The 2024 Premier Lacrosse League Season was the 6th season of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). The regular season began on June 3 and ran through August 17th. The playoffs ran from September 2 through September 15. This is the first season where PLL teams were assigned to home cities.
The Atlas went 7-3 and earned the #1 seed on the back of Jeff Teat shattering the single-season points record with 64– the previous record being 44, and breaking the assists record with 28.
The Utah Archers were crowned champions on September 15th, beating the Maryland Whipsnakes 12-8, securing back-to-back championships for the first time since the Whipsnakes in 2019-2020.
Home Cities On May 25, 2023 the PLL announced that the 8 teams will be assigned home cities for the 2024 season. The PLL's tour-based model would still be used with every team playing in one city every weekend (excluding byes), but the home team would play a weekend double-header in the new scheduling system. This move was explained by PLL co-founder and CEO, Mike Rabil in their announcement, “When we looked at our growth over the last five years, matched by our goals, objectives and expansion, tying our teams to home cities was a natural next step for the business."
Starting on June 3, PLL fans were able to vote on which cities should receive teams, but the league would also be considering previous pro-lacrosse ticket success, fan engagement, venues, and TV ratings.
Home cities and team identities were announced on SportsCenter on November 14, 2023. The eight teams would be the Boston Cannons, California Redwoods, Carolina Chaos, Denver Outlaws, Maryland Whipsnakes, New York Atlas, Philadelphia Waterdogs, and Utah Archers. All eight teams were rebranded with new logos, fonts, and jerseys. However, major changes came to the Maryland Whipsnakes and Chrome Lacrosse Club. The Whipsnakes changed their colors from red and green to red, black, and yellow to better match the Maryland Flag. The Chrome rebranded as the Denver Outlaws, sharing a name with Denver's former MLL team.
Home City Location Map
New League Structure
Alongside the addition of geographical teams, the PLL added conferences and a new playoff bracket for the 2024 season. In the new Eastern and Western Conference system, the top team from each conference will receive a first-round bye to the semifinals. The next best 4 teams, regardless of conference, will receive the final playoff spots, and subsequently the worst two teams, regardless of conference, will be eliminated from the playoffs.
Player Movements Preseason Notable Retirements Michael Ehrhardt (LSM)- Graduated from Maryland in 2014 where he finished with 170 groundballs and 68 caused turnovers. He was a first-team All American and All-ACC in his senior season. He was drafted 7th overall to the Charlotte Hounds in the 2014 MLL Draft. Across his 10-year pro career with the Hounds in the MLL and the Whipsnakes in the PLL, Ehrhardt was a 6-time All Star, 5-time First Team All-pro, and 5-time LSM of the Year. He was a key piece to both of the Whipsnakes' PLL Championships and the USA's gold medal in the 2018 FIL World Championship. Ehrhardt is widely considered one of the greatest defenders of all time, he retired on April 2. Tucker Durkin (D)- Graduated from Johns Hopkins in 2013. He was a two-time First Team All-American and two-time Schmeisser Award winner as the NCAA's best defender. Durkin was drafted 3rd overall by the Hamilton Nationals in the 2013 MLL Draft. With the Nationals and Florida Launch of the MLL and the New York Atlas of the PLL, Durkin was a 6-time All-Star, 1st team All-Pro in 2019 and MLL DPOY in 2017. He retired on March 13. Tyler Warner (SSDM)- Graduated from Yale in 2018. He was a first-team All-American before being drafted 11th Overall to the Florida Launch of the MLL. In his 5-year career with the Launch and the Maryland Whipsnakes, Warner was a 2-time All-Star, the winner of the 2020 SSDMOY Award, and a Two-time PLL Champion with the Whipsnakes. Whipsnakes Head Coach, Jim Stagnitta, had this to say about Warner “I think he's defined the position, before Danny Logan and Ryan Terefenko, he was the first one that I've seen that was as dominant as he was. And I think he made people realize the value in that position because he was so versatile. He could do so many things.” Kyle Hartzell (M)- Graduated from Salisbury in 2008. He was a Captain of Salisbury's 23-0 undefeated DIII National Championship in 2008. Hartzell started his MLL career with the San Francisco Dragons but spent time with several clubs before spending his last 5 MLL years with the New York Lizards. He was a 6-time MLL All-Star and a two-time champion. In 2019, Hartzell moved to the PLL and joined the Atlas where he was an All-Star in his first season. Hartzell finished his career with the California Redwoods and the Boston Cannons. Hartzell retired on September 18 and is now an assistant coach for the Boston Cannons.
