Women's Lacrosse League

Prior to Athletes Unlimited Pro Lacrosse, two attempts at establishing a professional league for traditional women's lacrosse were made – the United Women's Lacrosse League (UWLX), and the Women's Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL).{{cite web |last1=Kinnear |first1=Matt |title=Breaking: PLL Launching Women's Lacrosse League in 2025 |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/breaking-pll-launching-women-s-lacrosse-league-in-2025/64225 |website=Inside Lacrosse |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114140446/https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/breaking-pll-launching-women-s-lacrosse-league-in-2025/64225 |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}} The UWLX was established by United Women's Sports in 2016,{{cite web |last1=Berkman |first1=Seth |title=Women's Professional Lacrosse League Begins With a Mission in Mind |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/31/sports/united-womens-lacrosse-league-begins-with-a-mission-in-mind.html |website=The New York Times |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160531011556/http://www.nytimes.com/2016/05/31/sports/united-womens-lacrosse-league-begins-with-a-mission-in-mind.html |archive-date=May 31, 2016 |date=May 30, 2016 |quote=Led by Digit Murphy and Aronda Kirby, the co-founders... |url-status=live |url-access=registration}} and played three seasons before quietly disbanding. Under the leadership of former UWLX Commissioner Michele DeJuliis,{{cite web |last1=Berri |first1=David |title=The Women's Professional Lacrosse League Takes Off |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidberri/2018/06/04/the-womens-professional-lacrosse-league-takes-off/ |website=Forbes |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114143134/https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidberri/2018/06/04/the-womens-professional-lacrosse-league-takes-off/ |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=June 4, 2018 |quote=Michelle Dejuliis -- the CEO of the WPLL... |url-status=live |url-access=limited}} the WPLL played two seasons in 2018 and 2019, before its 2020 season was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States,{{cite web |last1=Shaw |first1=Sydney |title=WPLL CEO Explains Season Cancellation |url=https://justwomenssports.com/reads/wpll-ceo-explains-season-cancellation/ |website=Just Women's Sports |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230328031526/https://justwomenssports.com/reads/wpll-ceo-explains-season-cancellation/ |archive-date=March 28, 2023 |date=May 1, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |author1=ILWomen.com Staff |title=WPLL Cancels 2020 Season Amidst COVID-19 Pandemic |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/wpll-cancels-2020-season-amidst-covid-19-pandemic/56300 |website=Inside Lacrosse |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200418191549/https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/wpll-cancels-2020-season-amidst-covid-19-pandemic/56300#google_vignette |archive-date=April 18, 2020 |date=April 14, 2020 |url-status=live}} and collapsed as a result.{{cite web |title=WPLL Shutters as Pro Women's Lax is 'Constantly Fighting for a Presence' |url=https://www.usalacrosse.com/magazine/wpll-shutters-pro-womens-lax-constantly-fighting-presence |website=USA Lacrosse Magazine |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114144839/https://www.usalacrosse.com/magazine/wpll-shutters-pro-womens-lax-constantly-fighting-presence |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=August 13, 2020 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Griggs |first1=Halley |title=Women's Professional Lacrosse League Closes, Opportunity Awaits Players in Athletes Unlimited |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/women-s-professional-lacrosse-league-closes-opportunity-awaits-players-in-athletes-unlimited/56738 |website=Inside Lacrosse |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200808094335/https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/women-s-professional-lacrosse-league-closes-opportunity-awaits-players-in-athletes-unlimited/56738 |archive-date=August 8, 2020 |date=August 6, 2020 |url-status=live}} A number of players in the WPLL would be offered contracts to play in Athletes Unlimited's non-traditional, individualized league, which commenced play in 2021.

