Premier Lacrosse League Hosts Historic Match-Up of Outstanding Black College Players
Springfield, VA – February 16, 2025 – While the cold winter evening winds howled outside, some of the brightest and most promising stars in the orbit of Historically Black Colleges (HBCUs) and Universities lacrosse teams brought the heat. Hosted by the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), standout athletes from schools throughout the DMV and as far away as Atlanta united in heads-up battles to claim bragging rights among men’s and women’s teams to participate in the history-making inaugural HBCU ALL-STAR GAME.
Paul Rabil, PLL co-founder and CEO, created the event. Premier Lacrosse League Assist is PLL’s diversity program. Haleigh Pannell and Wyeth Martin work as coordinators. The All-Star Games are further evidence of Rabil’s personal commitment to sharing his beloved sport and related opportunities with previously overlooked communities.
The games brought together players from famed HBCU athletic programs not frequently known for the sport of lacrosse. Inspired by an effort sponsored by the PLL to support and encourage more African American youth to participate in the sport, it is slowly making a comeback on Black college campuses while gaining broader interest among Black middle and high school students and parents. Players on the all-star teams represented Spelman College; Norfolk State; Bowie State; Morgan State; Howard; Lincoln; and Morehouse Universities.
The St. James, a 20-acre 450,000-square-foot multi-purpose sports complex in Springfield, Virginia, served as the perfect venue for these action-packed matches and provided an unrivaled backdrop for this historic event. Facility developer, owner, and sports enthusiast Kendrick Ashton was also in attendance cheering on the visiting teams and welcoming players, parents and supporters.
Major threads that connect many of these teams and players are Coach Lloyd Carter and Blax Lax. Carter co-founded the organization with his former Edmondson High School (Baltimore, Maryland) teammate Anthony “Merc” Ryan. The group was established to preserve and amplify the history and impact that African Americans have had in the sport of lacrosse. Carter, who currently coaches the Norfolk State Lacrosse Team is credited for bringing lacrosse to Hampton University. As a member of the storied Ten Bears (Lacrosse Team) of Morgan State University MSU), Coach Carter was the subject of a PBS Documentary and a book by the same name.
Assuming brands like Legacy and Excellence, the men’s teams squared off in a fast-paced game shaped by the relatively new format for lacrosse play known as “Sixes” which features 8-minute quarters with a 5-minute halftime and two 2-minute breaks. The women’s all-star teams sported team names of Royalty and Magic.
Members on Excellence’s team roster included Norfolk State (Nasir Thornton and Elliot Bourne); Morgan State (David Antwi); Bowie State (Sean Peavy, Brevin Blalock, and Sean Williams); Howard (Kojo Osei-Ntansah); Coppin (Dereck Green, Jr.); Morehouse (Orion Cooper and Will Scipio); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Ismail Shakur); and Lincoln (Malachi Wright Casey). The team was coached by Brian Nichols – (Bowie State); Paul Bresil – (Lincoln University, Pennsylvania); and Llyod Carter – (Norfolk State).
Legacy’s team roster included: Norfolk State (Eli Poller); Howard (Charles Hatton and Marcus Quincy); Bowie State (Khalil Anderson and Maurice Butler); University of Maryland Eastern Shore (Jaiden Woodyard); Morehouse (Joshua Vaughn and Jaden Jones); Coppin State (Jason Bandoh and Au’Brey Ballard; Lincoln (Tresean Maurice); Morgan State (Jaylen Brown and Mark Evans) coached by Ryan Pratcher-Bey (Coppin State); and Skyler Hargrave (Morgan State).
The women’s teams reflect the growing investment toward equity and inclusion in lacrosse. The PLL has partnered with cosmetic giant Maybelline as women’s lacrosse draws more interest and larger crowds at collegiate and professional levels. The level of play has reached new heights, as demonstrated by the talent on display from these two teams at this event.
Team Magic: The roster included Morgan State (Sasha Jones and Kayla Drummond); Hampton (Paris Hendricks); Coppin State (Princessliz Ebong and Makeda Richardson); Spelman (Parker Hall, Chyna Beale and Olivia Robinson); Bowie State (Nyah Plummer and Aajhae’ Wilson); Norfolk State (Tamya Vest Turner and Ramiyah Shaw). The team was coached by Ryan Jones (Morehouse) and Ryan Pratcher-Bey (Coppin State).
Team Royalty: The roster included Coppin (Diamond Maple, Aniyah Carrington and Justice Downing); Morgan (Jasmine LaRocca, Jayla McKenny, Angelina Pinto and Aaliyah Ekani); Spelman (Cierra Hickson); Bowie (Kiyanna Quille); Hampton (Leala Spence); and Norfolk (Amerie Ussery and Torrey Stacy). Team coaches were Malacal Davis (Morgan State) and Brian Nichols (Bowie State).
When the final whistles sounded for the games to end, the results declared Team Excellence as the winner of the men’s title with an 18 to 16 victory, and the women’s title was called 10 to 8 for Team Magic. As the players and organizers celebrated their successes, Coach Carter remarked, “the real winner for the evening was the game of lacrosse.”
Why not have this game later in the year so that players from Howard, Hampton, and Virginia State can participate? Those players are being left out of such an honor and opportunity.