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. This was also the first season a free agency period occurred.
This season the PLL unveiled new uniforms for each team. These uniforms were developed in partnership with Champion. The Waterdogs were given a third black jersey as part of being the reigning champions.
Archers Lacrosse Club would beat the reigning champion Waterdogs 15–14 in the PLL Championship game.
Player movement
Preseason
Notable retirements The following notable players retired prior to the 2023 season: Ryan Brown (A) – Graduated from Johns Hopkins in 2016 where he scored 159 goals and had 50 assists. He was drafted by the Charlotte Hounds of MLL in 2016. Across his seven-year professional career, he scored 180 points (146 goals, 5 two-point goals, and 24 assists). He is a three-time all-star(2017, 2018, and 2019). Gold medalist in the 2018 World Lacrosse Men's Championship where he led the US national team with 25 goals and was named to the All-World team. 2022 PLL champion while playing for Waterdogs LC. He retired on February 15, 2023. Jake Froccaro (M) – Graduated from Villanova in 2017. While at Villanova he was named a two-time first-team All-BIG EAST member and was a 2017 USILA Second-team All-American. He began his professional career with the Chesapeake Bayhawks of the MLL he joined Chaos Lacrosse Club in 2019, and was traded to Cannons Lacrosse Club during the offseason after the 2021 Premier Lacrosse League season. He was a three-time all-star (2017, 2019, and 2021), 2019 Gait Brothers Midfielder of the Year Award nominee, and 2021 PLL Champion with Chaos Lacrosse Club. Over the course of his six-year career, he scored 88 points (31 goals, 10 two-point goals, and 36 assists) in 45 games. He retired from the PLL on March 13, 2023. Dominique Alexander (SSDM) – Graduated from Ohio State University in 2013. Throughout his 10-year professional lacrosse career, Alexander won the 2017 MLL Championship with the Ohio Machine, was the first recipient of the George Boiardi SSDM Hard Hat Award in 2019, an award given to the top SSDM that season, he was also an All-Pro that season and was an All-Star in 2021. He spent his entire career with the Ohio Machine (2013-2018) and Archers LC (2019-2022). In 123 career games, he recorded 49 caused turnovers, 176 ground balls, and 31 points. On March 16, 2023, he announced his retirement from the PLL. John Ranagan (M) – Graduated from Johns Hopkins in 2013, while at Hopkins he was a First Team All-American in 2011 and a Second Team All-American in 2012. Over his 10-year professional lacrosse career Ranagan played 99 games and scored 160 points. During his rookie season in the MLL in 2013 with the Rochester Rattlers, he was an MLL All-Star. He spent his entire career with the Rochester/Dallas Rattlers (2013-2018) of the MLL and then Chrome LC (2019-2022) of the PLL. With Chrome he was a team captain. He officially retired from the PLL on March 23, 2023 and released a statement on April 24, 2023.
Other retirements Ryan Hallenbeck (SSDM) – Graduated from Notre Dame in 2022, and went on to play in four games for the Redwoods during the 2022 season. He was placed on the player unable to participate (PUP) list on July 26 after participating in the Redwoods July 24 game against the Whipsnakes. He would not be reactivated for the remainder of the 2022 season and would retire from the PLL on February 15, 2023. Drew Simoneau (FO) – Graduated from Division III Nazareth College in 2015 where he was a three-time USILA All-American, and the 2015 Division III Faceoff Specialist of the Year. He started his professional career in 2016 with the Rochester Rattlers. He was a 2017 MLL all-star. He came to the PLL for its inaugural season in 2019 where he was a player for Chrome Lacrosse Club and appeared in 6 games and had a 44% faceoff win percentage. He was selected by the Waterdogs in the PLL expansion draft in 2020, he would go on to appear in 5 games for them. In 2021 he joined the expansion Cannons where he appeared in 3 games before being traded to the Whipsnakes. He was selected by the Redwoods via a reserve roster claim on August 16, 2021. He would not appear in any more games before retiring on March 9, 2023. He retired with a 54% career faceoff win percentage, scored 23 points (19 goals and 4 assists), and recorded 487 groundballs. John Crawley (M) Patrick Harbeson (DM) Jay Carlson (A) Jack Near (DM)
The first ever PLL free agency period was open from March 6, 2023 to April 1, 2023. Players could sign one or two-year deals. Players to change teams included:
Attackmen: Mac O'Keefe (Chaos to Archers, signed through 2024), Marcus Holman (Archers to Cannons, signed through 2023), Matt Kavanagh (Redwoods to Cannons, signed through 2023), Will Manny (Archers to Redwoods, signed through 2024), and Wes Berg (Chaos to Redwoods, signed through 2024). Defensemen Finn Sullivan (Redwoods to Cannons, signed through 2023), and Max Wayne (Atlas to Cannons, signed through 2023). Defensive Midfielder Jeff Trainor (Archers to Cannons, signed through 2023). Goalie Adam Ghitelman (Archers to Cannons, signed through 2023) Long Stick Midfielders Matt Rees (Chaos to Cannons, signed through 2023), and Kyle Hartzell (Redwoods to Cannons, signed through 2023). Midfielders Jake Carraway (Atlas to Waterdogs, signed through 2024), Ryan Tierney (Cannons to Redwoods, signed through 2023), Challen Rogers (Chaos to Archers, signed through 2024), and Justin Guterding (Whipsnakes to Atlas, signed through 2023).
