DARRIS and RICH KILGOUR
Franchise Players for the Buffalo Bandits National Lacrosse League
Darris and Rich Kilgour grew up in Western New York, and attended Niagara Wheatfield High School. Darris and Rich have been staples of the Buffalo Bandits franchise, and the National Lacrosse League (NLL) for almost two decades. In this time they have compiled quite a resume, and have both been inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame.
Darris Kilgour was drafted in 1991, the first player ever drafted by the Buffalo Bandits. During his playing career, he played with the Buffalo Bandits (1992-99), Rochester Knighthawks (1999), and the Albany Attack (2000). In these eight seasons Darris earned three All-Pro selections: First Team in 1998, and Second Team in 1992 and 1997. Darris retired in 2000, and became the first player in NLL history to have his jersey number retired by the Bandits.
Darris then began his coaching career in 2000 with the Washington Power, and in 2003 he returned to coach the hometown Buffalo Bandits. During his coaching career, Darris was voted NLL Coach of the Year in 2003, selected to coach the Eastern All-Stars in 2004, won the NLL Championship in 2008, and in 2010, surpassed Coach Les Bartley as the all time regular season wins leader. Darris Kilgour was inducted into the NLL Hall of Fame in 2007.
Rich Kilgour also started his career with the Bandits during the 1992 season, and stayed with the team until he retired after the 2009 campaign. Rich displayed his leadership skills by being team captain for 12 seasons (1998-2009). As a defenseman, he played 200 regular season games and ended his career with 107 goals, 249 assists, 356 points, 406 faceoff wins, 913 loose balls, and four NLL Championships (1992, ’93, ’96, and 2008). Rich has taken his passion for the game into coaching, and is currently the head coach for the NCCC Men’s Lacrosse Team. Rich Kilgour’s talented career has been recognized by the NLL with his selection to its Hall of Fame class of 2010.
Darris and Rich were part of the 1992 Bandits team that started the season with three losses and then went undefeated through four games into the 1994 season. This 22 game win streak stands as an all time record. The Kilgours’ love for lacrosse not only turned into a profession, but they were also pioneers that helped promote a sport that is beginning to gain widespread popularity.
The biographies contained on this website were written at the time of the honoree’s induction into the Hall of Fame. No attempt has been made to update these narratives to reflect more recent events, activities, or statistics.
