Best Men's Lacrosse Players of All Time (2024)

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Posted by Jayson Staiger

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Lacrosse is an extremely popular sport at the youth, college, and professional levels, and many major male athletes have had a considerable impact on the sport throughout its history. With that in mind, who are the top 10 ranked men’s lacrosse players of all time? Read on to learn about these famous athletes.

Who Are the Best Men's Lacrosse Players of All Time?

1. Jim Brown
2. Gary Gait
3. Mikey Powell
4. John Grant Jr.
5. Paul Rabil
6. Casey Powell
7. Lyle Thompson
8. Rob Pannell
9. Tom Marecheck
10. Kyle Harrison

1. Jim Brown

• 1983 US Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee
• 1957 NCAA DI First-Team All-American
• 2014 Muhammed Ali Humanitarian Lifetime Achievement Award
• Namesake of PLL MVP Trophy

At times, Jim Brown’s excellence in lacrosse is overshadowed by his impressive accomplishments in football.Brown was one of the most exceptional athletes of his time, and his greatness is recognized across multiple sports. Although Brown went on to play professional football in the National Football League, many believe he was even better at lacrosse than football. In fact, he once said, “I'd rather play lacrosse six days a week and football on the seventh.”

Along with his numerous accolades in lacrosse and football, Brown was also a star basketball player and track star during his time at Syracuse University, where he graduated in 1957.Brown was so dominant on the lacrosse field that he takes the top spot on this list solely based on his success in collegiate lacrosse. In his junior season, Brown was a Second-Team All-American in lacrosse, followed by a First-Team selection his senior year. Brown scored 43 goals in only 10 games for Syracuse as a senior, making him the second highest scorer nationally. The Premier Lacrosse League, founded in 2019, even gave Brown the honor of naming their MVP trophy after him. He was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1983, and many credit his prowess on the lacrosse field with helping the sport’s popularity grow significantly in the 1950s. Brown’s impact on the game of lacrosse is undeniable, and many recognize him as the sport’s most influential figure to this day.

2. Gary Gait

• Three-time NCAA DI national champion
• Two-time NCAA DI Player of the Year
• Three-time NCAA DI First-Team All-American
• Six-time NLLMVP
• 2005 US Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee
• 2014 Canadian Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee

Gary Gait was born in Victoria, Canada, and, like Jim Brown, would go on to attend college at Syracuse University, becoming one of the most iconic names in lacrosse worldwide. He helped to revolutionize how many people saw the game of lacrosse through his use of unique and flashy moves, such as behind-the-back passes, as well as his most notable move, the “Air Gait,” which was an acrobatic attempt to score that involved jumping from behind the crease and landing on the other side after shooting the ball. “Air Gait” became a common phrase in the sport of lacrosse, although the move itself was later outlawed in the NCAA.

During his collegiate career, Gait was a seemingly unstoppable force.He was a four-time All-American, earning an honorable mention in his freshman year, followed by first-team honors each year after. Gait also helped lead Syracuse to three National Championships during his time at the school, a tough feat that many other lacrosse legends have been unable to accomplish since then. Gait earned the NCAA’s Player of the Year in both 1988 and 1990, along with the Most Outstanding Player in the 1990 NCAA tournament.He graduated as Syracuse University’s leading scorer and went on to have an equally impressive professional career.

Gait set numerous scoring records in the National Lacrosse League.He won the league’s MVP award a record six times, five of those times being consecutive! In Major League Lacrosse, Gait spent significantly less time on the playing field. However, this didn’t stop him from winning numerous awards, including MLL MVP, MLL All-Star game MVP, and MLL Championship game MVP. Following his extremely impressive collegiate and professional careers, Gait was quickly welcomed into the US and Canadian Lacrosse Halls of Fame. He would continue his legacy by coaching both the men’s and women’s teams at his alma mater. He was also fundamental in the development of the Gait Lacrosse brand (along with his brother Paul), which manufactures various equipment for the sport. With one of the most iconic names in lacrosse to this day and a seemingly never-ending list of awards and records, Gait has easily earned the second spot on this list.

3. Mikey Powell

• Two-time NCAA DI national champion
• Four-time NCAA DI First-Team All-American
• Four-time Jack Turnbull Award winner
• Two-time Tewaaraton Award winner
• 2004 Lt. Raymond Enners Award winner

Mikey Powell is arguably the greatest attackman to ever play collegiate lacrosse. His impact from the attack position was undeniable as he led his alma mater, Syracuse University, to two NCAA National Championships during his time there from 2001-2004. He also holds the school’s record for most career points. Mikey Powell had a hard legacy to live up to, considering his older brothers Casey and Ryan graced the field for Syracuse in the years before him. Despite his brothers’ many successes, most consider Mikey to be the best of the three Powells.

Mikey Powell received NCAA First-Team All-American honors in each of his four seasons. He was also recognized as the NCAA’s best attackman by winning the Jack Turnbull Award every single season. Powell broke numerous records during his collegiate career (many held by his own brothers) and sat at 6th in NCAA career points and 13th in career assists upon his graduation.

