🥍 PLL DAY SUPERLATIVES

Six years ago today, the Premier Lacrosse League was born.

The PLL has evolved quite a bit since then. There used to be six teams. Now, there are eight, and they all have home markets.

Through all the changes, the original mission upon launching the league has remained the same.

“We’re building a professional sports league that lacrosse deserves,” PLL co-founder Paul Rabil said while announcing the new league in 2018.

Looking back at the 2024 season, there’s a lot to celebrate. The Utah Archers claimed their second consecutive PLL Championship, New York Atlas attackman Jeff Teat emerged as the Most Valuable Player in the league, and Maryland Whipsnakes attackman TJ Malone burst onto the scene as the best rookie.

But you’ve heard all that — several times already. This newsletter will shine a slightly different light on the 2024 season, as we reflect on the past summer with superlatives as opposed to traditional awards.

Happy birthday, PLL! Keep scrolling and enjoy these superlatives…

Reply to this email with a 2024 PLL Superlative that wasn’t mentioned in this newsletter!

🤖 Ground Ball Machine: Mason Woodward

There is something mesmerizing about the way Utah Archers rookie Mason Woodward plays lacrosse…just ask the 17.5 million people who watched this TikTok of his 2024 ground ball highlights.

@lacrossenetwork

Is Mason Woodward the BEST ground ball artist in lacrosse!? 🤯 (via @Utah Archers, @Premier Lacrosse League) #lacrosse #lacrossehighlights ... See more

Woodward wins the Ground Ball Machine award not because he had a ton of them (his 19 GBs were tied for 38th in the PLL), but because of how nifty he is near a loose ball. He’s a wizard when it comes to kicking and goosing the ball into position for a clean scoop.

Woodward’s caused turnover/ground ball/two-point goal was a turning point in the 2024 PLL Championship and was recently voted the best play of the season. There was some head-scratching when the Archers selected Woodward in the first round of this year’s draft, but now it’s easy to see why head coach Chris Bates wanted the Marquette product on his roster.

🤯 Craziest Play: Blaze Riorden Goalie Goal

Before you start arguing about another play, remind yourself that Blaze Riorden — a 230-pound GOALIE — went coast-to-coast and scored the opening goal in a PLL game this season.

Read that again if you have to, or just watch the clip:

Riorden, who scored a famous coast-to-coast goalie goal in 2015 at UAlbany, delivered a pretty funny quote after history repeated itself nine years later.

“I think it’s pretty simple,” Riorden said after the game. “If someone runs at you, you pass the ball. If no one runs at you, you shoot the ball. I thought by now maybe I’d be on the scout, maybe I’m a guy to slide to.”

Many will say that Utah Archers attackman Connor Fields’ between-the-legs goal was crazier, but we’ve seen both him and Carolina Chaos attackman Josh Byrne score goals like that in the past. Riorden’s goal was the first coast-to-coast goalie goal in PLL history.

💪 Strongest Takeover: Brennan O’Neill vs. Archers

After a quiet PLL debut, Denver Outlaws rookie Brennan O’Neill exploded against the Utah Archers in the second week of the season. The No. 1 overall pick in the PLL Draft dropped nine total points, including the game-tying goal in the fourth quarter and the game-winner in overtime.

Relive his iconic takeover here:

O’Neill had several other jaw-dropping moments throughout the season, but he was not able to replicate this level of dominance. In six out of 10 regular-season games, he was limited to less than three points. Twice he was held without a single point.

Although Maryland Whipsnakes attackman TJ Malone ended up winning Rookie of the Year, O’Neill gave us a glimpse of his future pro potential and single-handedly validated his draft position with this nine-point performance against the Archers.

😖 Unluckiest Weekend: Waterdogs in Philly

Losing in overtime sucks. Losing two games in overtime sucks twice as much.

But losing two games in overtime on BACK-TO-BACK days while playing in front of your home crowd for the FIRST TIME EVER is gut-wrenchingly devastating. That’s exactly what the Philadelphia Waterdogs experienced in the third week of the season.

During Philly’s Homecoming Weekend, the Waterdogs lost to both the Boston Cannons and the Maryland Whipsnakes in overtime. The ‘Dogs didn’t field a face-off specialist in either game. Against Boston, Cannons FO Zac Tucci had four points and scored the game-winning goal in OT. A day later, Whipsnakes FO Joe Nardella went a perfect 31-for-31 against Philly.

