Princeton In The Pros: PLL Champs And Award Winners, NLL Draft

It was quite the Sunday for Princeton men's lacrosse in the pros. First, Princeton was well-represented, once again, in the Premier Lacrosse League championship game, where the Utah Archers defeated the Maryland Whipsnakes 12-8, and at the Premier Lacrosse League awards ceremony, where two Tigers combined to win three awards. Additionally, the National Lacrosse League held its draft Sunday night, and a pair of Princeton alums heard their names called, including one who didn't have to wait very long. The Archers won their second straight PLL championship, helped along mightily by Tiger alums Ryan Ambler and Beau Pederson and coached by former Princeton head man Chris Bates. Ambler had a brilliant assist on a backbreaking goal by Dyson Williams with less than a second left in the third quarter, giving the Archers an 8-6 lead as part of a four-goal run to take control of the game. Beau Pederson, a shortstick defensive midfielder, had a caused turnover and four ground balls in the game.

Now, that's beautiful lacrosse. ??

?? https://t.co/MG04yHMNMm pic.twitter.com/fgApIry4sJ
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) September 15, 2024

Ambler, the veteran midfielder, very deservingly won the Jimmy Regan Teammate Award. Ambler is a longtime pro who has always been the perfect teammate, dating to his days at Princeton and continuing to the present. Utah won the championship without Tom Schreiber, who missed the semifinals and final with a broken collarbone. Schreiber did win two PLL Awards, winning the Gait Brothers Award as the top midfielder and the Brendan Looney Leadership Award. Awards named after Regan and Looney are not to be taken for granted, ever. Both were college lacrosse players, Regan at Duke and Looney at Navy, and both were killed in combat, Regan in Iraq in 2007 at the age of 26 and Looney in Afghanistan in 2010 at the age of 29.

Always one to defer the credit. ??@TomSchreiber26 truly embodies the Brendan Looney Leadership Award. pic.twitter.com/YP3EFwaWgr
— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) September 14, 2024

Schreiber continued the league's streak of never having given the Midfielder of the Year award to a non-Princeton alum. In fact, Schreiber has now the award five of the six times it's been awarded, and the other winner was fellow Princetonian Zach Currier. The indoor NLL held its draft Sunday night. Sam English was the No. 2 overall selection, chosen by the Toronto Rock, which will make him Schreiber's teammate in the indoor league. Marquez White was picked in the third round, 35th overall, by the Buffalo Bandits.

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