2023 Premier Lacrosse League season | |
---|---|
League | Premier Lacrosse League |
Sport | Field Lacrosse |
Defending champions | Waterdogs (2022) |
Duration | June 3 – September 24 |
Number of teams | 8 |
5th Season | |
League champions | Archers |
Runners-up | Waterdogs |
Season MVP | Tom Schreiber |
Finals MVP | Brett Dobson |
The 2023 Premier Lacrosse League Season was the fifth season of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). It was held from June 3 through September 24.
This season marked the first time that the PLL held an event in the state of Kentucky with the All-Star Events being held in Louisville. [1] This was also the first season a free agency period occurred. [2]
This season the PLL unveiled new uniforms for each team. These uniforms were developed in partnership with Champion. [3] The Waterdogs were given a third black jersey as part of being the reigning champions. [4]
Archers Lacrosse Club would beat the reigning champion Waterdogs 15-14 in the PLL Championship game.
The following notable players retired prior to the 2023 season: [5]
The first ever PLL free agency period was open from March 6, 2023 to April 1, 2023. [2] Players could sign one or two-year deals. Players to change teams included: [19]
Two players were signed out of the player-pool after participating with the same team during the 2023 Premier Lacrosse League Championship Series. Those players being: attackman Marc O'Rourke (Atlas, signed through 2023), and goalie Brendan Krebs (Whipsnakes, signed through 2024)
The college draft took place on May 9 at 7 pm (ET) and was broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN+. Atlas LC acquired what became the number one overall pick from Cannons LC in a trade. [20] Defenseman Gavin Adler became the first defenseman to be selected first overall in the PLL and the second-ever in professional field lacrosse, the first being Princeton's Ryan Mollett in 2001. [21]
Format:
Source: [22]
In the explanations below, (PD) indicates trades completed prior to the start of the draft (i.e. Pre-Draft), while (D) denotes trades that took place during the 2023 draft.
Conference | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
America East | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
ACC | 1 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 8 |
Atlantic 10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 |
ASUN Conference | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Big East | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
Big Ten | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5 |
C2C | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
Coastal Athletic Association | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
Ivy League | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
Patriot League | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
Selections | Schools |
---|---|
4 | Georgetown |
3 | Virginia |
2 | Delaware, Loyola, Maryland, Notre Dame, Saint Joseph's, Penn |
1 | Albany, Cornell, Duke, High Point, Jacksonville, Johns Hopkins, Lehigh , Michigan, UNC, Ohio State, Salisbury,Syracuse, Villanova |
Position | Round 1 | Round 2 | Round 3 | Round 4 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Attack | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 7 |
Defense | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 |
Defensive Midfield | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 |
Faceoff | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 |
Goalie | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
LSM | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
Midfield | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 |
On May 15, the day 30-man training camp rosters were due, it was announced that Lyle Thompson would be taking a one-year sabbatical from play to focus on himself, his family, and his community. Thompson was placed on the league's hold-out list for the 2023 season. He is under contract with Cannons LC through the 2024 season and returned to play for them in 2024. [25] Lyle Thompson won two Tewaaraton Awards while at the University of Albany. He also scored 400 points, the most in NCAA D1 History. [26]
The following acquisitions were made from free-agency during the 2023 season:
The 2023 season trade deadline was on August 22, at 2 PM EST which was the tuesday before the final regular season game.
The following trades were made during the 2023 season:
The following players retired after the 2023 season:
This season also included three rule changes: [34]
On May 19, National Lacrosse Hall of Famer and namesake for the PLL's MVP award, Jim Brown died. Brown was most well known for his NFL career (where he achieved a Hall of Fame career as well) but is considered to be one of the best lacrosse players of all time. During his time at Syracuse University, Brown was an All-American in both football and lacrosse. In 2011, Brown became the first recipient of the Tewaaraton Legacy Award, an award given to outstanding players that played collegiate lacrosse prior to the introduction of the Tewaaraton Award in 2001. In 2012, Brown was part of an ownership group that purchased the New York Lizards of the MLL. [38] [39] [40]
The Premier Lacrosse League's 2023 training camp was held from May 26, 2023 to May 30, 2023 in Albany, New York hosted at Tom and Mary Casey Stadium at The University of Albany. Teams began camp with a 30-man roster that was finalized on May 15. Teams were required to finalize their 25-man rosters on May 30. [41] Training camp consists of individual and multi-team practices, as well as scrimmages between the teams.
