⚡️ CHAMP SERIES IS BACK

We’ve got GREAT news for fans of The Fastest Game on Two Feet: The PLL Championship Series is returning to the Washington, D.C. area next February.

On Thursday, the PLL announced the return of its four-team Sixes tournament, which made its debut at The St. James in Springfield, Va. earlier this year. The same venue will host the 2024 Championship Series from Feb. 14-19. This time we’ll get to watch the Archers, Cannons, Waterdogs and Redwoods battle it out for a title in the newly established Olympic format.

Here’s the schedule of events so you can mark your calendars:

Wed., Feb. 14: Round Robin Games
- 5:30 p.m. ET // 7:30 p.m. ET
Thursday, Feb. 15: BREAK
- (No Games)
Friday, Feb. 16: Round Robin Games
- 5:30 p.m. ET // 7:30 p.m. ET
Saturday, Feb. 17: Round Robin Games
- 5 p.m. ET // 7 p.m. ET
Sunday, Feb. 18: Semifinals
- 1 p.m. ET // 3 p.m. ET
Monday, Feb. 19: Championship (Presidents’ Day)
- 11:30 a.m. ET

Television information has not yet been announced, but games will be broadcast via the ESPN/ESPN+ family of networks.

“Our second annual Championship Series will host our top four PLL teams in a tournament played within the new Olympic format rules,” PLL co-founder and President Paul Rabil said in a press release from the league. “With the best players in the world and a fast-paced, high octane format, we’re even more excited about these games. With renewed Olympic inspiration, this February’s games will be sure to provide motivation for the next generation player hoping to compete for a roster spot in LA28.”

Last February, Chrome defeated Atlas, 24-23, in the inaugural Championship Series title game. Atlas midfielder Romar Dennis (now with the Redwoods) won the Golden Stick Award after leading all players with 38 points through the five-game tournament.

The Archers are the team to watch this year. Not only are they coming off a win over the Waterdogs in the 2023 PLL Cash App Championship, but they are the only team returning from the previous field of Champ Series competitors.

🤝 Uniting To Grow The Game

With the 2028 Olympics on the horizon, all corners of the lacrosse universe are coming together and rallying around a common goal.

On Tuesday, eight major organizations/leagues announced the formation of ELEVATE28, which aims to double lacrosse participation to 4 million players annually in time for LA28.

These are the eight parties behind this movement:

• Premier Lacrosse League (PLL)

• National Lacrosse League (NLL)

• USA Lacrosse

• World Lacrosse

• Athletes Unlimited (AU)

• Intercollegiate Men’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IMCLA)

• Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWCLA)

• J Tsai Sports

To celebrate the joint initiative, representatives from each of the organizations/leagues rang the Closing Bell at the New York Stock Exchange on Tuesday afternoon.

USA Lacrosse CEO Marc Riccio called this unification an “unprecedented moment in time” for the sport, according to USA Lacrosse Magazine.

💪 Garnsey Defends Top Play Title

For the second consecutive year, Redwoods attackman Ryder Garnsey has won the PLL’s Top Play bracket. Both times, Garnsey had to roll around on the ground to get the job done.

Click into this Instagram post to watch both bracket-crushing moments…

The 2023 Top Play came in the first week of the season at Albany. Late in the first quarter, Garnsey fought his way through five different Atlas defenders to get an improbable shot past goalie Jack Concannon. The moment was immediately hailed as a potential “Play of the Year” candidate.

Garnsey went on to score six goals in that game, before finishing the season with new career-highs for goals (25), assists (11) and points (36). His explosion in 2023, paired with his unorthodox playing style and entertaining mic’d up moments, make one of the PLL’s most popular players.

❌ NCAA Denies Miezan Eligibility

One of the most intriguing college lacrosse stories has reached an abrupt ending, as the NCAA has denied Virginia midfielder Ricky Miezan eligibility for the 2024 spring season. Miezan announced the NCAA’s decision on Thursday, via his Instagram account.

Miezan was originally a highly touted lacrosse recruit in the Class of 2018, but he decided to pursue a collegiate football career at Stanford instead. From 2018-2022, he played linebacker and was even named team captain.

Last winter, Miezan jumped back into lacrosse and transferred to Virginia. He showed little rust, appearing in 16 games and recording 9 points (7 goals, 2 assists) for the Cavaliers last spring.

Miezan originally hoped to play two seasons of lacrosse in Charlottesville, but the NCAA’s recent decision has cut that dream short after just one.