Draft Eligibility Requirements

Eligibility Requirements for Players for the NLL Entry Draft

1. Any player who attains the age of 21 during the draft year who has never participated in a US NCAA or NJCAA collegiate varsity lacrosse program is eligible to be selected in the Entry Draft. For the purposes of this By-law, a player shall be considered to be 21 years of age should he attain 21 years of age during the same calendar year as the draft.

2. Any player who has participated in a US NCAA or NJCAA collegiate varsity lacrosse program and has exhausted his NCAA collegiate varsity lacrosse eligibility (“NCAA eligibility”), or has forfeited his NCAA eligibility and has notified the League in writing, is eligible to be selected in the Entry Draft.

For the 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024 NLL Entry Drafts, any player who has participated in a US NCAA or NJCAA collegiate varsity lacrosse program and has exhausted four (4) seasons of NCAA eligibility shall be eligible for the Entry Draft.

For the 2021 NLL Entry Draft, any player who: 1. has participated in a US NCAA or NJCAA collegiate varsity lacrosse program and has exhausted three (3) seasons of NCAA eligibility; and 2. was enrolled in an Ivy League institution and was eligible to play NCAA lacrosse as of February 18, 2021, shall be eligible for the Entry Draft.

If a player with remaining NCAA eligibility is properly selected in the 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, or 2024 Entry Draft and subsequently participates in a NCAA or NJCAA varsity lacrosse program, thereby exhausting his fourth or fifth season of NCAA eligibility, as applicable, the Member Club that selected the player shall maintain the rights to the player under the terms of Article 20(B)(b) of the Collective Bargaining Agreement.

3. Any player less than 21 years of age who notifies the league in writing of his intention to forfeit his remaining NCAA eligibility at least seventy-two (72) hours prior to the Entry Draft is eligible to be selected in the Entry Draft.

4. Any player participating in any Canadian Junior Lacrosse League who subsequently attends a US college and participates in a NCAA or NJCAA varsity lacrosse program after being selected in the Entry Draft will be re-entered into the Entry Draft upon exhausting or forfeiting his NCAA eligibility. The Member Club that originally selected the player will lose the rights to the player upon the player’s participation in a NCAA or NJCAA varsity lacrosse program. Notwithstanding the foregoing, any player who has met the criteria for Entry Draft eligibility pursuant to subsection (2) or (3) of this By-law, and who subsequently participates in a NCAA or NJCAA varsity lacrosse program after being selected in the Entry Draft, will have his rights retained by the selecting Member Club.

5. Any player less than 21 years of age cannot be declared a free agent without being drafted. Any such undrafted player will automatically be re-entered in each subsequent Entry Draft until he is drafted or is undrafted after attaining the age of 21.

6. “Player” as used herein shall mean any lacrosse player participating in a Canadian Junior Lacrosse league, NCAA or NJCAA US collegiate varsity lacrosse program, or any other player known to the league to be of draft quality.

NLL Draft Interest Form

If you have further questions about your eligibility for the Entry Draft, please contact Mike McLellan ([email protected]).

About the NLL

Founded in 1986, the NLL ranks third in average attendance for pro indoor sports worldwide, behind only the NHL and NBA. The League is comprised of 15 franchises across the United States and Canada: Albany FireWolves, Buffalo Bandits, Calgary Roughnecks, Colorado Mammoth, Georgia Swarm, Halifax Thunderbirds, Las Vegas Desert Dogs, New York Riptide, Panther City Lacrosse Club (Fort Worth, TX), Philadelphia Wings, Rochester Knighthawks, San Diego Seals, Saskatchewan Rush, Toronto Rock, and Vancouver Warriors.

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