Week | Venue | Location | Capacity [lower-alpha 1] | Image | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Tom & Mary Casey Stadium | Albany, NY | 8,500 | [42] | ||
2 | American Legion Memorial Stadium | Charlotte, NC | 10,500 | ![]() | ||
3 | OSU Lacrosse Stadium | Columbus, OH | 3,000 | This was the first year the PLL held an event at this venue | ||
4 | TCO Stadium | Eagan, MN | 6,000 | |||
5 | Rafferty Stadium | Fairfield, CT | 3,500 | ![]() | ||
6 (All-Star Game) | Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium | Louisville, KY | [43] | |||
7 | Ford Center at The Star | Frisco, TX | 12,000 | ![]() | [42] | |
8 | Homewood Field | Baltimore, MD | 8,500 | ![]() | ||
9 | Barton Stadium | Denver, CO | 2,000 | |||
10 | Cheney Stadium | Tacoma, WA | 6,500 | ![]() | This was the first year the PLL held an event at this venue | |
11 | Zions Bank Stadium | Herriman, UT | 5,000 | ![]() | ||
12 (Quarterfinals) | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA | 65,878 | ![]() | ||
13 (Semifinals) | Shuart Stadium | Uniondale, NY | 11,929 | |||
14 (Championship) | Subaru Park | Chester, PA | 18,500 | ![]() |
Week | Date | Games | Time (EDT) | Broadcast [lower-alpha 1] | Venue | City | Notes | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | June 3 | Redwoods 13–12 | 1 PM | ABC | Tom & Mary Casey Stadium | Albany, NY | ||
Cannons 13–16 | 3:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
June 4 | Chaos 7–8 (OT) | 1 PM | ABC | |||||
Whipsnakes 11–12 | 3:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
2 | June 9 | Chrome 7–12 Archers | 6 PM | ESPN+ | American Legion Memorial Stadium | Charlotte, NC | ||
Waterdogs 9–10 Redwoods | 8:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
June 10 | Whipsnakes 11–12 Atlas | 3 PM | ABC | |||||
Chaos 14–13 Cannons | 5:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
3 | June 16 | Waterdogs 19–18 | 6 PM | ESPN+ | OSU Lacrosse Stadium | Columbus, OH | ||
Chrome 13–14 Cannons | 8:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
June 17 | Archers 10–15 Chaos | 12 PM | ESPN | |||||
Redwoods 11–18 Whipsnakes | 7 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
4 | July 8 | Waterdogs 10–7 | 6 PM | ESPN+ | TCO Stadium | Eagan, MN | The PLL celebrated Indigenous Heritage Weekend. Teams wore special uniforms that were designed by Patrick Hunter—an Ojibwe artist. | [36] |
Cannons 19–12 | 8:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
July 9 | Redwoods 13–8 | 2 PM | ESPN2 | |||||
Whipsnakes 12–15 | 4:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
5 | July 14 | Waterdogs 16–13 | 6 PM | ESPN+ | Rafferty Stadium | Fairfield, CT | ||
Archers 10–3 | 8:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
July 15 | Chrome 6 –12 | 6 PM | ESPN2 | |||||
Atlas 11–15 | 8:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
6 (PLL All-Star Game) | July 22 | Skills Challenge | 6:00 PM | ESPN | Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium | Louisville, KY | ||
Rising Stars 19–26 Veterans | 7:30 PM | |||||||
7 | July 29 | Atlas 11–9 | 6 PM | ESPN+ | The Star | Frisco, TX (Dallas) | ||
Cannons 16–10 | 8:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
July 30 | Waterdogs 18–19 | 3 PM | ABC | |||||
Whipsnakes 17–16 | 5:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
8 | August 5 | Archers 14 (OT)–13 | 3 PM | ABC | Homewood Field | Baltimore, MD | PLL Alumni Weekend, the PLL inducted the 2023 Class of the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame. Highest attended two-day event in PLL history, sold out on August 5. [44] [45] | [46] |
Whipsnakes 12–5 | 5:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
August 6 | Redwoods 12–14 | 1 PM | ABC | |||||
Waterdogs 8–12 | 3:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
9 | August 11 | Chaos 10–12 | 8 PM | ESPN+ | Barton Stadium | Denver, CO | PLL throwback weekend | |
Chrome 5 –13 | 10:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
August 12 | Atlas 11–14 | 7 PM | ESPN2 | |||||
Cannons 15–16 (OT) | 9:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
10 | August 18 | Archers 16–11 | 9 PM | ESPN2 | Cheney Stadium | Tacoma, WA (Seattle) | ||
Atlas 13–14 | 11:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
August 19 | Chrome 10–11 (OT) | 8 PM | ESPN+ | |||||
Chaos 8–13 | 10:30 | ESPN+ | ||||||
11 | August 25 | Archers 13–14 | 8 PM | ESPN+ | Zions Bank Stadium | Herriman, UT (Salt Lake City) | ||
Atlas 7–12 | 10:30 PM | ESPN2 | ||||||
August 26 | Cannons 15–11 | 7 PM | ESPN+ | |||||
Chaos 13–7 | 9:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
12 Playoffs (Quarterfinals) | September 4 | #4 Redwoods 15–9 #5 Chaos | 11:45 AM | ESPN+ | Gillette Stadium | Foxborough, MA (Boston) | ||
#3 Waterdogs 15–12 #6 Whipsnakes | 2:20 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
