The first pick in Monday night's National Lacrosse League draft went to the Edmonton Rush, who picked up a Denver native. Mark Matthews, a star for the Pioneers lacrosse team, was expected to be the first overall pick in the draft the second he became eligible for it, and the Rush had no hesitations in selecting him.

Matthews is expected to make an immediate impact on a Rush offense that has been below average every single year since they joined the league in 2006. He set scoring records on some very good Pioneers teams throughout his college career, putting in 155 goals. He has had success playing junior box lacrosse in Canada as well.

Edmonton's pick originally belonged to the Washington Stealth, who traded it to Edmonton along with Paul Rabil before the 2011 NLL season began.

Matthews was the only player taken from DU in the draft. His hometown Colorado Mammoth selected attacker Colton Clark out of Bellarmine University with the ninth overall pick.