No. 7 Maryland men’s lacrosse has a lot to play for over the next month as it fights for a postseason berth, but the Terps’ talent was showcased Tuesday night.
Five players heard their names called in the Premier Lacrosse League Draft — tied with Syracuse for the most selections this year and the program’s highest total since 2022, when it last won the national championship.
Will Schaller and Eric Spanos were third-round picks, taken 17th overall by the Utah Archers and 22nd overall by the Carolina
Chaos, respectively. Leo Johnson, Eric Kolar and Braden Erksa went in the final round.
Schaller, last season’s All-American first-teamer, saw his draft stock plummet after suffering a season-ending injury against Virginia. Still, the Terps’ top defenseman over the last two years has proven to be a vital asset.
He was part of Maryland’s second-best defense last season, slowing down some of the nation’s top attackers. While his senior campaign was rocky, Schaller’s physicality and quickness will likely translate to the next level. He links up with two former players from last year’s roster: defender Jackson Canfield and midfielder Byrce Ford.
While Spanos missed some time battling a lingering knock, his attacking skillset is unquestionable. The two-time All-Big Ten honoree has imposed his will during his time in College Park, using his 6-foot-5 stature to bully defenders around the cage. Spanos is second on the team with 19 goals in his seven starts this season.
Johnson joins a lengthy list of Terps on the Utah Archers’ roster next season after being selected with the 33rd pick. The Yale transfer has shouldered Maryland’s offense with a team-high 22 goals and 19 assists this season.
Kolar and Erksa will remain local, both going in the fourth round to the Maryland Whipsnakes.
The preseason All-American first-teamer, Kolar’s impact doesn’t show up on the statsheet. But the short-stick defensive midfielder’s elite one-on-one defending left him as a no-brainer pick. Kolar has also netted four goals during his four seasons.
While Erksa has had a tumultuous 2026 season — he is tied with Johnson at 20 turnovers — his role as one of the team’s top facilitators led to his selection with the final pick in the draft. Erksa has dished out 67 assists and totaled 95 goals as a four-year starter.
In other news
Maryland men’s lacrosse’s Peter Laake was named Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week.
Maryland tennis appeared in national rankings.
Maryland softball takes on Howard tonight in College Park.