#2 Cannons 20–11 #7 Atlas | 5 PM | ESPN2 | ||||||
13 Playoffs (Semifinals) | September 10 | #1 Archers 14–6 #4 Redwoods | 3 PM | ABC | Shuart Stadium | Uniondale, NY (Long Island) | ||
#2 Cannons 6-17 #3 Waterdogs | 5:30 PM | ESPN+ | ||||||
14 PLL Championship | September 24 | #1 Archers 15-14 #3 Waterdogs | 3 PM | ABC | Subaru Park | Chester, PA (Philadelphia) |
The PLL included a two-week international break following week 3 in Columbus so that players could compete in 2023 World Lacrosse Championship. [49]
The 2023 PLL season was the PLL's second season on ESPN platforms. All 48 games were broadcast on ESPN+, ESPN's streaming service, and 16 games were on ESPN's linear platforms, a four game increase over the 2022 season. Eight of the games were broadcast on ABC, a five game increase over the 2022 season, two games were broadcast on ESPN, a one game decrease from the 2022 season, and six games were broadcast on ESPN2, the same as the 2022 season. [50]
The following games were broadcast on ESPN's linear platforms: [50]
Week | Date | Location | Teams | Platform | Time (EDT) | Peak Viewership | Average Viewership | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | June 3 | Albany, NY | Redwoods LC v.s. Atlas LC | ABC | 1:00 PM | 782,000 | 543,000 | Opening game, set record for most watched professional outdoor lacrosse game | [51] [45] |
June 4 | Chaos LC v.s. Waterdogs LC | 1:00 PM | |||||||
2 | June 10 | Charlotte, NC | Whipsnakes LC v.s. Atlas LC | 3:00 PM | |||||
3 | June 17 | Columbus, OH | Archers LC v.s. Chaos LC | ESPN | 12:00 PM | ||||
4 | July 9 | Minneapolis, MN | Redwoods LC v.s. Chaos LC | ESPN2 | 2:00 PM | ||||
5 | July 15 | Fairfield, CT | Chrome LC v.s. Cannons LC | 6:00 PM | |||||
6 | July 22 | Louisville, KY | Veterans v.s. Rising-Stars | ESPN | 8:00 PM | All-star game | |||
7 | July 30 | Dallas, TX | Waterdogs LC v.s. Archers LC | ABC | 3:00 PM | ||||
8 | August 5 | Baltimore, MD | Archers LC v.s. Atlas LC | 3:00 PM | |||||
August 6 | Redwoods LC v.s. Chaos LC | 1:00 PM | |||||||
9 | August 12 | Denver, CO | Atlas LC v.s. Waterdogs LC | ESPN2 | 7:00 PM | ||||
10 | August 18 | Seattle, WA | Archers LC v.s. Whipsnakes LC | 9:00 PM | |||||
11 | August 25 | Salt Lake City, UT | Atlas LC v.s. Redwoods LC | 10:30 PM | |||||
12 (Quarterfinals) | September 4 | Boston, MA | Quarterfinal 3 - Cannons LC v.s. Atlas LC | ESPN2 | 5:00 PM | ||||
13 (Semifinals) | September 10 | Long Island, NY | Semifinal 1 - Archers LC v.s. Redwoods LC | ABC | 3:00 PM | ||||
14 (PLL Championship Game) | September 24 | Philadelphia, PA | Archers LC v.s. Waterdogs LC | 3:00 PM | 15% higher viewership compared to the 2022 championship game | [52] |
Through the first two weeks of the season the PLL reported a 50% increase in ESPN+ viewership, and a 131% in views. [53] [54]
On August 15, with two weeks remaining in the regular season (and 5 linear broadcast games remaining) it was announced that the PLL had seen a 69% boost in total viewership over the 2022 season. The PLL also saw a 25% increase in average viewership of games broadcast on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 over the 2022 season. With 5 linear broadcast games remaining and the all-star games excluded from both seasons, the 2023 season was averaging 254,000 per game while the 2022 season was average 150,000 at the same point. [44] [45]
Following the conclusion of the season the PLL announced that the 2023 season was the most watched in league history. Average viewership on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN2 was up 36% and average viewership on ESPN+ was up 60% compared to the 2022 season. [52]
Time Period | Average Vewership | Notes | Ref. |
---|---|---|---|
Week one viewership | 449,000 | All games had been on ABC | [55] |
Through week two | 409,000 | [56] | |
Through week nine | 245,000 | [45] |
The following table shows the number of games each team participated in that were broadcast on linear TV. The number in parentheses shows the number of games excluding that team's postseason games. [57]
Team | Total number of games | ABC | ESPN | ESPN2 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Archers LC | 6 (4) | 4 (2) | 1 | 1 |
Atlas LC | 6 (5) | 3 | 0 | 3 (2) |
Cannons LC | 2 (1) | 0 | 0 | 2 (1) |
Chaos LC | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Chrome LC | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Redwoods LC | 5 (4) | 3 (2) | 0 | 2 |
Waterdogs LC | 4 (2) | 3 (2) | 0 | 1 |
Whipsnakes LC | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
The Archers and Atlas tied for the most games broadcast on linear platforms with six. The Atlas had the most regular-season games broadcast with 5, they also had the most regular season games broadcast on ABC. The Archers would take the most games broadcast on ABC overall with four, two of which were during the post season.
