Tonight, the Maryland Whipsnakes will take on the Boston Cannons to start Week 3 of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) season. The big story in this game is the debut of Joey Spallina, Syracuse University’s all-time scoring leader.
Joey Spallina has had a storied college career, including being named 2023 ACC Freshman of the Year and later as an All-American. Along the way, he was nominated for the Tewaaraton Award, won the Jack Turnbull Outstanding Attackman Award, and nabbed the silver medal with Team USA at the World Box Lacrosse Championship.
Spallina is an offensive juggernaut, having finished his Orange career as Syracuse’s leader in points (333) and assists (190). As a senior, he finished 24th nationally in goals (35), second in assists (54), and he tied for the top spot (with Princeton’s Nat Kabiri) as the country’s leading scorer (89 total points).
Maryland’s top pick (and third overall) in the recent PLL Draft will be joining a star-studded attack group of Whipsnakes, headed by Rob Pannell, who is the 3rd-highest in points all time and the 4th-highest in goals. Standing with Pannell are 2024 PLL ROTY TJ Malone, 2019 PLL MVP Matt Rambo, and 2025 PLL All-star Aiden Carroll.
This attack group is talented, and so far this season, the Whipsnakes are ranked 3rd-best offensively in the league and are tied for the most one-point goals and the highest shot percentage. And that’s without Spallina, who missed the first two games due to the NCAA National Lacrosse Championships.
With Spallina, the Whipsnakes offense is going to get even better, and that prospect begins tonight at 6 PM on ESPN+.
