👀 FIRST LOOK: 2025 PLL MOCK DRAFT

The 2024 PLL season is in the books. The Utah Archers are champs again, which means the 2025 draft order is officially set.

As all eight teams look to rebuild and reload this offseason, let’s project how the first round of next year’s draft will go. Keep in mind, a lot can happen in the college season between now and next May. All we know are each PLL team’s current needs and the top returning college players from last year.

With that knowledge in mind, let’s dive into our first 2025 PLL Mock Draft…

Pick 1, Philadelphia Waterdogs: CJ Kirst (Attack, Cornell)

The Waterdogs get the best Kirst yet. CJ is a 6-2, 210-pound lefty who knows how to get buckets. He can play any role on offense, but he’d be a particularly seamless fit alongside Michael Sowers and Kieran McArdle in Philly’s starting attack.

Pick 2, California Redwoods: Chris Kavanagh (Attack, Notre Dame)

The Redwoods find their spark on offense. Kavanagh is a fearless, knifing dodger with a more lethal outside shot than his older brother Pat. His quarterbacking skills will be put to the test this spring, but playing opposite a veteran like Rob Pannell might be ideal.

Pick 3, Denver Outlaws: Emmet Carroll (Goalie, Penn)

The Outlaws started the season with Sean Sconone in net, then found some some stability after switching to Owen McElroy. Carroll would be a legitimate upgrade over both of them at the position. He led the NCAA in both total saves per game (15.9) and save percentage (59.4%) last season.

Pick 4, Boston Cannons: Coulter Mackesy (Attack, Princeton)

The Cannons desperately needed a lefty this postseason. Mackesy is a left-handed playmaker who dodges like he is gliding on air. This pick will be like adding Connor Fields to an attack line that already features Asher Nolting and Marcus Holman.

Pick 5, Carolina Chaos: Andrew McAdorey (A/M, Duke)

The Chaos need help on offense. McAdorey is the best offensive player available at this point. He’s split time between midfield and attack through three seasons at Duke, but he has a chance to explode as the focal point of the Blue Devils offense this year.

Pick 6, New York Atlas: Brendan Lavelle (Defense, Penn)

The Atlas don’t have many (any?) weaknesses. Lavelle is one of few draft prospects who could crack the starting lineup. He’s the best close defender in this class, as evidenced by his dominant 1-on-1 performances vs. Brennan O’Neill and CJ Kirst last season.

Pick 7, Maryland Whipsnakes: Levi Verch (D/LSM, St. Joseph’s)

Another Canadian Levi from St. Joe’s? The Whipsnakes have to like the sound of that. Verch is both a beast of a close defender and a menace in the middle of the field, giving him high position flexibility as a D/LSM due to his potential in transition.

Pick 8, Utah Archers: Sam English (Midfield, Syracuse)

No team gets more out of its midfield than the Archers. English is a blistering fast, downhill Canadian who went No. 2 overall in the NLL Draft earlier this month. He could be particularly useful on face-off wings and in the substitution game.

Reply to this email with your bold prediction for the 2025 PLL Draft!

🔥 Archers Championship Helmet Giveaway

Want to own a piece of PLL history? We’re giving away a Cascade XRS Pro helmet signed by the entire 2024 Utah Archers championship roster.

Visit this link and fill out the information for a chance to win.

The Archers secured back-to-back PLL Championships after taking down the Maryland Whipsnakes, 12-8, in the league final at Subaru Park last Sunday. Goalie Brett Dobson made 17 saves and was named Championship Game MVP for the second straight year.

Will the Archers three-peat in 2025? That could be your next chance to win a helmet like this, so enter NOW!

🇺🇸 Will USA Break Through in Box?

Pool Play starts today for both the Men’s and Women’s World Lacrosse Box Championships in Utica, New York. Team USA Women open up against Netherlands at 4 p.m. ET, and Team USA Men will face the Haudenosaunee at 8 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

For the USA men, the 2025 World Championship could be a breakthrough. America has never finished better than third in this event, as Canada has a stranglehold on the gold medal and Haudenosaunee have won every silver medal.

Although USA lost their biggest star, Tom Schreiber, to injury late in the PLL season, there’s reason for optimism heading into this competition. It starts with Syracuse star Joey Spallina, who is the youngest player on the roster and is coming off a dominant summer in which he led the OJLL in scoring.

“This has been my dream since I was a kid,” Spallina recently told USA Lacrosse Magazine. “To put on red, white and blue is every kid’s dream. I just can’t wait to be out there. I’ve been thinking about it for a long time.”

Spallina and Cornell’s CJ Kirst, the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 PLL Draft, are the only current college players on the USA roster. Other dynamic players to watch are Waterdogs midfielder Jack Hannah and Utah Archers attackman Mac O’Keefe, who is fresh off a PLL Championship. Chaos goalie Blaze Riorden will also be a fun one to watch, since he plays forward in box.

This USA roster has an uphill climb to make the gold medal game. The Canadians feature newly minted PLL MVP Jeff Teat, as well as guys like Josh Byrne, Dhane Smith, Zach Currier, Wes Berg and Graeme Hossack — each of whom thrive in box. Meanwhile, the Haudenosaunee have Lyle and Jeremy Thompson, Zed Williams, Randy Staats, Tehoka Nanticoke, Cody Jamieson, Brendan Bomberry and Trey Deere.

Elimination games start next week, with the Bronze Medal Game scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 28, and the Gold Medal Game to follow on Sunday, Sept. 29.

🍂 NCAA Fall Ball Lookahead

NCAA teams are back on the practice field, and fall scrimmages are around the corner. There are a ton of women’s scrimmages the next few weekends; USA Lacrosse Magazine has them all listed out by date.

The first men’s scrimmage on the slate is between Loyola and UMBC in Baltimore, Maryland on Friday, Oct. 4. Hofstra, Vermont and Utah all have local “Play Days” that Saturday, Oct. 5. Princeton and Colgate will scrimmage in the American Boy Fall Brawl on Sunday, Oct. 6.

One of the more interesting men’s scrimmages scheduled for this fall is Rutgers vs. Keio Japan on Wednesday, Oct. 9, in Piscataway, New Jersey. Lacrosse is growing super fast in Japan, and Keio University has scrimmaged Division I programs such as Hofstra, Towson, Monmouth and Fairfield in the past.

Other fall ball events and scrimmages are scheduled through October and into the beginning of November. After that, the 2025 college lacrosse season will be almost here…