On October 22, 2024, Shonly Wallace was announced as the first female scout in National Lacrosse League history. Yet her remarkable journey to the League started well before that, shaped by her deep-rooted passion for box lacrosse and heavily influenced by the NLL.
When she was 8 years old, Wallace’s father enrolled her and her two younger brothers in a U-9 boys’ box lacrosse league. It was there that she discovered her passion for the sport, immersing herself in every aspect of the game – and first fell in love with the League.
“I grew up watching a ton of NLL games,” she recalled. “That was what I looked forward to most on the weekend.”
By the age of 13, Wallace had pivoted to girls’ field lacrosse, where she set her sights on playing collegiately in the United States.
While Wallace always knew that she ultimately wanted to pursue a career in coaching, a transfer to the University of Albany in 2023 served as the catalyst for her current role. After spending three seasons at the University of Oregon, Wallace said that having the opportunity to play in a city with an NLL team “sealed the deal” for her.
“I was like, oh my goodness, I have to go to Albany,” the former All-Pac-12 Tournament honoree shared. “I’ll be able to go to NLL games on the weekend.”
After her final year of eligibility, Wallace served as a graduate assistant for the University of Albany in 2024. During that time, she built relationships within the local lacrosse community and became a familiar face at Albany FireWolves games, connecting with multiple members of the front office, including General Manager and Head Coach Glenn Clark.
The coach instantly recognized Wallace’s talent and valued her experience in box lacrosse. Earlier this year, the British Columbia native represented Canada at the inaugural Women’s World Box Lacrosse Championships, where she helped guide her country to a silver medal.
Given her expertise, Coach Clark offered Wallace a history-making opportunity: the chance to join the FireWolves’ staff and become the first female scout in National Lacrosse League history.
“I am so grateful to the FireWolves’ organization and Coach Clark for believing in me and taking my experiences and what I know about this game and seeing I can be an asset to the team,” said Wallace, who also played for Canada at the 2019 U-19 Field Lacrosse Championships.
In her new role, she will serve as a college scout, identifying the next wave of NLL players during a critical time in their development.
“There are a lot of Canadian players that are coming down and playing the college game, and there are a lot of American players that really have the potential to play in this League,” said Wallace, who will be at Albany’s home opener at MVP Arena on Saturday, November 30 vs the Saskatchewan Rush.
See the full 2023-24 Albany FireWolves schedule here.
As for being the first woman in League history to serve in a scouting role, Wallace is proud to help break barriers for other women in sports, but never questioned whether she belonged.
“I never believed I couldn’t,” she said. “I always knew I wanted to do something in the NLL one day. Why can’t I?”
Watch the full interview with Shonly Wallace on the NLL YouTube channel.