The Atlas would also have the most games broadcast on ESPN2 with three, and tied the Redwoods for most regular season games broadcast on ESPN2 with two.
The Chrome had the least linear broadcast games overall and were tied with Cannons LC for least number of regular season games. The two teams only linear broadcast regular season game was their week 5 game against each other on ESPN2 that the Cannons would win 12 to 6.
On June 1, ESPN announced the commentators for the 2023 PLL season: [58]
Play-by-play duties would be handled by Anish Shroff, Chris Cotter, Jay Alter, Drew Carter, and Jake Marsh, all of whom have broadcast lacrosse before.
Game analysts include broadcasting veterans Quint Kessenich, Paul Carcaterra, and Ryan Boyle, alongside newcomers Kyle Harrison, nine-time MLL/PLL all-star, and Bill Tierney, the legendary former head coach of the Denver University men's lacrosse team.
Reporters include Katie George, Dana Boyle, and Chantel McCabe, alongside newcomers Charlotte North, and Caley Chelios.
2023 Premier Lacrosse League Standings | |||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Team | W | L | T | SF | SA | Diff | |||||||
Archers | 8 | 2 | 0 | 138 | 111 | 27 | |||||||
Cannons | 7 | 3 | 0 | 143 | 119 | 24 | |||||||
Waterdogs | 7 | 3 | 0 | 129 | 118 | 11 | |||||||
Redwoods | 6 | 4 | 0 | 111 | 119 | -8 | |||||||
Chaos | 5 | 5 | 0 | 120 | 116 | 4 | |||||||
Whipsnakes | 4 | 6 | 0 | 128 | 128 | 0 | |||||||
Atlas | 2 | 8 | 0 | 120 | 140 | -20 | |||||||
Chrome | 1 | 9 | 0 | 81 | 119 | -38 |
Source: [59]
Top 7 Teams Qualify for 2023 Playoffs |
8th Place Misses 2023 Playoffs |
Top 4 Teams Qualify for 2024 Championship Series |
The PLL Postseason features the top 7 teams in the standings at the end of the regular season; competing in a single elimination tournament. The top seed receives a first-round bye. The remaining teams are matched up as follows: the second seed plays the seventh seed, the third seed plays the sixth seed, and the fourth seed plays the fifth seed. The top seed plays the winner of the game between the fourth seed and the fifth seed and the remaining two teams are matched against each other in the semi-final. The winners of the semi-final games compete in the finals at Chester, PA (Philadelphia). [42] The postseason began on September 4, 2023, in Foxborough, MA (Boston) and concluded on September 24, 2023.
Quarterfinals September 4 (Boston) | Semifinals September 10 (Long Island) | PLL Championship Game September 24 (Philadelphia) | ||||||||||||
#1 | Archers | 14 | ||||||||||||
#4 | Redwoods | 6 | ||||||||||||
#4 | Redwoods | 15 | ||||||||||||
#5 | Chaos | 9 | ||||||||||||
#1 | Archers | 15 | ||||||||||||
#3 | Waterdogs | 14 | ||||||||||||
#3 | Waterdogs | 15 | ||||||||||||
#6 | Whipsnakes | 12 | ||||||||||||
#3 | Waterdogs | 17 | ||||||||||||
#2 | Cannons | 6 | ||||||||||||
#2 | Cannons | 20 | ||||||||||||
#7 | Atlas | 11 |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
#4 Redwoods | 5 | 8 | 1 | 1 | 15 |
#5 Chaos | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 9 |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
#3 Waterdogs | 5 | 5 | 3 | 2 | 15 |
#6 Whipsnakes | 5 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 12 |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
#2 Cannons | 5 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 20 |
#7 Atlas | 3 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 11 |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
#1 Archers | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 14 |
#4 Redwoods | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
#2 Cannons | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
#3 Waterdogs | 3 | 6 | 7 | 1 | 17 |
Team | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | Final |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
#3 Waterdogs | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 14 |
#1 Archers | 5 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 15 |
Archers goalie Brett Dobson was awarded the Championship game MVP award after finishing the game with 18 saves (58% save percentage). Dobson's final save of the game came off of a last-second two-point attempt by Waterdogs midfielder Jack Carraway. Had the shot gone in the Waterdogs would have been up 16-15 with less than a second remaining in the game. [60] [61]
The PLL championship game was broadcast on ABC with Paul Carcaterra, Ryan Boyle, and Chris Cotter in the booth, and Quint Kessenich reporting on the field.
