiate points and his twelve professional seasons stand as benchmarks in the modern era of the sport.
Looking ahead through the rest of 2025, Danowski is not expected to return to competitive play. His contributions to college and professional lacrosse, including his part in the founding years of the PLL with Chrome Lacrosse Club, ensure that his influence on the game continues well beyond his retirement.