Brennan O’Neill’s Journey to NLL

One of the most anticipated storylines of the 2024-2025 NLL season centers around a rookie class of players poised to make an immediate impact on the league. Perhaps the most heralded member of this group of first-year phenoms is Brennan O’Neill. The 6’3, 230 lbs. forward was the Philadelphia Wings first overall selection in the 2024 NLL Draft. The 22-year-old grew up on Long Island, attended one of the finest academic and athletic institutions in the world, has played on the world stage, and will now take his athletic talents to one of the greatest sports cities.

O’Neill grew up on Bay Shore, Long Island – 42 miles east of midtown Manhattan. First introduced to the sport of lacrosse by his older sister, O’Neill quickly fell in love with every aspect of the game.

“I was about eight years old when my sister started playing. So, I picked up a stick. I thought it looked really cool,” O’Neill recollected. “From there, I would play around with my stick in the backyard, try new things and just mess around. I finally joined the team, a couple months later, after picking it up and really liking it. I began playing with my local program where everyone in my area and my friends were playing. From there, I naturally just started getting better and better.”

In the months after discovering what would become his life’s passion, O’Neill joined Team 91, the celebrated Long Island lacrosse club, currently based out of the Dynamic Sports Training Center in nearby Commack, New York. O’Neill spent the better part of a decade honing his craft and competing against the very best his area had to offer. During the warmer months of the year, the program emphasized field lacrosse, but when the winter chill made its annual appearance, the club moved their operation indoors to focus on the box lacrosse side of the sport. This combined outdoor & indoor experience shaped O’Neill’s game.

“I saw all these kids and how good they were, and obviously I was pretty good too. I was good enough to make the team, but seeing these kids made me really want to get that much better. So, I started training even harder. The team was great at progressing kids and teaching them the game. I stayed on that team for about 10 years,” he described.

O’Neill’s high school career led him to St. Anthony’s High School in Huntington Station, New York, where he played both varsity lacrosse and football. The legendary Roman Catholic college preparatory school has produced scores of high-achieving athletic alumni, including Toronto Rock star Tom Schreiber. O’Neill’s high school lacrosse career culminated during his junior year, when he led the Friars to the CHSAA Long Island championship, while simultaneously earning US Lacrosse Magazine National Player of the Years honors. Sadly, his senior season was cancelled because of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the wake of becoming one of the most highly sought-after recruits in the country, O’Neill elected to make the 530-mile trek south to Durham, North Carolina, enrolling at Duke University and joining the famed Blue Devils lacrosse program. The lefty forward’s college resume featured a stat line of 207 goals and 100 assists, becoming one of four players in NCAA history to achieve the 200-goal, 100-assist strata. During his junior campaign of 2023, the New Yorker won both the Tewaaraton Award and Lt. Raymond Enners Awards, given to that season’s most outstanding player. That 2023 season also included his second Final Four appearance with the Blue Devils, but they would fall in the title game to the Notre Dame Fighting Irish.

The newly anointed Duke alum has nothing but positive feelings when thinking about the four years spent on Tobacco Road.

(Photo Courtesy of Duke Athletics)

“The fact that I was able to do it there, with the type of people that are there, everyone has the same goal, just to get better every day and be at your best by the time you leave. It really creates men at that university, and I was ready for the real world after that. I’m really thankful for everyone that was there. They made me into the person and player I am today,” glowingly expressed the proud Blue Devil.

O’Neill shined not only on the lacrosse field, but in the classroom all four years at the prestigious academic institution. He graduated with a degree in political science and appeared on the ACC Academic Honor Roll during every season. The well-rounded student-athlete brings the same ‘leave it all on the field’ perspective to all aspects of his life.

“I think at the end of the day, it’s how you live your life. You can’t do one thing full go and be great at it, and just be halfway with everything else,” the rookie explained. “You don’t just dip your toe in the water; you have to be full in with everything. It can’t just come and go. You have to take everything head on and take on all the challenges that come.”

In addition to his successful college career, O’Neill has earned the opportunity to represent his country on multiple occasions. He helped lead Team USA to victories in the 2022 U-21 World Lacrosse Championship and 2023 World Lacrosse Championship. During the 2023 World Championship in San Diego, O’Neill was crowned tournament MVP, leading the Stars and Stripes to an undefeated 7-0 record, culminating in a 10-7 title game triumph over Team Canada.

Serving as the driving force behind these international successes has left an indelible imprint on O’Neill. He proudly said, “It was a dream come true. There are no words to describe what it’s like to represent your country on the biggest stage at the pinnacle of lacrosse.”

O’Neill brings his illustrious junior, colligate, international, and PLL experiences to his highly anticipated debut with the NLL’s Wings. The Northeasterner is thrilled to be taking the field 140 miles south of Bay Shore, lacing up his cleats at the intersection of the Delaware and Schuylkill Rivers. A locale that operates as a perfect match for O’Neill, with player and fan-base sharing as identical level of hunger.

“The Philadelphia fans really do take pride in their teams and I wouldn’t want it any other way,” opined O’Neill. “You’re expected to do well and put on for the city. So, at the end of the day, the passion they show really makes it a fun city to play in, and it makes you want to win that much more because all these people spend their time and put their money into what we’re showcasing on the field. You want to put on a good display.”

The new Philly resident further communicated his excitement for the City of Brotherly Love. He expressed, “I really love the city. The people around it are awesome. There are so many good things about it. I’m really in a good spot, and couldn’t be happier where I am.”

O’Neill’s NLL debut takes place on Sunday, December 1, when the Wings pay a visit to the San Diego Seals. Faceoff is at 6pm ET/3:00pm PT on ESPN2.