The Archers were without SSDM of the Year, Latrell Harris as he tore his ACL during the Archers semifinal win over the Redwoods. [62] Despite being listed on the active roster, the Archers were without leading scorer Connor Fields who separated his shoulder in the Archers semifinal win. [63]
During the second quarter it was announced that Archers LSM Cam Wyers would be out for the remainder of the game.
During the fourth quarter following the Archers goal with 6:05 left in the fourth quarter, Waterdogs goalie Dillon Ward was helped off the field and Waterdogs back-up goalie Matt DeLuca entered the game.
At the end of the first quarter, Waterdogs goalie Dillon Ward had 3 saves, and Archers goalie Brett Dobson had 8 saves
At the end of the half, Waterdogs goalie Dillon Ward had zero saves in the second quarter (three total saves) ,and Archers goalie Brett Dobson had fives saves in the second quarter (13 total saves).
At the end of the third quarter, Waterdogs goalie Dillon Ward had one save in the third quarter (4 total saves), and Archers goalie Brett Dobson had two saves in the third quarter (15 total saves).
When Dillon Ward exited the game with 6:05 remaining, he had three saves in the fourth quarter (7 total saves). Waterdogs back up goalie Matt DeLuca made 3 saves and allowed one goal after he entered the game with 6:05 left. Archers goalie Brett Dobson had three saves in the fourth quarter (18 total saves).
Week 3 - Columbus
Week 4 - Minneapolis
All-Star Game and Skills Challenges - Louisville
Week 7 - Dallas
Week 8 - Baltimore
Week 10 - Seattle
On May 25, 2023 it was announced that the PLL would assign home cities to teams beginning with the 2024 season. Voting for the finalists began on July 3, 2023. The 26 finalist home-cities were announced during the 2023 PLL All-Star game. The PLL also announced that they would not be moving away from the touring model. Each team would have one home weekend and play a double-header when hosting. There will also be two neutral field weekends that no one team hosts. The final home cities were decided through a mix of fan-voting, ticketing performance, venue availability, and customer data. [77] [78] [79] [80] In a press release the PLL announced that home city assignments in November 2023. [52] The PLL assigned each team a home city, as well as rebranding Chrome Lacrosse Club into the Denver Outlaws, on November 14. [81]
Statistic | Player | Position | Team |
---|---|---|---|
Points | Marcus Holman (44) | Attack | Cannons LC |
One-point goals | Marcus Holman (29) | Attack | Cannons LC |
Two-point goals | Connor Kelly (5) | Midfield | Waterdogs LC |
Scoring Points | Marcus Holman (31) | Attack | Cannons LC |
Assists | Dhane Smith (25) | Midfield | Archers LC |
Shots | Connor Fields (94) | Attack | Archers LC |
Shot Percentage | Eric Law (51.2%) | Attack | Atlas LC |
Faceoff Percentage | Trevor Baptiste (77.4%) | Face-off | Atlas LC |
Save Percentage | Dillon Ward (61.2%) | Goalie | Waterdogs LC |
Caused Turnovers | Ethan Rall (20) | Defense | Cannons LC |
Statistic | Team |
---|---|
Offensive | |
Scores per Game | Cannons LC (14.3) |
Scores Against Average | Archers LC (11.1) |
Shots per Game | Archers LC (47.4) |
Shot Percentage | Cannons LC (31.2%) |
One-point goals | Archers LC (118) |
Two-point goals | Whipsnakes LC (15) |
Turnovers Allowed (High) | Atlas LC (207) |
Turnovers Allowed (Low) | Cannons LC and Waterdogs LC (149) |
Defensive | |
Scores Against Average (Low) | Archers LC (11.1) |
Scores Against Average (High) | Atlac LC (14) |
Scores Allowed (Low) | Archers LC (111) |
Scores Allowed (High) | Atlas LC (140) |
Two-Points Goals Against (Low) | Cannons LC and Waterdogs LC (6) |
Two-Point Goals Against (High) | Atlas LC and Cannons LC (11) |
Caused Turnovers | Cannons LC (97) |
Groundballs recovered | Archers LC (389) |
Power Play and Penalty Kill | |
Power Play Goal Percentage | Cannons LC (75%) |
Power Play Goals | Redwoods LC (13) |
Penalty Kill Percentage | Atlas LC (68%) |
Penalty Kills | Cannons LC (22) |
Penalties (Low) | Whisnakes LC (12) |
Penalties (High) | Cannons LC (38) |
Penalty Minutes (Low) | Whipsnakes LC (10) |
Penalty Minutes (High) | Cannons LC (27.5) |
