Everything You Need to Know About the 2024 PLL Championship Series

February 13, 2024

Kenny DeJohn

Premier Lacrosse League

The 2024 Premier Lacrosse League Championship Series begins Wednesday, bringing the Olympic-style format to the forefront just four years away from the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The Championship Series debuted last year, quickly proving to be a fan favorite for people missing the PLL in the offseason. Monetary bonuses for the winning team and extra motivation for players looking for their next PLL contracts makes for an intense five-day event.

The five-day, 10-game tournament features the top four teams from the 2023 regular season and marks the debut of the home markets of those four teams.

New to the Championship Series? Learn everything you need to know in the sections below.

WHEN: Wednesday, Feb. 14 through Monday, Feb. 19
WHERE: The St. James in Springfield, Va.
WATCH: ESPN2 and ESPN+

The St. James is the official training center of Major League Soccer's D.C. United.

Premier Lacrosse League

Inside The St. James

The St. James, a 20-acre, 450,000-square-foot multi-purpose sports complex in Springfield, Va., drew rave reviews from players, coaches and fans after last year's Championship Series. It is the official training center of Major League Soccer's D.C. United.

TV SCHEDULE

Wednesday, Feb. 14

5:30 p.m. — California Redwoods vs. Boston Cannons, ESPN2
7:30 p.m. — Philadelphia Waterdogs vs. Utah Archers, ESPN+

Friday, Feb. 16

5:30 p.m. — California Redwoods vs. Philadelphia Waterdogs, ESPN2
7:30 p.m. — Boston Cannons vs. Utah Archers, ESPN+

Saturday, Feb. 17

1 p.m. — Unleashed All-Star Game, ESPN+
5 p.m. — Utah Archers vs. California Redwoods, ESPN+
7 p.m. — Boston Cannons vs. Philadelphia Waterdogs, ESPN+

Sunday, Feb. 18

1 p.m. — Semifinal 1, ESPN+
3 p.m. — Semifinal 2, ESPN+

Monday, Feb. 19

11:30 a.m. — Championship game, ESPN2

Dimensions for the PLL's small-sided, Olympic-style field in the Championship Series.

Premier Lacrosse League

Format and Rules

Lacrosse’s appearance in the 2028 Olympics will be in the Sixes format, a 6-v-6 discipline in which players must play both offense and defense. Every player carries a short stick and essentially play like midfielders. The field is 70-by-36 meters.

There are three distinct features in traditional Sixes that make the discipline compelling.

Firstly, possession is supreme. If a shot goes out of bounds, it is a turnover — unlike the field game. Secondly, there is a 30-second shot clock — the fastest in the sport. And finally, there are no faceoffs after goals. There is essentially an inbound pass like in basketball, with the goalie picking up the ball out of the cage and starting the next play.

The PLL added another wrinkle with a two-point arc that encourages shooting from distance.

ROSTERS

Boston Cannons

Marcus Holman
Asher Nolting
Ryan Drenner
Bubba Fairman
Ethan Rall
Pat Aslanian
Chris Aslanian
Matt Campbell
Matt Kavanagh
Josh Stout
Colin Kirst
Adam Ghitelman

California Redwoods

Rob Pannell
Romar Dennis
Sergio Perkovic
Nakeie Montgomery
Jules Heningburg
Ricky Miezan
Garrett Epple
Brian Tevlin
Ryan Tierney
Kevin Rogers
Tim Troutner
Jack Kelly

Philadelphia Waterdogs

Michael Sowers
Kieran McArdle
Jake Carraway
Ryan Conrad
Jack Traynor
Jeff Conner
Christian Scarpello
Jake Higgins
Charlie Hayes
Kyle Borda
Matt DeLuca
Jason Rose

Utah Archers

Matt Moore
Ryan Ambler
Piper Bond
Jon Robbins
Cole Williams
Reece Eddy
Connor Maher
Ryan Aughavin
Ronan Jacoby
Nick Washuta
Patrick Burkinshaw
Nate Solomon

HISTORY

The Chrome Lacrosse Club (now the Denver Outlaws) won the inaugural PLL Championship Series a year ago. Because the Chrome did not finish as a top-four team in the 2023 summer season, they won’t appear in this week’s tournament.

STORYLINES

Welcome Home

This is the first time the PLL’s teams will play attached to home markets. Of course, only four of the league’s eight teams will represent their cities/states this week — the Denver Outlaws, New York Atlas, Maryland Whipsnakes and Carolina Chaos will make their debuts in the summer.

Unleashed All-Stars

The PLL will hold a women’s professional lacrosse exhibition, the Unleashed All-Star Game, on February 17. Played in the Olympic Sixes format, world renowned women’s lacrosse pros from across North America will compete in a North-v-South exhibition.

North Roster

Charlotte North
Emily Hawryschuk
Meg Kinna
Courtney Taylor
Lauren Gilbert
Dana Dobbie
Hannah Dorney
Erica Evans
Rachel Hall
Paulina DiFatta

South Roster

Andie Aldave
Livy Rosenzweig
Ally Mastroianni
Lizzie Colson
Marge Donovan
Scottie Rose Growney
Sammy Jo Tracy
Abby Bosco
Grace Griffin
Kady Glynn
Taylor Moreno

Ricky Miezan will make his pro debut with the California Redwoods.

Premier Lacrosse League

Miezan Madness

Ricky Miezan will make his Premier Lacrosse League debut with the California Redwoods, and the league announced that it will be following him every step of the way. A former Stanford football captain who spent the 2023 spring season with the Virginia men’s lacrosse team, Miezan could parlay a strong showing in the tournament to a PLL contract for the summer.

OPPORTUNITY AWAITS

Like Miezan, there are several players looking to turn this opportunity into a bigger chance this summer. Last February, players like Jake Carraway and Romar Dennis took advantage of their shot. Who will it be this year?

LETTING IT RIP

The PLL’s small-sided discipline differs from the international Sixes style due to the inclusion of a 13-yard two-point line that encourages long-range offense. That’s where Carraway and Dennis thrived last year. Will teams continue to shoot from deep, or will they pack it in and try to score from close range?

Written By

Kenny DeJohn

Kenny DeJohn has been the Digital Content Editor at USA Lacrosse since 2019. First introduced to lacrosse in 2016 as a Newsday Sports reporter on Long Island (yes, ON Long Island), DeJohn specializes in women's game coverage. His search for New York quality pizza in Baltimore is ongoing.