For four Hoyas, the end to a stellar 2023 season at the Hilltop was just the beginning of their professional careers, bringing their outstanding play to the professional level and netting postseason appearances and league-wide accolades.
2023 Rookie of the Year midfielder Tucker Dordevic and Second-Team All-Pro defender Will Bowen headline a class of four Hoyas who debuted in Paul Rabil’s Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). After the four players joined the PLL via draft on May 9, they saw extensive regular season action and contributed to their respective teams’ playoff pushes up until the season’s end late last month.
The four players were integral to Georgetown’s successes last year — winning its fifth Big East championship in a row, advancing to the NCAA tournament quarterfinals and boasting an elite 13-4 record while undefeated in its conference.
The first Hoya off the board in the 2023 PLL collegiate draft was Dordevic, selected sixth overall to the league juggernaut Whipsnakes. Coming into the season, the Whips had won two of the four championships in league history and finished as runner-up in a third.
Dordevic, who transferred from Syracuse as a graduate student for his final season, was one of the most highly-touted players in the draft. In 2023, he led the Big East in goals per game (3.82), was named the unanimous Big East Attack Player of the Year, and was also unanimously named to the all-Big East First Team. He was also named a second-team All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine and nominated for the prestigious Tewaaraton Award, given to the best college lacrosse player in the nation.
Dordevic continued his excellence at the professional level, posting 29 points in only 11 games played and showcasing his elite shot accuracy and power with both hands this season. He finished the season as the fourth highest-scoring midfielder, led the league in two-pointers and accomplished this with a highly efficient 7 turnovers. He was instrumental in the Whipsnakes advancing to the quarterfinals versus the Waterdogs, scoring three goals in a 12-15 loss. For his efforts, Dordevic was named the 2023 PLL Rookie of the Year, an All-Star and Second Team All-Pro. He has already cemented himself as one of the best professional players in the world in only his first year of play, and all eyes will certainly be on Dordevic during his 2024 campaign.
Bowen, a PLL All-Star and Second Team All-Pro, was taken immediately after Dordevic by the Chaos with the seventh overall pick. In his graduate year at Georgetown after transferring from UNC, he led the Big East in caused turnovers per game (1.92), was named the Big East Defensive Player of the Year, and was unanimously named to the all-Big East First Team.
He was also named a Third-Team All-American by USA Lacrosse Magazine and was nominated alongside Dordevic for the Tewaaraton. He has not skipped a beat in the PLL, picking up 28 ground balls, scoring a goal, dishing out two assists, and causing 15 turnovers. His lockdown defensive presence was vital in the Chaos advancing to the quarterfinals versus the Redwoods, though they lost 9-15. Despite this disappointing end, Bowen had an exceptional rookie season at the highest level of play.
Joining Bowen on the Chaos was attackman Brian Minicus, who was selected No. 15 overall in the second round and was named to the 2023 All-Big East Second Team for his efficient play. After transferring from Colgate, he had an exceptionally strong finish to his collegiate career while playing alongside Dordevic, posting 35 goals and 23 assists. He had nine multi-goal games and 31 offensive ground balls.
After graduating, Minicus had an immediate impact at the next level, utilizing his elite first step and agility to score 16 goals and dishing out 9 assists. He also continued his strong ground ball play with 21 ground balls, which is an often-overlooked aspect of an attackman’s game. These ground balls on the offensive side of the field signify second-chance opportunities for goals, similar to rebounds in basketball. Minicus finished the season second only to Dordevic in points among rookies, and he and Bowen will look to make a title run with the Chaos in 2024.
Faceoff specialist James Reilly was the fourth and final Hoya selected to play pro lacrosse, going 32nd overall to the Waterdogs. There he joined Georgetown legend Jake Carraway, the most prolific point-scorer in Georgetown men’s lacrosse history.
Carraway has had an outstanding professional career in his own right, averaging two points a game after being drafted No.10 overall in 2021. Together, Reilly and Carraway helped the Waterdogs make a run to the championship game, where they suffered a hard-fought 14-15 loss to the Archers.
However, after averaging a 57.1% faceoff win percentage and being a unanimous all-Big East First Team selection in college, Reilly has struggled against the top players in the country, playing in only two games with a 38% win rate. The faceoff position, possibly the most competitive position in the sport, is dominated by seasoned veterans in the PLL, so Reilly will have many more opportunities to learn, adapt and prove himself before his story is finished.
Dordevic, Bowen, Meniscus and Reilly are four of the 10 Hoyas who played in the PLL this year. Georgetown will look to send more players to the professional ranks in the coming years as the team hopes to continue its winning ways and the lacrosse market expands domestically.
