The Buffalo Bandits, Albany FireWolves and Las Vegas Desert Dogs today announced the first-ever Tucker Out Lymphoma Cup, a multi-game series honoring the life of Tucker Williams. Tucker, the son of Desert Dogs head coach and general manager Shawn Williams and the younger brother of FireWolves forward Dyson Williams, lost his battle with Burkitt’s Lymphoma on Dec. 17, 2014, at just 8 years old.
This series builds on the legacy of Tucker Out Lymphoma Night, which was started in 2014 by the Bandits. The first event took place in April of that year, as the Bandits rallied around Tucker and the Williams family during his courageous fight. A decade later, this meaningful initiative is expanding to a multi-team competition that will bring together the lacrosse community to honor Tucker’s memory and raise awareness for lymphoma research and pediatric oncology.
“This Cup is a huge honor for our family,” Shawn Williams said. “From the very first Tucker Out Lymphoma Night in Buffalo to this new Cup, the lacrosse community has been there for us. Tucker’s legacy continues to inspire, and we are so grateful for the support in raising awareness and making a difference.”
“It’ll be an honor to compete in a Tucker Out game and for the Cup as we try and carry on Tucker’s legacy,” Dyson Williams said.
The Tucker Out Lymphoma Cup brings together three teams with deep ties to Tucker’s story: the Buffalo Bandits, where the initiative began; the Albany FireWolves, where Tucker’s older brother Dyson is playing in his rookie season; and the Las Vegas Desert Dogs, where Shawn Williams serves as head coach and general manager.
“We started Tucker Out Lymphoma Night to rally around Tucker and the Williams family during a challenging time,” Bandits senior director of lacrosse operations Scott Loffler said. “Seeing this initiative evolve into a multi-team Cup is a testament to Tucker’s impact and the strength of the lacrosse community.”
“I couldn’t think of a better way to bring awareness to Tucker’s courage and the fight against cancer than through the Tucker Cup,” FireWolves CEO and Owner Oliver Marti said. “The strength and character of Dyson and the entire Williams Family is inspiring, and the Albany FireWolves are honored to be hosting our first Tucker Out Lymphoma night this season.”
TUCKER OUT LYMPHOMA CUP SCHEDULE
The competition will span five games across the 2024-25 NLL season, showcasing matchups that feature the FireWolves, Bandits and Desert Dogs.
Date Home Team Visiting Team
Jan. 4 Albany Las Vegas
Feb. 1 Las Vegas Georgia
Feb. 1 Buffalo Albany
March 21 Buffalo Las Vegas
March 22 Albany Buffalo
STANDINGS FORMAT AND TIEBREAKERS
The Tucker Out Lymphoma Cup will feature a unique standings system:
- 2 points for a win
- 1 point for an overtime loss
- 0 points for a regulation loss
In the event of teams finishing the series with the same number of points, NLL standings tiebreakers will apply.
