PLL Power Rankings ahead of Week 11: Archers rise to No. 1playMac O’Keefe finds the back of the net (0:16)Quint KessenichJul 29, 2026, 07:00 AM ETClose
- Quint Kessenich covers college and professional lacrosse for ESPN.
Week 11 of the Premier Lacrosse League season is coming up, and the playoff picture is coming into focus.
The top teams in the Eastern and Western conferences earn a quarterfinal bye, while the last place teams are eliminated. The quarterfinals will be played in Minneapolis on Aug. 29. The semis are on Monday Sept. 7 in Salt Lake City. That’s Labor Day lacrosse!
The PLL championship will be played on ABC on Sunday Sept. 20 in Harrison, New Jersey.
The PLL visits Columbus, Ohio this weekend for action on Friday through Sunday. Two games will air on ABC from Ohio State. Lacrosse was officially sanctioned by the state in 2017, and there are 291 high schools in Ohio that participate.
1. Utah Archers
Current record: 6-4
Next opponent: Cannons | Friday, 8:30 p.m.
Previous ranking: 4
Utah has risen up the charts after four consecutive wins over New York, Philadelphia, Denver and Maryland.
Friday’s 16-11 victory in Denver over Denver was another step towards the top. Mac O’Keefe nailed a pair of two pointers, and Tre Leclaire finished with six points. Rookie Ryan Stines is playing himself squarely into the conversation for Rookie of the Year.
It was more of the same on Saturday in a 13-8 win over Maryland. The defense, led by Brendan Lavelle and goalie Brett Dobson, locked down Maryland’s attack. Utah won PLL championships in 2023 and 2024; is another on the way?
2. Philadelphia Waterdogs
Current record: 6-3
Next opponent: Chaos | Saturday, 3 p.m.
Previous ranking: 5
Michael Sowers scored three times for the Dogs, as they overcame a late 10-8 deficit to win 11-10 on Friday night against New York. After weather delay, the game concluded at 2:30 a.m. eastern time! CJ Kirst, the league’s best player and MVP favorite, found the net four times in the second half, while Philly took 52 shots total in the game.
Saturday night, Philadelphia played fast and went on a nine-goal run in the first quarter, ambushing Denver. The Dogs led 7-2 after the first quarter, and 14-4 at half. The 18-8 final score helps their goal differential.
Sowers (three goals, three assists) and Kirst (four goals, one assist) were again on fire. Zach Currier had four assists and 10 ground balls.
0:23
CJ Kirst scores a goal
3. Maryland Whipsnakes
Current record: 5-4
Next opponent: Outlaws | Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Previous ranking: 1
Temperatures on the field were above 100 degrees for Maryland against Utah on Saturday as the Archers bossed around the Whips in a 13-8 setback.
Two numbers tell the story: 25% face-off wins and 18% shooting. Previously, the Whips had won back-to-back games, over California 20-7 and Carolina 17-10. They had no such success in Week 10 in winning matchups on the perimeter off the dodge. They’ll hope for better against Denver this weekend.
4. Denver Outlaws
Current record: 4-5
Next opponent: Whipsnakes | Saturday, 12:30 p.m.
Previous ranking: 2
The Outlaws were outplayed by Utah on Friday night after a two-hour, fifteen-minute lightning delay. Denver had no answers for Utah’s offense in the Rocky Mountain showdown.
It only got worse on Saturday, as Denver’s 18-8 loss to Philadelphia was never close. Denver had nothing to offer. The Outlaws were the runners up last season, but have never won a PLL championship.
5. Boston Cannons
Current record: 4-5
Next opponent: Archers | Friday, 8:30 p.m.
Previous ranking: 6
Boston was sloppy with 23 turnovers in a loss to Carolina. Rookies Mikey Weisshaar, Logan Ip and Jack Regnery all scored in what felt like a rookie showcase first half for both teams.
The Cannons had won three straight games after a (1-4) start, and plays Utah on Friday night in Columbus. They finish with Maryland and California; one more win puts a dagger into the defending champ Atlas.
0:23
Jack Regnery scores a goal for Boston Cannons
6. California Redwoods
Current record: 4-4
Next opponent: Chaos | Friday, 6 p.m.; Atlas | Sunday, 3 p.m.
Previous ranking: 3
California is (4-4) after a Denver bye week, and the Redwoods play the Chaos and Atlas in Columbus. These are two critical — and winnable — games.
Denver, Carolina and California all have four wins in the West, and one of them is staying home this postseason.
7. Carolina Chaos
Current record: 4-5
Next opponent: Redwoods | Friday, 6 p.m.; Waterdogs | Saturday, 3 p.m.
Previous ranking: 8
The Chaos had lost three straight games and four of their last five prior to Saturday’s rousing overtime win against Boston.
Coach Steven Brooks placed Harvard rookie Teddy Malone at X, and the offense delivered their most assists in a game (seven) this season. FOGO Justin Inacio was injured in the first quarter and Carolina was basically conceding draws (they lost 82% after Inacio went out). Rookies Chad Palumbo (three goals) and Malone (four goals, two assists) made offensive contributions. Malone won the game with a layup in OT.
Goalie Blaze Riorden did a lot of the heavy lifting for the Chaos, with 20 saves for the game at a white-hot 65% save percentage; he now has over 1,300 saves in his career.
0:40
Teddy Malone finds the back of the net
8. New York Atlas
Current record: 3-6
Next opponent: Redwoods | Sunday, 3 p.m.
Previous ranking: 7
The 2025 champs are in last place, and New York’s playoff chances were greatly reduced (down to 14%) following a 11-10 loss on Friday night to Philly. Goalie Liam Entenmann kept the Atlas close, but they couldn’t get critical goals.
This team is running out of time. California, Boston and Philadelphia are what’s left of their summer.
Right now, their defense is the worst in the PLL, and their league-worst minus-21 score differential shows it.