On August 24, the PLL announced the finalists for its 2023 End of Year Awards and the winners were announced on September 2 ahead of the PLL quarterfinals in Boston. The finalists for each award were determined via player vote. The winners were determined through a round of voting by PLL coaches, general managers, members of the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame, PLL front office and lacrosse advisors, and members of the media. [19]
Award | Winner | Team | Notable Statistics | Notable notes |
---|---|---|---|---|
Jim Brown Most Valuable Player | Tom Schreiber | Archers LC | 37 points (16 goals, 2 two-point goals, 17 assists) Most points by any midfielder this season | First professional lacrosse player to win three MVP's |
Eamon McEneaney Attackman of the Year | Marcus Holman | Cannons LC | Led league with 44 points (30 goals, 1 two-point goal, 12 assists) | Tied for most points in a PLL regular season, most goals in a PLL regular season |
Gait Brothers Midfielder of the Year | Tom Schreiber | Archers LC | ||
Dave Pietramala Defensive Player of the Year | Garret Epple | Redwoods LC | ||
Oren Lyons Goalie of the Year | Blaze Riorden | Chaos LC | ||
Paul Cantabene Face-Off Athlete of the Year | Trevor Baptiste | Atlas LC | ||
Brodie Merrill Long Stick Midfielder of the Year | Michael Ehrhardt | Whipsnakes LC | Fifth straight Brodie Merrill LSM of the Year award for Michael Ehrhardt | |
George Boiardi Hard Hat Award - Awarded to the SSDM of the year | Latrell Harris | Archers Lacrosse Club | ||
2023 Rookie of the Year | Tucker Dordevic | Whipsnakes LC | Led all rookies in scoring with 26 points (14 goals, 5 two-point goals, 2 assists) | |
Dick Eddell Coach of the Year | Brian Holman | Cannons LC | First season as Cannons coach. Cannons had a 1-9 record during the 2022 season, finished the 2023 regular season with a record of7-3 | |
Dave Huntley Sportsmanship Award | Zed Williams | Whipsnakes LC | ||
Welles Crowther Humanitarian Award | Eric Law | Atlas LC | ||
Jimmy Regan Teammate Award | Cole Kirst | Redwoods LC | ||
Brendan Looney Leadership Award | Tom Schreiber | Archers LC | ||
References: [82] |
The winner of the award are highlighted in Bold.
Cannons Lacrosse Club and Atlas Lacrosse Club both hired new head coaches for the 2023 season.
On February 5, 2023 it was announced that Cannons Lacrosse Club hired Brian Holman to be its new head coach/GM after Sean Quirk resigned due to health complications in December 2022. [83] On March 9, 2023 it was announced that Mike Thompson and Jim Mitchell would be the assistant coaches. [84]
Atlas Lacrosse Club hired Mike Pressler as its new head coach/GM after Ben Rubeor resigned in October 2022. His staff includes Steven Brooks (who was the interim head coach for Atlas during the 2023 Championship Series), and Kevin Unterstein. [85]
On December 29, 2022, it was announced that Redwoods Lacrosse Club had hired John Grant Jr. to replace Todd MacFarlane as an assistant coach. MacFarlane had resigned from the position on December 5, 2022. [86] [87]
Chrome offensive coordinator, Matt Kerwick, resigned from his position on September 14, 2023. Kerwick joined Chrome's staff in 2022, where he coached alongside head coach Tim Soudan, and former college teammate, defensive coordinator Jacques Monte. Chrome finished the 2022 season fourth in scoring with strong rookie seasons from Brandon Nichtern and Logan Wisnauskas. Nichtern was unavailable for most of the 2023 season due to military obligations and the Chrome offense struggled; Chrome finished the 2023 season last in scoring, assists, shots, and shooting percentage. [88]
For the 2023 PLL season each team was given a new set of uniforms developed by Champion. These uniforms replaced the uniforms that were made by Adidas. Champion began its partnership with the PLL in 2021 as the Official Sideline Partner, but in February, 2022 it was announced that Champion would begin making on-field apparel as well. No teams changed colorways during the change. [3] [89] [90] The Waterdogs were given an alternate black jersey with gold trim as a reward for being PLL Champions. It is the first third jersey in the PLL. They wore the jerseys week one. [4]
Of the eight teams, only two, the Cannons and the Chrome, do not have sponsorship patches on their regular jerseys. The other six teams have the following: [91] [92]
During week four of the PLL season in Minneapolis, the PLL hosted Indigenous Heritage Weekend. As part of the celebrations each team wore limited jerseys that had been designed by Patrick Hunter—a two-spirit Ojibwe artist. Portions of the proceeds of the jersey sales went to benefit Anishinaabe Baagaadoewin, a non-profit dedicated to sharing Anishinaabe history and culture. [93]
