Bandits Matt Vinc Retires From Lacrosse

As summertime in the 716 gets closer to drawing to a close and fall is approaching, one of the best professional lacrosse teams in America is preparing for the 2026/27 season of championship play in the National Lacrosse League. When the 7-time NLL Champion Bandits take to the field this year, they will play the season one player short, as star goalie Matt Vinc is hanging up his stick and calling it a career.

When the dust settles, Matt Vinc will be known as perhaps the greatest indoor lacrosse goalie of all time. From his humble start at Holy Cross Catholic Secondary School in St. Catharines, Ontario, to the top of the National Lacrosse League, Vino has been a leader the whole time.

His career in both the Major Series Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League is filled with highlights and awards that are well earned and deserved.

At age 42, the 6'2" goalie started his professional career after graduating from Canisius University as a long stick defender before transitioning to goalie in box lacrosse. Over his professional career that has spanned 2 decades, Vinc has played with the Bandits, Rochester Knighthawks, New York Titans, and San Jose Stealth, playing an impressive 365 career games all while earning a nearly 80% save percentage.

Perhaps most impressive of all, Vinc has clocked more than 21,000 minutes of playing time in his career, a league record, along with several other league records.

The 6-time NLL Champion, who has also earned 8 NLL Goaltender of the Year Awards, isn't just going to rest away in a rocking chair; he plans to continue his work teaching and coaching lacrosse at Denis Morris Catholic High School in St. Catharines, and you should still expect to see him around Buffalo as Western New York remains his second home.

Vinc penned an open letter to his fans sharing his thoughts about life, his motivations, and his love of the sport and the people. You can read it here.