Today’s NLL Draft, the top year-round box lacrosse league in the world, gave homes to a number of collegiate studs. Tewaaraton winner (College lacrosse MVP award) and 2025 national champion CJ Kirst was selected by the Toronto Rock, Ohio State phenom Alex Marinier is heading to the Halifax Thunderbirds, with many more players in the ACC and beyond taking their talents to indoor lacrosse before the PLL’s May startup. Hiltz repped the Orange in the first round, heading to the Toronto Rock as the third overall selection. After having Sam English (Toronto) and Michael Grace (Georgia Swarm) as top 3 selections in 2024, Syracuse is the only program to produce back-to-back top three picks.
Why does this matter?
While Head Coach Gary Gait and staff are primarily focused on dominating the outdoor terrain, NLL draft selections act as another line for a recruiting pitch; it has a similar effect to college coaches preaching about NBA or NFL draft success. The lacrosse hotbeds all tout robust box lacrosse leagues for high school players to work on their craft during the winter months. In Canada, where Hiltz is from, box lacrosse almost takes precedence over the “Traditional” style that fans are used to watching. Syracuse already has the benefit of a close proximity to the Canadian border, and establishing themselves as a “Feeder” program to box lacrosse success would provide a boost in future recruiting classes. Joey Spallina won the 2025 Presidents Cup with the Snake Island Muskies over the summer; he is shaping up to become a potential #1 pick in next year’s draft. Four Orangemen, with attackmen Trey Deere leading the way, won the OJLL (Ontario Junior Lacrosse League) Championship in August. This Syracuse team isn’t just using box lacrosse to sharpen their skills, they are dominating another platform of the game and therefore bringing eyeballs to the program.
What does this mean for Hiltz?
Hiltz will join a Toronto roster that is quietly shaping up into a college all-star team: CJ Kirst, UNC’s Ty English, and Cornell’s Hugh Kelleher are all 2025 Rock selections that made serious noise in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. After finishing his rookie PLL season with 27 points in just seven games, he is given a more year-round platform to display his prowess with the November-April schedule. The lefty, similar to his outdoor style of play, will be counted on as a space-creator and somebody who can set himself up off-ball and find holes in the defense to then unleash his shot. Some analysts slightly docked Hiltz for his lack of box experience in recent years, but the Toronto management agreed with many that his outdoor style has the feel of a box player with his ability to be a marksman from anywhere in the zone.
Syracuse lacrosse is entering a pivotal 2026 season: Joey Spallina, Jimmy McCool, Michael Leo, and other key core members are seniors and will have one last chance to deliver Syracuse its 11th National Championship. This good news will add to the buzz for the upcoming year, and the Orange are hoping to carry these positive vibes into the winter as the season begins.
