The PLL Rookie of the Year award is always a fun conversation to have, and this year is no different. Due to a smaller sample size of only eight teams, it is difficult for a rookie to come in and have an immediate impact. You can normally tell where a player’s ceiling/floor is after their first season, but the success rate of rookies having a high ceiling is very low. High first-round picks always seem like an obvious “low-risk” selection, but that isn’t always the case. A player’s fit into a team plays a crucial part in how successful they will be in the league. Very rarely are rookies able to come in and immediately fill a hole that tailors directly to their skillset. Normally these guys have to play a year or two in a role that might not be best suited for their talents. The best PLL coaches are able to match their schemes with their personnel, and the following three players in the running for PLL Rookie of the Year have been put in the best positions to succeed.
Connor Shellenberger
Shellenberger was selected second overall by the New York Atlas this past year. Expectations were high for Shellenberger entering the league, considering all of the success he had with the Virginia Cavaliers. Expectations were not high enough for him to be selected first overall, and there were some questions regarding how well he would fit into a PLL offense. It didn’t take long for Shellenberger to prove all the non-believers wrong, recording a hat trick against the Cannons on 75% shooting and no turnovers. The Atlas are currently an offensive powerhouse, and Shellenberger fits into this team like a glove, averaging 3.3 points per game. However, due to the offensive talent around him and considering he sits behind his other PLL Rookie of the Year contenders in total points, he sadly is not going to win this award. Any other year, Shellenberger would certainly have better odds, but the two guys ahead of him just have a better argument for their cases.
TJ Malone
No one expected TJ Malone to fall as low as he did in the draft, considering the career he had at Penn State. Lacrosse Twitter took the world by storm during the draft, noting that Malone was still on the board entering the third round. The Whipsnakes took note and secured their guy for the future. The questions regarding the translation of his game to the PLL quickly evaporated, making fans look dumb for ever thinking otherwise. Bursting onto the scene with 6 points against the Atlas in your debut is certainly one way to make an entrance. Malone’s PLL rookie season is one for the books as he caps off the regular season, averaging 3.7 points per game. The main reason that he will not win this award is due to his turnover numbers. Seventeen turnovers on the year is certainly not something to brush off and really hurts his name in this race. Regardless, Malone is quickly going to rise up the ranks as one of the best players in the PLL.
Brennan O’Neill
The man, the myth, the legend. Brennan O’Neill was the most anticipated name entering the 2024 PLL season, and rightfully so. A Tewaaraton winner coming off of a great career at Duke, paired with being named the best player in the world at the World Lacrosse Games in San Diego the summer prior. With all the hype, O’Neill came off the board first overall to a Chrome Lacrosse Club transitioning back to the historic Outlaws. This team was in shambles following their 2023 season, and O’Neill was going to be the face of the franchise moving forward. An interesting Week 1 performance quickly fell to the wayside following the team’s Week 2 stunner over the Archers. In one of the best professional lacrosse games of all time, O’Neill popped off with 9 points on 47% shooting with zero turnovers. O’Neill was on the scene, and opposing teams took note. Since then, O’Neill has helped lead the Outlaws to the No.1 seed in the West and has quickly become a household name for all lacrosse fans, if he wasn’t already. He currently sits 7th in the league in total points with 29 and only 8 turnovers to his name. The future is bright for Mr. O’Neill, but let’s see how he can finish off his PLL rookie campaign.
