The Syracuse Orange men’s lacrosse team is returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time in three years, but before they meet the Towson Tigers this weekend, one of their own had the next step of his career figured out.
The Premier Lacrosse League’s 2024 College Draft took place on Tuesday night, and there was one ‘Cuse player who heard his name called during the four-round draft.
The Orange portion of the night occurred early in the second round, when Jake Stevens was selected with the 10th overall pick (Round 2, Pick 2) by the New York Atlas.
Jake made a huge impact in his lone season for ‘Cuse. The do-it-all midfielder is fourth on the team in assists (15) and tied for fifth on the team in points (32) despite missing two games to injury earlier this season. He’s also third in ground balls (39), but first on the team by non-FOGO players.
In addition to playing offense, face-off wing, and tracking back on defense when he needs to, Stevens has brought a wealth of toughness, experience and leadership that’s made him a big part of an Orange team that’s taken a leap back into national relevance this season.
All of those characteristics are what make him such a tantalizing prospect for the PLL. A midfielder who can play all over the field and impact the game in so many different ways is a rare breed. There’s a reason why he’s been compared to the Waterdogs’ Zach Currierthe Swiss army knife of professional lacrosse.
In a surprising result, goalie Will Mark went undrafted on the night.
Only two goalies were taken in the 32-player draft, and the expectation coming in was that Mark would be the second goalie taken behind Notre Dame’s Liam Entenmann. He was taken with the fifth overall pick, and then the wait was on for the second goalie. That pick wasn’t until the fourth round, when the Redwoods took Chayse Ierlan instead of Mark with the 29th overall pick.
It’s definitely disappointing to see Will not get drafted, but hopefully he’ll impress some people and make a roster if he gets signed as a free agent later this summer.
Congratulations to Jake on the Top 10 selection in the PLL Draft!