Other Retirements Eddy Glazener (D) (Redwoods) Matt McMahon (D) (Machine and Archers) Jordan MacIntosh (M) (Rattlers and Chrome) Brian Phipps (G) (Machine, Bayhawks, and Whipsnakes) Stephen Kelly (FO) (Archers and Cannons) John Sexton (LSM) (Redwoods) Max Adler (FO) (Outlaws and Chaos) Jack Concannon (G) (Atlas)
Free Agency
Free Agency occurred from March 4 to May 10. Eligible players were any player with an expired contract or any player who was not on an active roster for 30% of the clubs' games. Attackmen: Jules Heninburg (Redwoods to Chaos). Midfielders: Sergio Perkovic (Redwoods to Chaos), Ronan Jacoby (Archers to Atlas), Jake Richard (Atlas to Waterdogs), and Colin Heacock (Outlaws to Whipsnakes). Defenders: Garrett Epple (Redwoods to Cannons). Goalies: Tim Troutner (Redwoods to Atlas).
College Draft The college draft took place on May 7 at 7 pm (ET) and was broadcast on ESPNU and ESPN+. The newest PLL team, the Denver Outlaws made the most selections with 5, including the number one overall pick, Duke Attackman Brennan O'Neill. The Boston Cannons made the fewest selections with 3.
+Rnd.Pick #PLL TeamPlayerPos.CollegeConferenceNotes11Denver OutlawsBrennan O'NeillAttackDukeAtlantic Coast Conference12New York Atlas Connor ShellenbergerAttackVirginiaAtlantic Coast Conference13Maryland WhipsnakesAjax ZappitelloDefenseMarylandBig Ten14Carolina ChaosShane KnoblochMidfieldRutgersBig Ten15New York AtlasLiam EntenmannGoalieNotre DameAtlantic Coast ConferenceFrom California16Boston CannonsPat KavanaghAttackNotre DameAtlantic Coast Conference17Philadelphia WaterdogsMatt BrandauAttackYaleIvy League18Utah ArchersMason WoodwardDefenseMarquetteBig East29Denver OutlawsJake PisenoLSMAlbanyAmerica East210New York AtlasJake StevensMidfieldSyracuseAtlantic Coast Conference211Denver OutlawsGraham Bundy Jr.MidfieldGeorgetownBig EastFrom Maryland212Carolina ChaosEric DobsonMidfieldNotre DameAtlantic Coast Conference213Utah ArchersBeau PedersonSSDMMichiganBig Ten214Boston CannonsAlexander VardaroMidfieldGeorgetownBig East215Philadelphia WaterdogsKenny BrowerDefenseDukeAtlantic Coast Conference216Utah ArchersDyson WilliamsAttackDukeAtlantic Coast Conference317Maryland WhipsnakesTJ MaloneAttackPenn StateBig TenFrom Denver318California RedwoodsGarrett DegnonAttackJohns HopkinsBig TenFrom New York319Denver OutlawsJosh ZawadaAttackDukeAtlantic Coast ConferenceFrom Maryland320Carolina ChaosRoss ScottAttackRutgersBig Ten321California RedwoodsLevi AndersonAttackSaint Joseph'sAtlantic 10322Maryland WhipsnakesStephen ZupicichLSMVillanovaBig EastFrom Boston323Philadelphia WaterdogsMarcus HudginsDefenseOhio StateBig Ten324Utah ArchersColby BarszDefenseTowsonCoastal Athletic Association425Denver OutlawsLuke WiermanFaceoffMarylandBig Ten426New York AtlasTyler CarpenterDefenseDukeAtlantic Coast Conference427Maryland WhipsnakesAdam PoitrasAttackLoyola (MD)Patriot League428Carolina ChaosDylan HessMidfieldGeorgetownBig East429California RedwoodsChayse IerlanGoalieJohns HopkinsBig Ten430Boston CannonsScott SmithDefenseJohns HopkinsBig Ten431Philadelphia WaterdogsMichael BoehmAttackMichiganBig Ten432California RedwoodsCole KastnerDefenseVirginiaAtlantic Coast Conference
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 2024 draft.