As a huge surprise to most of the lacrosse community, Powell elected not to immediately play professional lacrosse after his graduation and instead pursued a music career. In 2005, Powell joined Major League Lacrosse by playing alongside fellow Syracuse lacrosse legend Gary Gait on the Baltimore Bayhawks. He also won the MLL All-Star Game MVP award during that season. While his professional career was not very lengthy, Powell contributed significantly to the United States Lacrosse World Championship run in 2006 and was selected to the All-World team.

4. John Grant Jr.

• 1999 Jack Turnbull Award winner
• 1999 USILA National Collegiate Player of the Year
• Three-time NLLMVP
• Two-time MLL MVP
• Three-time MLL Offensive Player of the Year

John Grant Jr. did not have the typical collegiate career of most athletes on this list. Collegiate lacrosse is perhaps even more popular than professional lacrosse in the eyes of many lacrosse fans. Therefore, Grant’s place on this list, despite his unusual path in collegiate lacrosse, is not to be taken lightly. Grant Jr. spent time in the OLA (Ontario Lacrosse Association) Junior A division prior to his time in college. In fact, he was drafted into the NLL in 1995, but he elected to attend school at SUNY Morrisville instead. Grant Jr. spent two years at SUNY Morrisville, then transferred to the University of Delaware, where he began to receive the recognition he deserved. At the University of Delaware, Grant Jr. was a two-time All-American in his final two seasons. In his senior year, he earned the Jack Turnbull Award and USILA National Collegiate Player of the Yearin 1999. John Grant Jr. set nearly every lacrosse record at both SUNY Morrisville and the University of Delaware. Additionally, his 110-point senior season remains 10th in all-time NCAA single-season points for the sport.

Grant Jr.'s listof professional awards seems to be endless, as he is one of the most decorated players at the professional level of the sport. His excellence has been recognized by every league he played in, including the NLL, MLL, MSL, OLA, and international play as well. When Grant Jr. returned to the NLL in 1999, he was the #1 overall pick and would go on to win the NLLRookie of the Year Award in that same season. In both 2007 and 2008, he won MLL Offensive Player of the Year and League MVP. Grant Jr. briefly retired in 2017 but soon returned to the MLL in 2019 at the age of 44, making him the oldest player to ever play in the league. In his first game back from retirement, Grant Jr. surpassed Paul Rabil as Major League Lacrosse’s all-time leading scorer.

5. Paul Rabil

• Two-time NCAA DI national champion
• Three-time NCAA DI All-American
• Two-time MLL MVP
• Three-time MLL Offensive Player of the Year
• 2014 World Lacrosse Championship winner

Like many on this list,Paul Rabil helped popularize the game of lacrosse and led it through yet another evolutionary phase.To many younger players, Rabil’s name is synonymous with success in the lacrosse world. Paul Rabil played his collegiate career at Johns Hopkins University, where he won two national championships and received All-American honors three times.Following his time in college, the professional lacrosse environment is where Rabil became a household name for many lacrosse fans. Rabil was the number-one overall pick in the 2008 MLL draft and was also selected to the league’s All-Star game in his first season. In 2009 and 2011, Rabil won both the MLL MVP and Offensive Player of the Year. He continued to shine throughout his career in the MLL and NLL, earning almost too many awards to name, including multiple All-Pro selections. At one point, Rabil even held the world record for the fastest lacrosse shot at 111 mph.

Rabil has secured various sponsorship deals throughout his career.These include deals with Red Bull, Warrior Sports (New Balance), Polk Audio, and numerous other companies. He also went on to co-found the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) in 2019, along with the help of his brother.Rabil’s concept behind the PLL was to provide a competitive and entertaining professional lacrosse league that could actually support players as their full-time job. Whether it be his contribution on the field or off the field, Paul Rabil is always mentioned alongside some of lacrosse’s greatest players.

6. Casey Powell

• 1995 NCAA DI national champion
• Four-time USILA All-American
• Two-time NCAA DI Most Outstanding Player
• 2017 US Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee

Known as one of the greatest all-around attackmen of his time, 2017 National Lacrosse Hall of FamerCasey Powell is the only male lacrosse player with a 60-point season in two different decades.First debuting professionally with the Long Island Lizards, Powell became an expert offensive player, helping his team capture Major League Lacrosse’s first-ever championship in 2001.

At Syracuse University, Powell was a powerhouse, winning All-American all four years, becoming an NCAA all-tournament team member, breaking Syracuse’s record for most assists in an NCAA game, and a college career total of 278 points.Currently, Casey Powell ranks fourth all-time among players with an average of at least two goals and two assists per game, a top-four list that also includes his younger brother, Ryan.In his career, Powell amassed a total of 523 points, a worthy number for his position as one of our honorable mentions.

