Syracuse men’s lacrosse: English, Hiltz headline four Orange selected in 2025 PLL College Draft

It was a good night to be Orange as the future pros learned their destinations.

We interrupt your excitement about May Madness for a little professional lacrosse interlude.

During the 2025 Premier Lacrosse League College Draft on Tuesday night, the Syracuse Orange had four of their current members selected into the pro ranks for this summer.

Sammy English and Owen Hiltz were both selected in the first round, Michael Grace heard his name called in the third round and Carter Rice snuck into the night’s proceedings in the fourth and final round of the 32-pick draft.

2025 PLL College Draft — Syracuse Picks

• Sammy English — 1st Round, 3rd overall pick — California Redwoods
• Owen Hiltz — 1st Round, 8th overall pick — Carolina Chaos
• Michael Grace — 3rd Round, 22nd overall pick — New York Atlas
• Carter Rice — 4th Round, 29th overall pick — California Redwoods

The Redwoods are a team desperately in need of more offense, particularly at the midfield, so they used their second and third overall picks to select Sammy and Duke’s Andrew McAdorey.

The Chaos are perpetually in need of more scoring firepower, so they used their first round pick on Hiltz, who fits them perfectly as a lefty attackman.

Grace and Rice are good complimentary pieces on the defensive end for the Atlas and Redwoods, respectively. Grace brings so much size, athleticism and ground ball ability to the next level, while Rice can play an important role as a transition midfielder in the fast-paced PLL.

English and Rice will join SU alums Cole Kirst and Alex Simmons on the Redwoods. Hiltz will be coached by four-time ‘Cuse All-American Roy Colsey, the new head coach of the Chaos. Grace will join last year’s rookies, Jake Stevens and Will Mark, on the Atlas.

By multiple measures, this draft marks the most successful PLL draft the Orange have ever had. You have to go back to the previous iteration of professional lacrosse, Major League Lacrosse (MLL), to find as deep a ‘Cuse draft as last night’s.

It’s the first time SU has had multiple first round picks in a single draft of the PLL era. In fact, they only had two first round picks in the first six drafts combined (Tucker Dordevic in 2023 and Brett Kennedy in 2022) before having two last night with English and Hiltz.

It’s also the most total picks they’ve ever had in a single PLL draft, besting the 2021 draft where they had three picks with Peter Dearth, Stephen Rehfuss and Jamie Trimboli.

Going further back, it’s SU’s most players in a single draft since the 2016 MLL draft when Dylan Donahue, Brandon Mullins, Warren Hill and Tim Barber were all chosen. But even then, that was a draft with eight rounds and 70 players taken, more than double the total of the current draft format.

‘Cuse’s four selections were the most players any individual school had in last night’s draft.

Congratulations to Sammy, Owen, Michael and Carter on this wonderful achievement!

The Orange will begin their 2025 NCAA Tournament with a JMA Dome rematch with Harvard this Sunday at 5 PM on ESPN U.