Five Syracuse seniors drafted to Premier Lacrosse League, Spallina goes third overall
Five Syracuse seniors heard their names called in the PLL draft, led by Joey Spallina at No. 3 overall, as the Orange doubled down on their pro pipeline.
Syracuse’s pipeline to the pros got another jolt when five Orange seniors came off the board in the Premier Lacrosse League College Draft, led by Joey Spallina at No. 3 overall to the Maryland Whipsnakes.
The draft, held in Bristol, Connecticut, gave Syracuse its largest PLL-era class and matched a mark the program had not hit since the 2015 MLL Draft. The five selections also pushed Syracuse to 80 players chosen between Major League Lacrosse and the PLL, second most all-time behind Maryland. For a program built on lacrosse credibility in Central New York, that kind of output is more than a draft-night headline. It is a measurable sign that Syracuse keeps turning top-end college talent into professional prospects.
Spallina’s selection carried the heaviest weight. He entered the draft with 306 career points, one shy of Mike Powell’s school record of 307, and had already piled up 60 points this season. Michael Leo went sixth overall to the California Redwoods after producing 42 points. Billy Dwan III landed 11th with the Maryland Whipsnakes, Luke Rhoa went 16th to the New York Atlas, and Dante Bowen went 30th to the California Redwoods after posting 13 ground balls and nine caused turnovers. Dwan, meanwhile, had seven goals and remained Syracuse’s all-time leading pole goal scorer.
The timing made the night even more meaningful in Syracuse. The Orange held a team watch party at the John A. Lally Athletics Complex as the draft unfolded, then turned around and prepared to honor 11 members of the Class of 2026 before Saturday’s Senior Day game against Colgate in the JMA Wireless Dome. That game, scheduled for 5 p.m., was Syracuse’s regular-season home finale and the 65th meeting all-time between the schools.
The local stakes were high as well. Syracuse entered the Colgate game 10-3, ranked No. 5 nationally and unbeaten at home at 6-0. The ACC said Syracuse led all league schools with five selections, and the conference’s nine picks tied for the most of any conference. For a program that already carries national weight, the draft only reinforced the argument that Syracuse remains one of college lacrosse’s most reliable professional feeders, with Spallina and his classmates extending that reputation into the next level.
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