Former University of Vermont two-sport standout Thomas Hajek (St. Catharines, Ont.) was selected ninth overall in the first round of the National Lacrosse League entry draft Saturday, Oct. 25.

Hajek, who was a captain in men’s hockey and a three-year letterwinner in men’s lacrosse, was selected by the Philadelphia Wings of the professional indoor lacrosse circuit. Interestingly, one of the all-time great Philadelphia Wings players is former Catamount great and Hall of Famer Scott Gabrielsen ’88, who played for 10 seasons in what was then the Major Indoor Lacrosse League.

Hajek, one of the finest student-athletes ever at UVM, was named to the Verizon Academic All-District I first team last spring. The 2003 male winner of the Wasson Athletic Prize at Vermont’s annual Senior Letterwinners’ Dinner, Hajek was named second-team All-District I in 2001-02.

Hajek successfully combined athletics and academics in his four-year career at Vermont. A Business Administration major with a 3.79 grade-point average, he was a three-time member of the America East Academic Honor Roll for lacrosse and the ECAC All-Academic Team for ice hockey. In 2002 and 2003, he was named to the America East Commissioner’s Honor Roll for having a cumulative GPA of 3.50 or higher.

In lacrosse, Hajek had 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 2002, and in 2003 he recorded two goals and four assists for six points in six games for Coach Steve Beville. In America East games, he went 2-3-5 for the Catamounts.

-Athletic Communications