7. Lyle Thompson

• Two-time Tewaaraton Award winner
• First all-time in NCAA DI single-season points (400)
• Second all-time in NCAA DI career assists (225)
• 2019 MLL champion
• 2019 MLLMVP

A two-time Tewaaraton Award winner, Lyle Thompson is yet another attackman who belongs on our honorable mentions list.With a total of 400 points across his career at the University of Albany, Thompson clearly has the chops as a lacrosse player.

Thompson is a member of the Iroquois Nation and has racked up a number of notable accolades across all levels of his lacrosse career.He was first in single-season points for NCAA Division I lacrosse in 2014, second all-time for career assists in the NCAA, and his 400 college points place him first in career points among all Division I NCAA lacrosse players.

8. Rob Pannell

• Fourth all-time in NCAA DI career points (354)
• 2013 Tewaaraton Trophy winner
• Three-time Ivy League Player of the Year
• 2018 MLL MVP
• Two-time MLL Offensive Player of the Year

Hailing from Smithtown, New York, Rob Pannell won the 2013 Tewaaraton Trophy while playing lacrosse for Cornell University and was also the 2011 ESPY nominee for Best Collegiate Athlete.A winner of First-Team All-American and All-Ivy honors, Pannell currently plays for the Redwoods Lacrosse Club and was the third overall selection in the 2020 PLL Entry Draft.

In 2018, Pannell was first overall in single-season points among all Major League Lacrosse players.He was also 13th in NCAA Division I single-season points in 2013, fifth all-time in NCAA career assists, and fourth all-time in NCAA points. In his time at Cornell University, he successfully completed 204 assists and 354 points.

9. Tom Marecheck

• Two-time NCAA D1 champion
• Four-time All-American
• 1991 NCAA D1 goals leader (53)
• 2007 NLL Hall of Fame inductee
• 2008 NCAA Hall of Fame inductee
• 2008 US Lacrosse Hall of Fame inductee

Tom Marecheck was known for his scoring ability while at Syracuse and with the Philadelphia Wings in the NLL.He grew up in Victoria, British Columbia, and joined Paul and Gary Gait on the team at Syracuse, forming one of the greatest offensive squads in college history. They won back-to-back national championships in 1989 and 1990, with Marechek being selected All-American in each of his four years. Today, he ranks fifth all-time among college goal scorers, with 182 to his name.

After college, Marecheck played 12 successful seasons with the NLL’s Philadelphia Wings. He was selected the NLL Rookie of the Year in 1994, and when he retired, the Wings hung his number-42 jersey in the rafters. He also played seven seasons with the Baltimore/Washington Bayhawks in the outdoor MLL. Marecheck has been inducted into the NCAA Hall of Fame, the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and the NLL Hall of Fame. Today, he remains active in the sport, coaching club lacrosse in Maryland and directing a series of All Pro Lacrosse Club training camps.

10. Kyle Harrison

• Seven-time MLL and two-time PLL All-Star
• 2017 MLL Champion
• Two-time PLL Brendan Looney Leadership Award wINNER
• 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Champion
• Two-time World Lacrosse Championship Runner-Up

Kyle Harrison’s athletic career began in high school, where he was a tri-sport athlete who played basketball, soccer, and lacrosse.After graduating, he attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, after being recruited for their Division I Lacrosse team.While at Johns Hopkins, Harrison was a three-time All-American athlete, a two-time McLaughlin Award National Midfielder of the Year, and was also named the 2005 Tewaaraton Award National Player of the Year.His college career culminated in winning the 2005 NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship.

After college, Harrison was drafted first overall by the MLL’s New Jersey Pride.Across his 17-year career, Harrison played for the Pride and the MLL’s Los Angeles Riptide, Denver Outlaws, and Ohio Machine, as well as for the PLL’s Redwoods L.C.Throughout his MLL career, Harrison scored 133 goals across 106 games played for his four teams.While a member of the 2017 Ohio Machine, Harrison won the MLL Championship.As a PLL player for the Redwoods, he scored 11 goals across 29 games and three seasons.In addition to these accolades, Harrison was runner-up twice at the World Lacrosse Championship, in 2006 and 2014.Harrison retired in 2021, but he is still active in lacrosse, being one of the founders of the Black Lacrosse Alliance, an organization which aims to promote inclusivity in the sport.

Honorable Mentions

Here is a list of other great lacrosse players:

• Brodie Merrill
• Chris Gray
• Colin Doyle
• Dave Pietramala
• Gavin Prout
• Jason Coffman
• Jack Bionda
• Jim Thorpe
• Jimmy Lewis
• John Grant Sr.
• Matt Danowski
• Matt Striebel
• Michael Sowers
• Oren Lyons
• Paul Gait
• Shawn Williams
• Tracey Kelusky

FAQ

Pages Related to Best Men's Lacrosse Players of All Time

• What Is Lacrosse?
• Lacrosse Basic Rules for Kids
• How Long Is a Lacrosse Game?
• How Does Scoring Work in Lacrosse?
• Best Lacrosse Movies
• Best Lacrosse Brands

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