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. 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.
Format:
Each team was awarded one pick in each of the four rounds. Eligible players must currently be in their senior year
+Rnd.Pick #PLL TeamPlayerPos.CollegeConferenceNotes11AtlasGavin AdlerDefenseCornellIvy LeagueFrom Cannons12RedwoodsOwen GrantDefenseDelawareCoastal Athletic Association13AtlasBrett MakarDefenseMarylandBig Ten14ChromeSam HandleyMidfieldPennIvy League15ArchersMike SisselbergerFaceoffLehighPatriot League16WhipsnakesTucker DordevicAttackGeorgetownBig East17ChaosWill BowenDefenseGeorgetownBig East18WaterdogsThomas McConveyMidfieldVirginiaAtlantic Coast Conference29CannonsMatt CampbellMidfieldVillanovaBig East210RedwoodsBrian TelvinMidfieldNotre DameAtlantic Coast Conference211AtlasXander DicksonAttackVirginiaAtlantic Coast Conference212ChromeTroy HettingerLSMJacksonvilleASUN Conference213ArchersConnor MaherDMUNCAtlantic Coast Conference214WhipsnakesPetey LaSallaFaceoffVirginiaAtlantic Coast Conference215ChaosBrian MinicusAttackGeorgetownBig East216WaterdogsAlex MazzoneDefenseJohns HopkinsBig Ten317ChaosTye KirtzAttackDelawareCoastal Athletic AssociationFrom Cannons318RedwoodsCole KirstMidfieldSyracuseAtlantic Coast Conference319AtlasPayton RezankaDMLoyolaPatriot League320ChromeJack MyersAttackOhio StateBig Ten321ArchersPiper BondDMPennIvy League322WhipsnakesGarrett LeadmonMidfieldDukeAtlantic Coast Conference323ChaosNick RowlettFaceoffMichiganBig Ten324WaterdogsChris FakeDefenseNotre DameAtlantic Coast Conference425CannonsGrant AmmannDefenseHigh PointAtlantic 10426RedoodsZach ColeFaceoffSaint Joseph'sAtlantic 10427AtlasKyle LongMidfieldMarylandBig Ten428ChromeCross FerraraAttackSalisburyCoast-to-Coast Athletic Conference429ArchersCam WyersDefenseLoyolaPatriot League430WhipsnakesElijah GashLSMAlbanyAmerica East Conference431ChaosLevi AndersonAttackSaint Joseph'sAtlantic 10432WaterdogsJames Reilly FaceoffGeorgetownBig East Source:
Trades 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.
First Round No. 1: Cannons → Atlas (PD). The Cannons traded their 2023 first round pick during the 2022 PLL Draft for picks used to select Bubba Fairman and Colin Kirst.
Third Round No. 17: Cannons → Chaos (PD). The Cannons traded their 2023 third round pick and Andrew Kew for Jake Froccaro.
Selections by NCAA conference +ConferenceRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4TotalAmerica East00011ACC14308Atlantic 1000033ASUN Conference01001Big East22015Big Ten11215C2C 00011Coastal Athletic Association10102Ivy League20114Patriot League10113
Schools by number of draft selections +SelectionsSchools4Georgetown3Virginia2Delaware, Loyola, Maryland, Notre Dame, Saint Joseph's, Penn1Albany, Cornell, Duke, High Point, Jacksonville, Johns Hopkins, Lehigh, Michigan, UNC, Ohio State, Salisbury, Syracuse, Villanova
Selections by Position +PositionRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4TotalAttack12227Defense41128Defensive Midfield01203Faceoff11125Goalie00000LSM01012Midfield22217
Lyle Thompson sabbatical 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. Lyle Thompson won two Tewaaraton Awards while at the University of Albany. He also scored 400 points, the most in NCAA D1 History.
Notable mid-season player movement
Free-agency The following acquisitions were made from free-agency during the 2023 season:
On August 8, Atlas LC acquired attackman Dylan Molloy from free-agency after he was released by Chrome LC. He was signed through 2023.
Trades 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:
On August 7, Redwoods LC traded midfielder Myles Jones to Atlas LC in exchange for midfielder Romar Dennis. On August 22, Chrome LC traded their leading scorer, attackman and midfielder Jackson Morrill and their third-round pick in the 2024 college draft to Whipsnakes LC in exchange for Whipsnakes' second and third-round picks in the 2024 college draft.
Retirements after season The following players retired after the 2023 season: