The brand-new professional Women's Lacrosse League (WLL) made its official debut this week just outside of Washington, DC, where its first-ever game saw the New York Charging take down the Maryland Charm 14-13 in the WLL Championship Series.

After the inaugural Tuesday result, the action continued on Wednesday, when the California Palms opened their WLL account by getting the better of the Boston Guard in a tight 16-15 matchup.

Founded and run by the Premier Lacrosse League, the WLL fosters top-level competition as the sport gears up for its 2028 Olympic return.

The four-team WLL Championship Series follows an Olympic-style "sixes" format. Unlike traditional lacrosse, which uses a larger pitch and 10 athletes per team, sixes employs a condensed field with six players per side.

In the Championship Series, teams are first competing in three round-robin games to determine semifinal seedings. The tournament will culminate with the knockout semifinal and final rounds on Sunday and Monday, respectively.

Team USA lacrosse star Charlotte North gestures during a 2022 World Championship game.
Team USA star Charlotte North competes for the WLL's Boston Guard. (Ryan Hunt/Getty Images)

WLL looks to level up lacrosse ahead of 2028 Olympics

Despite the competition's quick turnaround, the WLL represents a growing professionalization movement in women's lacrosse — with all involved betting big on the sport's Olympic success in LA.

When lacrosse steps back onto the Olympic stage in 2028, it will have been 80 years since its last 1948 outing — and even then, it was merely a demonstration event. The last time the sport earned medals was in 1908.

Furthermore, the sport's entire Olympic history rests in the men's game — 2028 will see women take the Olympic lacrosse pitch for the first time ever.

"We are honored to be a part of the WLL, and we couldn't be more excited to bring this game to the fans in new ways than ever before," said Boston Guard star Charlotte North in a league statement.

"We firmly believe that this is the beginning of what will be a monumental movement in the game of professional women's lacrosse, and for female athletes around the globe.... It's our time."

Former Northwestern lacrosse star Izzy Scane shoots the ball during an NCAA game.
Izzy Scane, the NCAA DI lacrosse career scoring leader, plays for the New York Charging. (Greg Fiume/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

How to watch the WLL Championship Series

The tournament's round-robin play continues with the Maryland Charm facing off against the Boston guard at 9 PM ET on Thursday, before the California Palms contend with the New York Charging at 6 PM ET on Friday.

All WLL Championship Series games will stream live on ESPN+, with Sunday's and Monday's knockout rounds airing live on ESPN2.

Northwestern lacrosse is back on top of the NCAA after a dominant showing in the women’s lacrosse title game, beating Boston College 18-6.

Star attacker Izzy Scane had four goals, setting Northwestern’s single-season and all-time program scoring records. Her 99th on the year, she broke her own program single-season goals record, and broke Selena Lasota’s program record of 287 career goals with 291.

“If I can lay myself on the line for the girls to the left and right of me,” Scane said, “I’m going to do it 20 times over.”

She wasn’t the only one scoring, as freshman Madison Taylor also had four goals and Erin Coykendall had three for the Wildcats.

It’s Northwestern’s eighth national title, and first since 2012.

With all of those titles coming under head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, she’s now tied for the most for a single head coach in women’s lacrosse with Terrapins coach Cindy Timchal.

“Honestly, it means everything,” Amonte Hiller said. “I can’t even tell you what went into this. So many years from 2012, the last time we won … it means so much. I am so proud of this group. I said in the summer before the season we have to get them to believe. They believed in everything. It’s so sweet. I’m so proud of this group.”

Northwestern defended well on top of getting their offense going, forcing 21 turnovers.

Athletes Unlimited has raised $30 million in new funding, the league announced Thursday.

Among the investors are U.S. Olympic ice hockey player Angela Ruggiero as well as Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s 35V. All three have been on the league’s advisory board since its start.

Since its founding in 2020, Athletes Unlimited has expanded from its softball league to add volleyball, basketball and lacrosse.

“We have been advisors for AU since the very beginning, and we’re excited to be a part of this capital raise,” Durant said. “Athletes Unlimited is at the forefront of women’s sports and an inspiration for how sports leagues can thrive with an athlete-first business model.”

Schusterman Family Investments, Sharon Harel-Cohen and Jane Gottesman also are among the investors, and Gottesman will be joining the league’s Board of Directors.

Earlier this year, Athletes Unlimited announced a multi-year deal with ESPN. That deal has since paid dividends, with softball viewership increasing 74 percent from 2021 for the AUX competition in June.

“These investors share our vision and our ambition to not only reimagine professional sports, but also to rethink the way a business can – and should – show up in the world,” Athletes Unlimited co-founder Jonathan Soros said. “The growth of AU has far exceeded my expectations over its first two years. The addition of these strategic investors will only add to the energy and resources available to fuel further growth.”

The second season of Athletes Unlimited lacrosse concluded with rookie goaltender Taylor Moreno being crowned champion – a mere three months after she won an NCAA title with North Carolina.

“It definitely wasn’t anything that I was expecting,” Moreno told Just Women’s Sports. “My focus was just on having fun and enjoying the opportunity that I was given. Obviously, that ended in the best possible way it could have ended. It’s surreal.”

Moreno amassed 1,798 points on the season, which put her just 16 points ahead of second-place finisher Sam Apuzzo. The two duked it out atop the leaderboard for the final three weeks after Moreno vaulted to the top as a member of Team Apuzzo in the first week.

The goaltender says she was lucky to have been a member of Team Apuzzo in that first week, as their team went undefeated. After that, she was on her own – having to navigate learning the Athletes Unlimited system as a rookie while also learning how to draft a team.

“I think every draft that I did, I learned something new about myself and about all these girls in the league,” she said.

The education paid off, as Team Moreno went undefeated in the final week. The squad was propelled in part by Kenzie Kent, who had a hat trick in every single game and amassed a total of 10 goals on the weekend – which helped her finish second in the league in goals this season (26).

A pivotal game Sunday against Team Apuzzo was key to Moreno earning the title. Her team won 9-7 — and also took the points for the third quarter (worth 40 due to rollover points), which pushed Moreno ahead of Apuzzo.

“Those guys were really having so much fun, and I think that was a huge thing that made our team so successful this past weekend,” Moreno said. “Everyone was on the same page. They were gritty, you could tell they were definitely into it and having a lot of fun. That, to me, was all that matters.”

Charlotte North, who was playing for Team Glynn this week, exploded offensively on Sunday, scoring six goals. Her eight total on the weekend helped her secure the top spot in league goals on the season with 31.

Apuzzo, who finished second with 1,782 points, led the league in assists (16) while adding 24 goals. She also tallied the most win points (1,130) and the most MVP points (255) while losing just two games.

One of four players named to the 2022 Lacrosse All-Defensive Team, Becca Block was voted the Defensive Player of the Year. Finishing with 1,023 points, she caused 15 turnovers, collected 22 ground balls and won 14 draw controls this season.

“It’s such an honor to be named GEICO Defensive Player of the Year among such an elite group of athletes who competed in Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse this season,” Block said. “Kudos to GEICO for supporting the defensive side of the game which isn’t always recognized and congrats to all the players on another successful season.”

Full scores

Thursday, Aug. 11:

  • Team Johansen 5, Team Apuzzo 8
  • Team Moreno 13, Team Glynn 8

Saturday, Aug. 13:

  • Team Glynn 5, Team Apuzzo 11
  • Team Johansen 9, Team Moreno 10

Sunday, Aug. 14:

  • Team Glynn 13, Team Johansen 16
  • Team Apuzzo 7, Team Moreno 9

Charlotte North didn’t have much time to reflect on her storied college career this summer. One month after North and Boston College fell to UNC in the NCAA lacrosse championship, a 12-11 thriller, the attacker was suiting up for Team USA at the World Championships in Maryland. And 12 days after winning a gold medal in that tournament, she started her pro career with Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse.

To North, the past few months have flown by. But she’s also tried her best to enjoy the “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity” to play on the biggest stages of her career so far.

“I’ve tried to soak in every moment I could,” North told Just Women’s Sports this week. “I’m very fortunate that I’ve had an opportunity to continue to play with Athletes Unlimited and with the national team.”

It’s no surprise to see North getting this much exposure so soon after leaving Boston College.

In three seasons with the Eagles, she put together a resume that can be considered one of the greatest of all time. In 2021, she led BC to its first-ever NCAA title, tied the championship game record with six goals against Syracuse, was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament and won the Tewaaraton Award as the nation’s best lacrosse player.

Then, North came back this year and did nearly all of it again. With 92 goals on the season, North reached 358 for her career and surpassed Stony Brook’s Courtney Murphy as the NCAA’s all-time goals leader. She also became the fifth women’s player to win the Tewaaraton Award more than once.

The challenge of stepping right from the collegiate season into training camp with Team USA for the World Lacrosse Championships was not lost on North. But rather than get caught up in it, she embraced the experience head on.

At the World Championships, North led Team USA with 23 goals, which included five hat tricks and four games with four plus goals. She also finished the tournament tied for second on the team with 28 points.

From there, like many playing Athletes Unlimited this season, North’s campaign has extended into August. As a rookie, she’s had to adjust to the league’s individual points system and rule quirks that make the game “super fast” and “very physical,” as she calls it.

“It’s a really fun format,” she said. “It is an adjustment, just because you’re hitting the highest level of lacrosse that could be played. And so it is physical, and you’ve got to prepare for that.”

A highlight for North has been getting to play alongside Boston College alums Sam Apuzzo and Kenzie Kent in different weeks. Both graduated before North joined the Eagles on a transfer from Duke.

“I looked up to them both for so long,” she said. “I got to play with them with the U.S., but also just being on their team here has been so much fun. It’s just been an incredible experience.”

As North matures as a player this summer, she’s also been a part of a broader shift in the sport. Lacrosse has been right at the forefront of viewership increases in women’s sports. This year’s NCAA final on ESPN peaked at 590,000 viewers, with an average audience of 428,000, making it the most-watched women’s college lacrosse game in history. The World Lacrosse Championships, fresh off a brand new deal, aired on ESPN’s networks, as has this season of Athletes Unlimited.

It’s that kind of exposure that North believes will continue to grow the game.

“When I was growing up, I mean, I would do anything to get my hands on college games and film and YouTube highlights. It wasn’t as easily accessible as it is now, which is amazing, especially on the women’s side,” she said.

“It’s just showing that once given the chance, there are so many people who are fans of the game, and it’s just growing exponentially.”

There is also hope that the growth of the sport at the collegiate, professional and international levels will spur lacrosse’s inclusion in the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles.

“So many people are working extremely hard to get lacrosse to where it deserves to be, which is in the Olympics,” said North, noting that the Sixes format used internationally aligns more with the men’s game and gets everyone involved.

“I think a lot of people will turn their eyes to sport and become fans of it,” she added.

But before that potential opportunity rolls around, and before she returns to Boston this fall to finish her Master’s in Sports Administration and host a few lacrosse camps, North is focused on her final two Athletes Unlimited games this weekend.

Currently 13th on the AU leaderboard with 954 points, North leads the league with 25 goals. She is one of multiple rookies from the 2022 draft class to grace the top half of the leaderboard, led by Apuzzo (1,483 points) with two game days remaining before a champion is crowned. Lauren Gilbert, a rookie out of Northwestern, sits just ahead of North in the player standings but trails her on the scoring leaderboard by one goal.

“Ally Mastroianni (10th) and Emma Trenchard (20th) have both been just dominating,” North said when asked about her fellow rookies. “For them to continue to up their game and play at every level has been awesome. There are so many talented players. The Northwestern girls are very talented and Taylor Moreno has been crushing it. It’s been really fun playing with all of them.”

She also has her sights set on those coming after, with NCAA stars like Northwestern’s Izzy Scane and Syracuse’s Meaghan Tyrrell soon to enter the pro ranks. For the sake of the sport, North welcomes the competition.

“It’s so exciting for our game,” North said. “There’s so much talent here, there’s so much talent at the collegiate level. It’s awesome.”

Emma Hruby is an Associate Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @EHruby.

For Athletes Unlimited midfielder Marie McCool, this summer has been a whirlwind.

In July, McCool helped Team USA to a gold medal at the World Lacrosse Championships. A few weeks later, she was back on the field in Maryland for the second season of Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse.

As she’s navigated each event, McCool has been aware of the toll the competitive games are taking on her body. It’s the most lacrosse she’s played consecutively since college, and she’s been taking steps in her recovery to ensure she remains in top shape each week.

“I kind of look at it as like a gift and an opportunity today to be able to play the sport that I love,” McCool tells Just Women’s Sports.

That mindset has resulted in some gutsy chances and highlight-reel performances.

At the world championships, McCool’s behind-the-back shot, which made SportsCenter’s Top 10 plays and caught the eyes of women’s sports figures like USWNT legend Heather O’Reilly, was actually the first that she’s ever taken in a game. That the assist came from Kylie Ohlmiller, her United States teammate and friend over the years, was an added bonus.

After winning a World Championship with Team USA in 2017 as a soon-to-be college senior, McCool entered this year’s tournament as a veteran. She embraced the role and, after leading Team USA to an 11-8 win over Canada with three goals in the title game, was named to the 10-player All-World team. She finished the tournament ranked second on the team with 20 goals, first in shooting percentage at 76.9 percent and third in draw controls with 17.

Through the first three weeks of the Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse season, McCool has leaned on that worldly experience — as well as her learnings from last AU season — to help guide the many talented rookies. Though she is 36 spots off the lead entering the final week of the 2022 campaign, with 607 total points through nine games, McCool has shown flashes of the attacking brilliance that have characterized her entire career.

“I think when something’s new, it’s really important to keep confident in yourself and your abilities. But sometimes you’re put in uncomfortable positions that can be challenging, so how can we build their confidence and help them maintain it when they’re still in that adjustment period and feeling a little bit uncomfortable?” she says of the younger players she’s mentored.

“I think that’s another really important piece that a lot of us veterans and people who played in the league last year are trying to help the rookies out with.”

McCool can also provide a unique perspective on the transition from college to the pros. After a standout career at the University of North Carolina from 2015-18, McCool entered the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL) and won a championship in 2019, one year after being named WPLL MVP as a member of the Baltimore Brave.

Despite enjoying immediate success, she admits it was difficult to navigate a less structured athletic schedule, and she leaned on her U.S. teammates for advice.

“That year after I graduated, that summer into that fall was probably one of the toughest periods of time in my life,” McCool says. “You go from not having time to do stuff because you’re on such a set schedule to OK, I have time on my hands, but I don’t know what to do with it.

“I’ve always been a pretty determined person, and I was working out. But I think trying to figure out what workouts worked best for me on my own was the biggest challenge.”

A unique element of Athletes Unlimited, beyond the weekly drafting structure and points system, is that former collegiate rivals can be teammates at different points of the season. McCool, a two-time finalist for the Tewaaraton Award given annually to the best women’s and men’s college lacrosse players, has grown close with players from Boston College, Maryland and other top programs.

Building those relationships within lacrosse has helped elevate her level of play, too. After appearing for Team Waters and Team Arsenault earlier in the season, she’ll suit up for Team Moreno for the final three games. Each week she’s adjusted to her new environment, scoring 10 goals and winning a league-leading 35 draw controls. She’s also tied for second in shots saved alongside Charlotte North with 21.

Getting to play with former Boston College standout Dempsey Arsenault on Team USA and during Athletes Unlimited has been a highlight for McCool, who said she was elated to be drafted by the midfielder in Week 2.

“I was like, ‘Thank goodness it’s been so long,’” she says. “As much as I hated matching up on defense to Dempsey in college, it has been so nice to be able to be on her team.”

While she’ll go up against Arsenault once again this week, McCool remains thankful for the opportunity Athletes Unlimited affords to form relationships that will last long past her days playing the sport that she loves.

Emma Hruby is an Associate Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @EHruby.

Taylor Moreno, Sam Apuzzo, Amanda Johansen and Kady Glynn top the Athletes Unlimited leaderboard heading into the final week of competition, earning them spots as Week 4 captains.

Just six points separate Moreno and Apuzzo on the leaderboard with the season coming down to the wire. The duo went head-to-head in Team Apuzzo and Team Moreno’s thrilling Sunday matchup. Team Apuzzo bounced back from a five-point deficit to claim a narrow 10-9 victory in the first match of Sunday’s AU doubleheader.

Lauren Gilbert played hero for Team Apuzzo, scoring the game-winner with 2:45 left on the clock. Dempsey Arsenault earned MVP 1 honors following the comeback win after logging four goals and an assist. Apuzzo was awarded MVP 2 recognition for her offensive performance, logging two goals and three assists.

Moreno put on a dominant performance in her team’s loss, making 13 saves in the narrow defeat. The goalkeeper showed why she still tops leads the league’s leaderboard.

In Sunday’s other matchup, Team Johansen topped Team Colson 7-4 to secure a Week 3 3-0 record. Team Johansen was led by a stellar defensive effort from Courtney Taylor, who earned MVP 1 honors for her four caused turnovers, two ground balls and two draw controls.

Waters also bolstered the squad’s defense, recording nine saves to claim an MVP 3 shout. In net for Team Colson, Glynn also shined, claiming MVP 2 accolades for her 10 saves in her side’s loss.

Week 4 competition kicks off Thursday with a matchup between Team Johansen and Team Apuzzo. Team Moreno and Team Glynn also will go head-to-head.

Sam Apuzzo’s goal for the Athletes Unlimited lacrosse season is to make sure that her team keeps winning.

After playing in AU’s inaugural season in 2021, Apuzzo has taken a different approach to the four-week campaign in Maryland this year, focusing more on results than on individual points.

“I think the biggest thing for what I learned from last year to this year is the importance of actually having a lot of wins,” the attacker told Just Women’s Sports. “So I’m just focused on winning this year with my team and every team that may be on, getting that team going because that’s what matters the most.”

Apuzzo finished last season third in the league standings, 258 points behind inaugural champion Taylor Cummings. It took three weeks for one of Apuzzo’s teams to win a game, as she and the other players acclimated to AU’s unique rules and points system.

So far this year, Apuzzo has yet to lose a game.

“She’s just a born winner,” Charlotte North, current league leader in goals, said after Team Apuzzo’s 8-5 win over Team Arsenault on Sunday.

Apuzzo’s focus on the team has led to payoffs individually as well: She currently sits second on the leaderboard with 965 points, 31 behind rookie goalie Taylor Moreno, and will serve as a captain for the third week in a row.

After missing out on the captain’s role last season, Apuzzo is learning that there’s no right or wrong answer when it comes to naming a roster and making tactical decisions. On Sunday, despite not scoring in a game for the first time in her Athletes Unlimited career, Apuzzo watched as the team she selected got the job done.

“What I’m learning, being a captain, is that everyone is so smart around you,” she said.

She’s also leaned on her teammates’ ideas and knowledge of their opponents as they’ve attempted to work “from the inside out.”

The experience will help her as she heads back to Boston College in the fall, where she’ll begin her second season as a full-time assistant coach after a decorated playing career. Apuzzo graduated in 2019 as the Eagles’ all-time leading goal scorer with 283 goals.

“’I’m learning when playing with so many different people who went to different schools, people who have been coached by different people, or people who are coaches,” said Apuzzo. “You learn a lot just by being around and hearing different things.”

She’s also learning about the sport from a higher level as a member of the Player Executive Committee this season.

“I’ve learned a lot about leadership in general. The idea of bringing a lot of opinions in and making executive decisions off of that,” said Apuzzo, who wants to see the sport eventually make the Olympic roster in 2028.

As AU lacrosse continues to build momentum, Apuzzo would like to see the sport grow on the international stage, too. After winning the World Lacrosse Championship with Team USA in June, Apuzzo believes that women’s lacrosse is “really close” to becoming a part of the Summer Olympics, maybe as soon as 2028 in Los Angeles.

“Based on the crowd we had in every single game, I think it shows that lacrosse is going in the right direction,” Apuzzo said of the tournament. “We’re knocking on the door of the Olympics. I think we definitely made a case for ourselves, so hopefully we can keep moving forward.”

