Welcome to the party: The PLL announces addition of a professional women’s league

In recent years, lacrosse has been labeled one of the “fastest-growing sports globally.” Youth, high school and collegiate programs have gained popularity worldwide, and with that, have amassed large fan bases. From this growth came the demand for a place where athletes can continue their post-collegiate lacrosse career, bringing to life the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). 

In 2018, The PLL was founded by brothers Paul and Mike Rabil. Paul was a former Johns Hopkins lacrosse player and is one of the most well-known male lacrosse players of all time. He played professional lacrosse for 11 years with the Major Lacrosse League (MLL) before deciding to co-found his own league.

Its rapid growth brought about its merger with MLL in 2020, making the PLL the sole entity for professional lacrosse in the US. The league is composed of eight teams, each representing major cities within the US. The teams consist of 25 players each and the teams are split into two conferences across the nation. 

Like other professional sports leagues, a college draft is held each year before the season, selecting the most qualified players from some of the biggest men’s lacrosse schools across the country. Since its inaugural year, the PLL has seen a significant increase in fan base and attendance at games. 

With this increase in attention, the PLL has just announced its most recent expansion — The Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL) set to play in 2025. As the first female professional lacrosse league, the WLL will feature four teams, playing in a six versus six format and will debut at the PLL championship series at The St. James in Springfield, Virginia, this upcoming year. 

The league comes at the perfect time — in a flourishing age of women’s sports, it is taking advantage of an opportunity when public attention is at a maximum.

The home cities for each team are set to be announced in the near future, but some of the biggest names in women’s lacrosse have already promised their participation in the league. Former Boston College player Charlotte North is set to compete in the WLL, already holding a long list of lacrosse accolades on her resume. 

North was a key factor in delivering Boston College its first national championship in 2021. She’s a two-time Tewaaraton Award winner and recently led the United States to the title at the first-ever World Lacrosse Women’s Box Championship. Former Northwestern player Izzy Scane, who holds the NCAA women’s career goals record, will also join the league, as well as other big names such as Lizzie Colson, Alex Aust and Ally Mastroianni. 

The announcement of the WLL comes just about a year after the IOC’s 2023 announcement approving women’s and men’s lacrosse inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. This will give players their first opportunity to compete for a medal while representing their country, seeing that its previous appearance in the games was in London in 1948, as a demonstration sport. 

Women’s lacrosse has seen growth across all boards, and the expansion of the WLL is sure to bring more viewers and fans to the game. To follow along for updates on tickets, schedules and news regarding the WLL, be sure to check out the PLL website and social media.