Alongside the thunderbird depicted on the jersey, each jersey had a Anishinaabe thunderbird patch on the left sleeve meant to represent power and strength for those wearing it. The shorts worn by players also included a thunderbird feather design. There was also had a PLL medicine wheel patch on each jersey. Lastly, there was an Every Child Matters patch on each jersey, an organization that raises awareness and honors for indigenous families and victims of the residential school systems. [94]
On August 9, 2023 the PLL unveiled a new set of throwback jerseys. The jerseys are "porthole mesh" style jerseys. The jerseys were worn during week eight of the PLL season in Denver. [95] During the 2022 season the PLL also wore throwback uniforms during the leagues week eight stop in Denver. [96] Each of the teams sponsored jersey patches remained on their throwback jerseys.
Alongside the jerseys the PLL unveiled throwback logos for each team as well. The logos were featured on both the jerseys and the shorts.
The 2023 PLL All-Star Game was held at Dr. Mark & Cindy Lynn Stadium in Louisville, Kentucky, on Saturday, July 22, 2023. Differing from previous years, this year's All-Star Game featured a team of "Veterans" and a team of "Rising Stars" as selected by fan vote. The "Rising Stars" team was composed of players with less than four years of professional seasons, and the "Veterans" team was composed of players with four or more professional seasons. Rising Stars was coached by Waterdogs coach Andy Copeland and Redwoods coach Nat St. Laurent. The Veterans were coached by Chaos coach Andy Towers and Chrome coach Tim Soudan. [97]
The Veterans defeated the Rising Stars 26 to 19. Will Manny was named MVP with 7 points (2 goals, 5 assists).
Before the game, there were four skills competitions: freestyle competition (score in the most unique way), accuracy challenge (score with accuracy, precision, and efficiency of shooting; players score points by hitting targets), goalie skills challenge (goalies score points by making saves and clearing the ball to different locations), and the fastest shot competition.
Challenge | Winner | Notes |
---|---|---|
Freestyle Competition | Xander Dickinson | |
Accuracy Competition | Logan Wisnauskis | |
Goalie Skills | Blaze Riorden | |
Fastest Shot | Jarrod Neumann | Fastest PLL shot ever at 121 MPH |
The Boston Cannons, formerly known as Cannons Lacrosse Club, is a professional men's field lacrosse team in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). Formerly based in Boston, Massachusetts, they played in Major League Lacrosse (MLL) from their inaugural 2001 season to 2020. The team's home field was Veterans Memorial Stadium in nearby Quincy. In the MLL, the team won two Steinfeld Cup championship games in 2011 and 2020, the latter being the MLL's final championship. The Cannons joined the PLL in 2020 following the MLL–PLL merger and were rebranded as the Cannons Lacrosse Club before later being rebranded as Boston Cannons once again when the PLL assigned home cities after the 2023 season.
Paul Rabil is an American sports executive and retired professional lacrosse player. He is currently the president of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), which he co-founded with his brother, league CEO Mike Rabil.
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Kyle Hartzell is an American former professional lacrosse player. He is currently the Head Lacrosse Coach for the University of Texas at Austin, as well as assistant coach and defensive coordinator for the Boston Cannons of the Premier Lacrosse League. He graduated from Salisbury University (D3) in 2007. Hartzell previously played for the Atlas Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League. Kyle is playing for the NLL Expansion Team the San Diego Seals Kyle Hartzell has also played professional lacrosse for Washington, Chesapeake, Ohio, and New York in the Major League Lacrosse. Hartzell had a career high 11 goals in 2012 as a part of the Ohio Machine, as well as 22 total caused turnovers. Known for his flashy over-the-head and rusty gate checks and his outspoken personality, Hartzell has become one of the most well-known defensive players in lacrosse.