Apuzzo played a big role in the United States’ run to the first World Championship on home soil and their ninth title overall. She had three goals and two assists in the final against Canada, which she called “the most competitive kind of game” she’s ever played in.

“It was honestly for me a dream come true,” Apuzzo said. “Ever since I picked up a stick and really ran with myself playing lacrosse, the national team and playing for Team USA was the big goal that I had.

“It’s kind of surreal to say it. Like, who can really say that they’ve accomplished their dreams, which is something that I’ll hold forever and be able to look back on?”

With two more weeks to try to ascend to the top of the AU leaderboard behind team wins and individual points, Apuzzo has the second annual title in her reach. And by this time next year, odds are she’ll be dreaming even bigger.

Emma Hruby is an Associate Editor at Just Women’s Sports. Follow her on Twitter @EHruby.

Taylor Moreno held onto her points lead in Week 2 of Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse, but Sam Apuzzo is on her heels as the season reaches its midway point.

Goalkeeper Moreno had 415 points in the second week for a total of 996, but attacker Apuzzo was the weekend’s leader, gathering 498 points to move up one spot to second place with 965 points. Defender Lizzie Colson leapt five spots to third place (814) as midfielder Amanda Johansen fell two spots to fourth (806).

Four players found themselves climbing into the top 10, with Kady Glynn and Ally Mastroianni each jumping 11 spots to fifth and seventh, respectively. Charlotte North found herself in the top 10 for the first time at eighth, with 713 total points.

Moreno remained lethal in net, adding to her total saves on the season to bring the number to 66. She also has a league-leading 0.57 save percentage. Glynn sits in second at 0.52.

The NCAA all-time points leader, North took the league lead in goals over the weekend, notching eight through three games in Week 2 to bring her season total to 15. Fellow rookie Lauren Gilbert had an impressive weekend, with two hat tricks and another goal on Sunday. She sits second in goals scored with 14.

Jamie Ortega has the highest shooting percentage on the season, with 0.55.

Team Apuzzo and Team Moreno faced off most exciting game of the week, with the two teams going to the first shootout in Athletes Unlimited history after Team Apuzzo scored six goals in the final frame to tie the score at 10-10. They later won 3-2 in a shootout, and Apuzzo’s teams have gone undefeated through two weeks of action.

Final Scores:

Thursday, July 28:

  • Team Apuzzo 12, Team Johansen 6
  • Team Moreno 12, Team Arsenault 10

Saturday, July 30:

  • Team Arsenault 11, Team Johansen 7
  • Team Apuzzo 11, Team Moreno 10

Sunday, July 31:

  • Team Apuzzo 8, Team Arsenault 5
  • Team Johansen 11, Team Moreno 6

The second season of Athletes Unlimited lacrosse got off to a fast start over the weekend in Maryland, with action carrying over from the world lacrosse championship earlier in July.

Taylor Moreno emerged as the leader, amassing 581 points from her spot in goal. One of the many rookies gracing the field this season for AU, she made 26 saves through 12 quarters played and holds a 0.63 save percentage. Her best game came Sunday, with the goalkeeper amassing 241 points in the outing.

She’s followed by Amanda Johansen, who notched seven goals – including two two-point goals and two hat tricks in two days – and won 12 draw controls on the weekend. She has 576 points so far.

Sam Apuzzo remains in a captain’s position, with 467 points on the weekend, good for third on the leaderboard. She had five goals and seven assists on the weekend, with her seven assists the most of any player. Dempsey Arsenault rounds out the top four with 451 points.

After exploding in the first game of the season with four goals, rookie attacker Lauren Gilbert scored three more goals on the weekend. She tied for the most goals on the weekend with Charlotte North, who sits 17th on the leaderboard, and Johansen.

Defender Emma Trenchard was the other standout rookie of the weekend, with her 377 points placing her in 10th on the leaderboard. 

Final Scores:

Thursday, July 21

  • Team Apuzzo 14, Team Glynn 10
  • Team Read 12, Team Waters 8

Saturday, July 23

  • Team Apuzzo 12, Team Read 5
  • Team Glynn 8, Team Waters 7

Sunday, July 24

  • Team Read 10, Team Glynn 9
  • Team Apuzzo 10, Team Waters 5