(February 2, 2013)… The Rochester Knighthawks have activated rookie defenseman Cody McLeod today prior to the team’s 8:00 p.m. contest against the Washington Stealth. The move was one of four by the Knighthawks, who also signed defenseman Brad Richardson and transition man Garett Ince to practice squad deals. In the final move, the Knighthawks released forward Alex “Kedoh” Hill. The transactions are all pending league approval.

McLeod, a sixth-round pick in the 2012 NLL Entry Draft, played four seasons with the Junior “A” Orangeville Northmen. In 2012, he won the Minto Cup with the Northmen, playing in a career-high 34 games. In 2010, he had a breakout season, notching a career-best 15 points in 16 games. Since 2009, the defenseman has played in 94 games with Orangeville and recorded eight goals and 29 assists.

Richardson joins the Knighthawks after opening the season with the Calgary Roughnecks. The Burnaby, BC native saw all of his playing time with the Colorado Mammoth over two seasons (2010-11). He appeared in 15 games and notched four assists and 81 loose balls in his career. His best season was in 2010 when he played in 14 games with the Mammoth and won 167 faceoffs. In 2009, the NLL Insider named Richardson as one of the top prospects in that year’s NLL Entry Draft.

“It’s an opportunity and I am chomping at the bit to compete,” he said. “It’s a real talented team with a lot of guys I have played against growing up. I excited to be on the same team with them.”

This summer, he was a Second Team All-Pro as a member of the Western Lacrosse Association’s Coquitlam Adanacs. In the junior ranks, he won three Minto Cups with the Burnaby Lakers. Richardson also played college lacrosse at the University of Denver from 2006-09, and recorded 45 points (28+17) in 52 games.

Ince joins his first NLL team after a stellar career at the University of Virginia. He played for the Cavaliers for four seasons (2008-11), and was a member of the 2011 NCAA Division I National Championship Team. He still ranks eighth all-time record at Virginia in career faceoff wins (310). He recently played for Team Canada in an exhibition game against Ohio State in January.

Ince, who was born in Oakville, Ontario, was a member of the Brampton Excelsiors at the Junior “A” level. In four seasons with the Excels (2005-08), he notched 34 goals and 48 assists in 39 games. In 2008, he was fourth on Brampton in points with 28. Ince played with current Knighthawks Dylan Evans and Paul Dawson in Brampton.

The defending NLL Champion Rochester Knighthawks will host the Washington Stealth at 8:00 p.m. tonight. Tickets for the game are on sale at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, and at The Blue Cross Arena Box Office.