By the 2020s, Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) executives were motivated to take advantage of both a growth in demand for women's sports in the U.S., and the timing of the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, where discretionary lacrosse sixes tournaments will be contested.{{cite web |title=Premier Lacrosse League announces launch of women's league |url=https://www.reuters.com/sports/premier-lacrosse-league-announces-launch-womens-league-2024-11-13/ |website=Reuters |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114125756/https://www.reuters.com/sports/premier-lacrosse-league-announces-launch-womens-league-2024-11-13/ |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Steele |first1=Michele |title=Premier Lacrosse launching women's league in 2025 |url=https://www.espn.com/lacrosse/story/_/id/42364549/premier-lacrosse-launching-women-league-2025 |website=ESPN |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114133006/https://www.espn.com/lacrosse/story/_/id/42364549/premier-lacrosse-launching-women-league-2025 |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}} The PLL established its "Unleashed" program in 2020, aimed at fostering women's participation in lacrosse through training camps and exhibition games, including the first Unleashed All-Star Game during the 2024 PLL Championship Series.{{cite web |last1=Champion |first1=Brandon |title=Pro women's lacrosse league coming in 2025 a 'groundbreaking step forward' |url=https://www.mlive.com/sports/2024/11/pro-womens-lacrosse-league-coming-in-2025-a-groundbreaking-step-forward.html |website=MLive.com |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114122855/https://www.mlive.com/sports/2024/11/pro-womens-lacrosse-league-coming-in-2025-a-groundbreaking-step-forward.html |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Former Wildcat Izzy Scane to Compete in New Women's Lacrosse League |url=https://nusports.com/news/2024/11/13/former-wildcat-izzy-scane-to-compete-in-new-womens-lacrosse-league |website=Northwestern Athletics |publisher=Northwestern University |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114132146/https://nusports.com/news/2024/11/13/former-wildcat-izzy-scane-to-compete-in-new-womens-lacrosse-league |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Clinkscales |first1=Jason |title=Premier Lacrosse League to Launch Women's Division in 2025 |url=https://www.sportico.com/leagues/other-sports/2024/premier-lacrosse-league-womens-league-1234804755/ |website=Sportico |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114130028/https://www.sportico.com/leagues/other-sports/2024/premier-lacrosse-league-womens-league-1234804755/ |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}} The establishment of the Women's Lacrosse League was announced by PLL President Paul Rabil on the November 13, 2024 broadcast of Get Up on ESPN.{{cite web |last1=Gould |first1=Andrew |title=ESPN's 'Get Up' Announces Launch Of Women's Lacrosse League |url=https://thespun.com/trending/espns-get-up-announces-launch-of-womens-lacrosse-league |website=The Spun |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114122214/https://thespun.com/trending/espns-get-up-announces-launch-of-womens-lacrosse-league |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}} U.S. national team players Lizzie Colson, Ally Mastroianni, and Charlotte North, former Northwestern Wildcats midfielder Izzy Scane, and Athletes Unlimited assistant coach Alex Aust Holman, were also simultaneously unveiled as the league's first five signings.{{cite web |last1=Reardon |first1=Logan |title=Premier Lacrosse starting new women's league for 2025 ahead of Olympic return |url=https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/premier-lacrosse-womens-league-2025-teams-players-details/3559767/ |website=NBC 4 Los Angeles |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114131721/https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/sports/premier-lacrosse-womens-league-2025-teams-players-details/3559767/ |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}} All but Colson were later appointed captains of each of the four charter clubs: the Boston Guard, California Palms, Maryland Charm, and New York Charging – the brandings of which were unveiled on a December 10 broadcast of ESPN's SportsCenter.