A couple of weeks ago if you would have told a member of the ASU men's lacrosse team that it was impossible for a Sun Devil to get drafted into a professional lacrosse league they would have most likely agreed with you. After all, no former ASU lacrosse player had ever been drafted.
That changed on Oct. 26 during the National Lacrosse League's annual draft. On that night, the Arizona Sting made ASU lacrosse history with its sixth-round pick, the 58th overall selection, when it selected Ethan Furtek, a finance senior at ASU.
The former goalkeeper's selection was the first time an ASU lacrosse player had been chosen in a professional league draft.
"It's just a dream," Furtek said. "It's just phenomenal. I didn't even see it coming. It just took me by surprise."
Furtek, a native of the island of Cape Cod, Mass., played for the Sun Devil lacrosse team during the 2002-2003 and 2003-2004 seasons. He was a team captain last year, his final season of lacrosse eligibility.
"It was a blast being a part of [an ASU] team like that," Furtek said.
It's no wonder the selection came as a surprise to Furtek. After all, the goalie received little recognition last season because the Sun Devils didn't make the playoffs. He was also preoccupied with lining up a job in finance after graduation in December.
The sport wasn't his primary focus or concern then, but he is understandably thinking about it more often now.
"It's going to be a learning experience," Furtek said. "I'm not looking to be a superstar the first year, I'm just looking to help the team."
The Sting have 25 players on its roster. Training camp begins Nov. 13. If Furtek isn't named to the roster after camp, he will likely end up on the team's practice squad.
Being the only ASU graduate in the league isn't the only reason the 6-foot-2-inch, 185-pound Furtek will stand out, if he makes the team. He will also be the only American player on the Sting. Every other player on the roster is from Canada, where lacrosse is extremely popular.
Furtek said it was thrilling to be able to represent his country, but he was anticipating the opportunity to represent his college more.
"It means more to be the person from ASU than from the U.S.," he said. "It's more exciting saying that I played for ASU."
Arizona Sting head coach Bob Hamley said he thought Furtek could really help his club move in the right direction.
"Ethan comes to us highly recommended," he said. "He will grow with our program. He is a good athlete with a great attitude."
ASU men's lacrosse head coach Jon Minder said he agreed with Hamley. Minder also said he was very confident in Furtek's abilities, because he had seen Furtek succeed over two seasons as a member of the Sun Devil lacrosse team.
"He was incredible," Minder said. "He was the heart and soul of our team. You really couldn't ask for this to happen to a better kid. He was definitely the prominent leader of the team last season."
Furtek transferred to ASU from the University of Massachussetts his junior season. The Sun Devils went 1-13 the year prior to his arrival. But, they improved to 5-9 and 7-7 in Furtek's first and last season with the club, respectively.
Minder said Furtek's presence in the net helped the team make a lot of progress in each of the past two seasons. He added that he felt his former goalies' presence in the National Lacrosse League would also help ASU even more -- by giving Sun Devil lacrosse some great recognition.
"This is huge for our program just to have people take notice that we're playing a high level of lacrosse here," Minder said. "It's a major step for us and it validates the legitimacy of where our program is today."
For Furtek, it was not an easy ride to get to this point.
Soon after transferring to ASU he began having serious doubts about the direction the lacrosse program was taking. He wasn't thrilled with the way things were going out on the field.
"I wasn't positive about the program at first," he said. "But the turn around [Minder] has accomplished is just amazing."
Things began to get easier for Furtek as he became more situated in the Valley. He also began to have more fun with the team after developing friendships with his teammates.
"So many great guys made it real easy to transfer," he said. "Everyone is from a different place here, so it takes a while to grow and get to know each other, but once you do it's a rewarding experience."
Last season Furtek had 208 saves in 12 games for the Sun Devils. Only three goalies in Division A lacrosse stopped more shots.
To Minder, one play that Furtek made in a contest against division opponent UCSD last season epitomized what kind of contender Furtek was out on the field.
In that game, held on April 4, the goalkeeper surprised his entire team, and more importantly his opponent, by scoring a goal -- an extremely rare accomplishment for a goalie in lacrosse.
"He made a save and started to break out on a clear," Minder said. "He kept going and going and he shot and scored. It was amazing."
The Sun Devils not only went on to win that game 10-7, but they gained a lot of confidence heading into the final few games of the season.
Even though Furtek gave up 142 goals last season, Minder said statistics weren't an accurate reflection of his play. If Furtek had had more support around him on the defensive end, he would have definitely had better statistics and received more recognition around the country, the coach said.
"The numbers don't do it justice how good of a goalie he is," Minder said. "He's a good goalie at any level."
The transition to professional lacrosse might prove to be a difficult one for Furtek. In college he played field lacrosse, but for the Sting he will play a different version of the game -- box lacrosse.
The box lacrosse game has only five players and one goalie on the field for each team at a time and is played on a smaller field. A shot clock is also used, keeping the game moving at a faster pace.
In contrast, the field game that Furtek has played most of his life, has nine players and one goalie on the field at all times, no shot clock and goals 2 feet larger than the box game.
"It's a different position really," he said. "I've got a lot to learn. It's all going to depend on how hard I work. My goal is to just go in there and start learning right away -- give whatever it takes to make myself better."
One might think that Furtek eats, drinks and sleeps lacrosse because of the many things he has accomplished on the field. However, lacrosse isn't Furtek's only priority in life.
The senior, who is taking 12 credit hours in his final semester at ASU, has managed to maintain a 4.0 GPA.
But, school isn't his only other focus either -- Furtek also spends time in the community, trying to serve others.
In fact, he currently volunteers with the Chandler High School lacrosse team where he is trying to teach the tricks of the trade to the young players, many of whom have very little lacrosse experience.
And even though he was drafted and made history for ASU lacrosse, Furtek said he couldn't forget those people who helped him get to where he is now -- especially the ASU men's lacrosse team.
To Furtek, the lacrosse team's future appeared very bright.
"This year the team is looking better," he said. "They're starting to get more notoriety and publicity and it's bringing in recruits."
ASU senior midfielder Nick Cicchetti played with Furtek for two seasons. He said the goaltender was an example to the team of working hard and doing things the way they were supposed to be done.
"He's very motivated," he said. "He's got his head on straight. He had a huge influence on the team.
"We look up to him. He puts in the effort, but tries to have a good time with it as well."
The Sting play the first of eight home games next season Jan. 7, at the Glendale Arena.
Furtek said he was extremely excited to see what his future in lacrosse held and that he was also ready for the challenges he would soon have to face.
"The whole thing is a trip," he said. "I'm just looking to have as much fun with it as I can."
Reach the reporter at jeremy.a.cluff@asu.edu.