First Round No. 5: Redwoods → Atlas (PD). On March 15, the Redwoods traded their 2024 first round pick to the Atlas for Attackman Chris Gray and their 2024 third-round pick.
Second Round No. 11: Whipsnakes → Outlaws (PD). On November 28, the Whipsnakes traded their Second and Third round picks to the Outlaws for Jackson Morrill and their Third Round Pick.
Third Round No. 17: Outlaws → Whipsnakes (PD). See Pick 11. No. 18: Atlas → Redwoods (PD). See Pick 5. No. 19: Whipsnakes → Outlaws (PD). See Pick 11. No. 22: Cannons → Whipsnakes (PD). On November 28, the Cannons traded their 2024 and 2025 Third round picks and LSM Matt Rees to the Whipsnakes for Midfielder Connor Kirst and Defender Bryce Young.
Summary Selections by NCAA conference +ConferenceRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4TotalAmerica East01001ACC441211Atlantic 1000101Big East12115Big Ten214411CAA00101Ivy League10001Patriot League00011
Schools by number of draft selections +SelectionsSchools5Duke3Notre Dame, Georgetown, Johns Hopkins2Virginia, Maryland, Rutgers, Michigan1Albany, Yale, Marquette, Syracuse, Penn State, Saint Joseph's, Villanova, Ohio State, Towson, Loyola (MD)
Selections by Position +PositionRound 1Round 2Round 3Round 4TotalAttack415212Defense21238Defensive Midfield01001Faceoff00011Goalie10012LSM01102Midfield14016
Notable mid-season player movement Free-agency Veteran Attackman and 6-year member of the New York Atlas, Eric Law was released by the Atlas on July 9. He spent the first half of the season on the physically unable to perform (PUP) list but was removed from the PUP list the day prior. Law was signed from the player pool by the Denver Outlaws the same day. Law was drafted out of the University of Denver to the Outlaws and played 6 seasons with them in the MLL.
The Whipsnakes released their 2023 leading scorer, Attackman Will Manny to the player pool as a part of their final round of training camp cuts on May 30. Manny went unsigned through the All-Star break until the Boston Cannons signed him from the player pool on July 15. Manny was drafted 14th Overall by the Cannons in the 2013 MLL Draft and played 5 seasons for the team, making this the second homecoming for a PLL player to his former MLL team in the 2024 season.
Trades On June 12, the California Redwoods traded Saint Joseph's rookie, Levi Anderson, to the Maryland Whipsnakes for a 2025 4th-round pick. Anderson was the Redwoods' 3rd round pick in the 2024 draft. He was activated from the Unavailable-to-travel list and debuted on June 28 against the New York Atlas.
On August 6th, the Philadelphia Waterdogs traded midfielder Ryan Conrad to the Maryland Whipsnakes for a 2025 2nd-round pick. Conrad spent 5 seasons with the Waterdogs and played in 7 games in 2024, scoring 5 goals and 1 assist. This trade came after the Waterdogs were the first team to be eliminated from playoff contention.
On August 13th, the Maryland Whipsnakes traded midfielder Jackson Morrill to the Utah Archers for a 2025 3rd-round pick. Morrill was traded from the Chrome to the Whipsnakes in 2023 where he played 4 games, notching 2 goals and 8 assists. This trade came at the trade deadline, Morrill was not activated for week 11.
Rule Changes 3 rule changes came into effect for the 2024 season. A player cannot use a long pole on the faceoff. This rule change eliminated the strategy, used most by the Cannons and Waterdogs, of a long pole immediately contesting possession after the faceoff to drain the :32 second shot clock. This change was met with immense criticism that the PLL was changing the faceoff too much and harming the game.