The National Lacrosse League has announced that Steve Dietrich has been voted into the league’s Hall of Fame, Class of 2012. The mainstay goaltender played nearly two decades in the league and continues to serve the game past his playing career, first as a goaltending coach and now as a general manager. 

"It's an incredible honor," said Dietrich, upon being informed of his pending induction into the Hall of Fame. "As I played my career, I never would have dreamed that this could have happened. To be included with the legendary names that are already in the Hall of Fame, it's an incredibly humbling feeling."

Dietrich, an original Knighthawk, was the first great goalie in team history. He led Rochester to its first title in 1997, earning Championship Game MVP honors in a 15-12 win over Buffalo.  The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony for Dietrich will take place in Toronto at the Westin Harbour Castle on October 3rd. Tickets for the ceremony will go on sale in the near future.

He played seven of his 18 seasons with the Knighthawks and was the first team MVP in 1995. “Chugger” is still second in team history in saves and was a two-time All-Pro with Rochester. In his career, he played for Baltimore, Detroit, Buffalo, Calgary, Edmonton, Toronto and Rochester.

In 2006 he won the League MVP Award and had one of the best statistical individual seasons for a goaltender in league history, posting a save percentage of .808 and a goals-against average of 9.97. He made 5,531 career saves, logged more than 8,300 minutes and earned a record of 60-47.

Of the six finalists on the ballot, Steve Dietrich was selected on 79 percent of the ballots and was the only nominee selected on the required minimum of 75 percent of the ballots cast. The veteran goaltender and current General Manager of the Buffalo Bandits will be the lone inductee in the Class of 2012. The ballots were cast by the NLL teams, current members of the Hall of Fame and senior members of the league’s covering media.