Under first-year head coach Bill Tierney, the Waterdogs finished in last place with a 2-8 record. Five of those losses were by one point, including three in overtime. The good news for Philly? Their luck should shift with the first-overall pick in next year’s draft.

🏟 Best Home Crowd: Salt Lake City, Utah

When the PLL named home cities a year ago, some people were surprised to see the Archers land in Utah. Few predicted they would end up having the loudest crowd and arguably the best home-field advantage in the league.

Listen to the roar at Zions Bank Stadium when Archers midfielder Beau Pederson, a Utah native, scored a “pick six” goal in transition…

Although the Archers lost star midfielder Tom Schreiber in the first of their two Homecoming games, they rode the energy of their fans to a 2-0 weekend. Utah entered the playoffs on a high note and ended up winning a second consecutive PLL Championship.

The Denver and California crowds were on the same level as Utah in terms of energy, but they couldn’t create as much of a home-field advantage. Both the Outlaws and Redwoods went 1-1 during their respective Homecoming Weekends.

🤝 Deal Of The Year: Whips Trade For Ryan Conrad

Late in the year, the Maryland Whipsnakes were looking for a spark at midfield. Before the trade deadline, they sent a 2025 second-round pick to the Philadelphia Waterdogs for the rights to Ryan Conrad.

In his first game with the Whipsnakes, Conrad had four points (3 goals, 1 assist).

Conrad played a major role during Maryland’s run to the PLL Championship. With seven points in three playoff games, he trailed only his Whipsnakes teammate TJ Malone (13) among all players in postseason points.

Moving forward, the Conrad deal could go down as a fleecing. He’s only 27 years old, entered the league as the No. 2 overall pick in 2019, and plays for Team USA in both Sixes and Field. Whips head coach Jim Stagnitta got him for a second-round pick.

⏰ Game Of The Year: Whips-Atlas OT Semifinal

On September 7, 2024, the Maryland Whipsnakes and New York Atlas played what may go down as the greatest overtime period in pro lacrosse history. Don’t believe me? Click play on the video below and strap in for seven minutes of sudden death OT.

After several back-and-forth opportunities, Whipsnakes rookie attackman Levi Anderson sent Maryland to the PLL Championship with his trademark swim dodge and score. Both head coaches commented on the chaotic overtime period during their postgame press conferences.

“I’ve never been in an overtime like that,” Whips head coach Jim Stagnitta said.

“That was one of the greatest lacrosse games I’ve ever been a part of in my career, at any level,” Atlas head coach Mike Pressler said.

In the PLL, teams are not allowed to call timeouts in overtime. This rule was widely praised after the Whips-Atlas semifinal thriller.

🔥 Best Uniforms: Outlaws Indigenous Heritage

In late June, the PLL celebrated Indigenous Heritage Weekend in Minneapolis. All eight teams broke out custom uniforms, and the Denver Outlaws had the most popular threads.

Take a look below…

The alternate buffalo logo was designed by Ojibwe artist Patrick Hunter in collaboration with the Anishinaabe.

“To us, buffaloes were revered because of what they did for our communities,” Hunter said. “We built our homes with their hides. They nourished and sustained our communities and were treated with a lot of respect for their sacrifice.”

The Outlaws beat the California Redwoods, 13-8, in these uniforms.

🗣 Best Chirp: “Two On You!”

New York Atlas attackman Xander Dickson must be good at multitasking, because he makes talking trash while cutting on the crease look effortless. Watch him chirp back at Denver Outlaws defenseman Jesse Bernhardt in the clip below.

Dickson and Bernhardt go back-and-forth a bit in the clip, but the Slim Reaper’s mic drop was simply his stat line.

“Two [goals] on you,” he says to Bernhardt.

The Atlas ended up winning this game, 17-4, and Dickson finished with a hat trick.

😂 Funniest Moment: Kavanagh Brothers in The Box

Looking back at 2024, Pat Kavanagh should have a lot of great memories. He won a second straight NCAA Championship with Notre Dame, won the Tewaaraton Award as the nation’s best player, and was selected in the first round of the PLL Draft by the Boston Cannons.

One of his funniest memories has to be ending up in the penalty box alongside his older brother, Matt, less than an hour into his pro debut.

In their first year together, Pat had 12 points (8 goals, 4 assists) and Matt had nine points (4 goals, 1 two-pointer, 3 assists). They each played in six games.