Tom Schreiber is an American professional lacrosse player with Archers LC of the Premier Lacrosse League and the Toronto Rock of the National Lacrosse League. He attended St. Anthony's High School in South Huntington, New York, and played collegiate lacrosse at Princeton University. Schreiber is the only player to have won the professional outdoor lacrosse MVP award three times. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest midfielders of all time.
Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) is an American professional field lacrosse league composed of 8 teams. The league's inaugural season debuted on June 1, 2019, and included a 14-week tour-based schedule taking place in 12 major-market cities. The league was founded by the American professional lacrosse player Paul Rabil and his brother Mike Rabil. Investors include The Chernin Group, The Raine Group and Joe Tsai.
The Utah Archers, formerly known as Archers Lacrosse Club are a professional men's field lacrosse team in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). The Archers are one of the six founding members of the PLL for the 2019 season. Notable players include Tom Schreiber, Grant Ament, and Graeme Hossack.
The New York Atlas, formerly known as Atlas Lacrosse Club, is a professional men's field lacrosse team in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL).
The Denver Outlaws are a professional men's field lacrosse team based in Denver, Colorado. They compete in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) as a member of the league's Western Conference. Founded as the Chrome Lacrosse Club, they began play as one of the league's six inaugural teams in the 2019 season alongside Archers, Atlas, Chaos, Redwoods, and Whipsnakes. Following the assignment of home markets for the 2024 season on November 14th, 2023, they were rebranded with the identity of the former Denver Outlaws Major League Lacrosse team. The Denver Outlaws of the MLL were established in Denver, Colorado in 2006 and resided there until 2020. The Denver Outlaws won three MLL championships in 2014, 2016, and 2018. The Denver Outlaws played in 10 MLL championship games. The Denver Outlaws led the MLL in attendance in 12 out of their 15 MLL seasons. The Premier Lacrosse League purchased Major League Lacrosse on December 16th, 2020.
The California Redwoods are a professional men's field lacrosse team based in San Diego, California, that competes in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). The Redwoods began play in the league's inaugural 2019 season. The team plays their home games at Torero Stadium.
The Maryland Whipsnakes, formerly known as Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club, are a professional men's field lacrosse team in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). The Whipsnakes are one of the six founding members of the PLL and the winner of its first two championships; the 2019 season and the 2020 Championship Tournament. Notable players include Matt Rambo, Jake Bernhardt, Michael Ehrhardt, and Zed Williams.
The 2020 Premier Lacrosse League season was the second season for the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). The season was originally set to begin on May 29 and culminate with a championship game played in late September. Due to the spread of COVID-19, the league postponed the start of their season, and in May announced their season would take place as a championship series between July 25 and August 9, replacing NBCUniversal's coverage of the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Championship Series consisted of playoff seedings based on 4 games of group play taking place at Zions Bank Stadium just outside of Salt Lake City, Utah. The series began with the Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club as the defending league champions and the Waterdogs Lacrosse Club joining the league as an expansion team.
The Philadelphia Waterdogs, formerly known as Waterdogs Lacrosse Club, are a professional men's field lacrosse team in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). The Waterdogs were the first PLL expansion team, beginning with the 2020 season. Players were selected through an expansion draft, new entry draft, and the college draft over the first few months of 2020. Andy Copelan was announced as the Club's first head coach on January 2, 2020. Owners of the club include Pardon My Take hosts, Barstool Big Cat & PFT Commenter. The Waterdogs won their first championship in 2022 against the Chaos. In March of 2024 the Waterdogs hired Bill Tierney as Head Coach.
The 2021 Premier Lacrosse League season was the third season of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). The 2021 season represented a return to the tour-based format that the league followed in 2019 after playing a bubble tournament in 2020 due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. 2021 also represented a return to one unified professional Field Lacrosse format after Major League Lacrosse and the Premier Lacrosse League announced they were merging on December 16, 2020. This monumental merger saw the PLL adopt the naming rights to all former MLL teams, as well as Cannons Lacrosse Club moving from the MLL to the PLL as an 8th team set by expansion draft. The Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club were the two-time defending league champions. Chaos Lacrosse Club took revenge against Whipsnakes Lacrosse Club by defeating them in the championship game on September 19 at Audi Field by a score of 9–14.
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The 2022 Premier Lacrosse League season was the fourth season of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). It was held from June 4 to September 18.
Zach Currier is a Canadian professional lacrosse player who currently plays as a midfielder for Waterdogs Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League and as a transition player for the Calgary Roughnecks of the National Lacrosse League.
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The PLL Championship Series is an annual winter lacrosse tournament in the lacrosse sixes format. It is hosted by the Premier Lacrosse League. It features the top four teams in the regular season standings of the previous Premier Lacrosse League season. The inaugural championship series occurred in 2023.