Waterdogs Select CJ Kirst 1st Overall in 2025 PLL College Draft

The 2025 Premier Lacrosse League College Draft will see 32 players over four rounds enter the PLL player pool ahead of the 2025 season, which begins May 30-31 in Albany, N.Y.

USA Lacrosse Magazine is following the draft live, and the below draft table will be updated in real time with each pick.

Follow along to see which players will continue their professional lacrosse dreams — and which teams will load up for a potential championship runs this summer.

UPDATE: 9:10 P.M.

And the final pick is in. The Utah Archers close by taking Bryce Ford (Maryland) to provide some depth and upside in the midfield. Midfielders and defensive players ruled the draft. Only six attackman were taken and none after No. 18.

UPDATE: 9 P.M.

Make it 10 straight defensive guys taken after Ben Ramsey (Notre Dame) goes to the Cannons at No. 28. The PLL teams have not been shy about taking defensive depth or possible difference-making talent to replace aging veterans or fill holes. 

UPDATE: 8:40 P.M.

The third round is in the books with a run of LSMs defining the eight picks. Four went in the round, making that six total poles taken thus far. On to the final eight picks.

UPDATE: 8:10 P.M.

The Chaos have made their final pick of the draft at No. 16 by selecting LSM Jack McDonald (Maryland). It was something of a mild surprise after taking LSM Levi Verch (Saint Joseph's) at No. 13. In need of offensive punch, the Chaos could have taken an attackman like Sam King (Harvard). Instead, King is still on the board entering the third round.

UPDATE: 7:50 P.M.

The first Notre Dame attackman is off the board — and it is not Chris Kavanagh. Jake Taylor went to the Waterdogs at No. 9 overall, leaving the Redwoods to take Kavanagh at No. 10. The Redwoods are putting together quite the draft haul thus far.

UPDATE: 7:40 P.M.

The first round concluded with Carolina's selection of Owen Hiltz (Syracuse), a lefty attackman who will fill a need for the Chaos. It seems that the earlier trade down was an A-plus move for Carolina, as Hiltz was likely the guy GM Spencer Ford would have taken at No. 5.

UPDATE: 7:30 P.M.

We have the first surprise of the night. The defending champion Archers traded up to No. 5 with Carolina to select Brendan Lavelle (Penn), a stud defenseman. On the broadcast, analyst Paul Carcaterra intimated that Lavelle could have been available later on. 

But Chris Bates knew who he wanted to fill out his roster, and as the defending champ, he has the luxury of taking some risks in the draft. Lavelle is not a risk talent-wise, but perhaps not the best player available — let alone in a trade-up scenario.

UPDATE: 7:15 P.M.

The California Redwoods made back-to-back picks to shore up the midfield, taking Andrew McAdorey (Duke) at No. 2 and Sam English (Syracuse) at No. 3. The Redwoods needed offense, and took two of the most versatile midfielders in the draft.

UPDATE: 7:05 P.M.

Waterdogs head coach Bill Tierney made the no-brainer pick at No. 1 overall, selecting CJ Kirst from Cornell. Kirst, who recently became the all-time leading scorer in Division I men's history, will form a lethal combo with Michael Sowers on the Philadelphia attack.

2025 PREMIER LACROSSE LEAGUE        
COLLEGE DRAFT RESULTS 

PICKS ACQUIRED VIA TRADE (VIA PLL)

2025

May 6, 2025

Pick 5: Acquired by Utah from Carolina. Utah also acquired Pick 21. Carolina received Pick 8 and Pick 16.

March 28, 2025

Pick 26: Acquired by Denver from California. California received Brendan Nichtern.

March 21, 2025

Pick 3: Acquired by California from Boston. California also received Boston's 2026 4th round pick. Boston received Owen Grant.

December 13th, 2024

Pick 23: Acquired by Philadelphia from Maryland in addition to Zed Williams
Pick 17: Acquired by Maryland from Philadelphia in addition to Matt Brandau

November 7, 2024

Pick 3: Acquired by Boston from Denver. Denver received Pat Kavanagh. Boston also receives the earliest 2nd round pick of Denver's in the 2026 draft.

August 13, 2024

Pick 24: Acquired by Maryland from Utah. Utah received Jackson Morrill.

August 6, 2024

Pick 15: Acquired by Philadelphia from Maryland. Maryland received Ryan Conrad.

June 11, 2024

Pick 31: Acquired by California from Maryland. Maryland received Levi Anderson.

May 7, 2024

Pick 18: Acquired by Archers from California. California received Utah's 2024 4th Round Pick.

November 28, 2023

Pick 20: Acquired by Maryland Whipsnakes from Boston Cannons — as well as 2024 3rd Round (22nd overall) & Matt Rees. Boston received Connor Kirst & Bryce Young.

2024

August 21, 2023

Pick 11: Acquired by Denver from Maryland for 2024 2nd Round (11th overall) & 2024 3rd Round (19th overall). Maryland received 2024 3rd Round (17th overall) & Jackson Morrill.
Pick 17: Acquired by Maryland from Denver for 2024 3rd Round (17th overall) & Jackson Morrill. Denver recieved 2024 2nd Round (11th overall) & 2024 3rd Round (19th overall).
Pick 19: Acquired by Denver from Maryland for 2024 2nd Round (11th overall) & 2024 3rd Round (19th overall). Maryland received 2024 3rd Round (17th overall) & Jackson Morrill.

November 28, 2023

Pick 22: Acquired by Maryland Whipsnakes from Boston Cannons for a 2024 3rd Round (22nd overall), 2025 3rd Round pick, and Matt Rees. Boston Cannons received Connor Kirst and Bryce Young.

March 15, 2024

Pick 5: Acquired by New York from California for 2024 1st Round (5th overall). California received Chris Gray & 2024 3rd Round (18th overall).
Pick 18: Acquired by California from New York for Chris Gray & 2024 3rd Round (18th overall). New York received 2024 1st Round (5th overall).