{{cite web |author=ILWomen.com Staff |title=Guard, Charging, Charm and Palms: WLL Unveils First Four Team Names, Home Cities |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/guard-charging-charm-and-palms-wll-unveils-first-four-team-names-home-cities/64326 |website=Inside Lacrosse |access-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241211041132/https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/guard-charging-charm-and-palms-wll-unveils-first-four-team-names-home-cities/64326 |archive-date=December 11, 2024 |date=December 10, 2024 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |author=ESPN Staff |title=Women's Lacrosse League announces team names |url=https://www.espn.com/pll/story/_/id/42892073/wll-women-lacrosse-league-announces-team-names-new-season |website=ESPN |access-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241211041143/https://www.espn.com/pll/story/_/id/42892073/wll-women-lacrosse-league-announces-team-names-new-season |archive-date=December 11, 2024 |date=December 10, 2024 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Kaboose |first1=Bobby |title=Women's Lacrosse League Announces First 4 Teams |url=https://www.yardbarker.com/general_sports/articles/womens_lacrosse_league_announces_first_4_teams/s1_17396_41385774 |website=Yardbarker |access-date=December 11, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241211041152/https://www.yardbarker.com/general_sports/articles/womens_lacrosse_league_announces_first_4_teams/s1_17396_41385774 |archive-date=December 11, 2024 |date=December 10, 2024 |url-status=live}} In the same month, Athletes Unlimited announced the suspension of its lacrosse activities, leaving the WLL as the sole professional lacrosse league for women.{{cite web |last1=Kinnear |first1=Matt |title=Athletes Unlimited Lacrosse Suspends Operations, Citing Player Availability |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/athletes-unlimited-suspends-operations-citing-player-availability/64358 |website=Inside Lacrosse |access-date=December 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241218232018/https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/athletes-unlimited-suspends-operations-citing-player-availability/64358 |archive-date=December 18, 2024 |date=December 18, 2024 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |title=Athletes Unlimited suspends lacrosse operation |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/12/18/athletes-unlimited-suspends-lacrosse-operations |website=Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal |access-date=December 18, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241218231907/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/12/18/athletes-unlimited-suspends-lacrosse-operations |archive-date=December 18, 2024 |date=December 18, 2024 |quote=Athletes Unlimited on Wednesday suspended its Pro Lacrosse league indefinitely... |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}{{cite web |last1=Healy |first1=Emma |title=Three years out from the Olympics, Women's Lacrosse League offers a peek into unique sixes format |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/10/sports/womens-lacrosse-league-pll/ |website=The Boston Globe |access-date=February 12, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212012813/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2025/02/10/sports/womens-lacrosse-league-pll/ |archive-date=February 12, 2025 |date=February 10, 2025 |quote=The six-on-six format uses a shorter field than traditional field lacrosse [...] Unlike in field lacrosse, there are no designations between offensive and defensive players, so many athletes used to specialized roles will have to broaden their understanding of the game. The WLL fills a women's professional lacrosse void in North America after Athletes Unlimited folded in December. |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}

{{See also|Lacrosse sixes#Rules}}

The lacrosse sixes format is used for games in the Women's Lacrosse League, which feature six-on-six teams, smaller fields, and shorter time periods than women's lacrosse. There are no specialized roles in sixes, and thus no qualifying designations for attackers and defenders. Sixes also features thirty-second shot clocks and quick restarts initiated by the goaltender.{{cite web |last1=Valentine |first1=Tommy |title=Izzy Scane and New York Charging headline debut of Maybelline Women's Lacrosse League |url=https://www.news10.com/sports/izzy-scane-and-new-york-charging-headline-debut-of-womens-lacrosse-league/ |website=NEWS10 ABC |access-date=February 12, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250212020330/https://www.news10.com/sports/izzy-scane-and-new-york-charging-headline-debut-of-womens-lacrosse-league/ |archive-date=February 12, 2025 |date=February 11, 2025 |url-status=live}} The league's season begins with the annual WLL Championship Series, which takes place concurrently with the PLL Championship Series in February. The format of the league's full season is yet to be determined, though a series of tournaments similar to the WLL Championship Series held throughout the year is being considered.{{cite web |last1=Fleming |first1=Margaret |title=PLL Launches New Women's Lacrosse League With 6-on-6 Format |url=https://frontofficesports.com/pll-womens-lacrosse-sixes-launch/ |website=Front Office Sports |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241113170719/https://frontofficesports.com/pll-womens-lacrosse-sixes-launch/ |archive-date=November 13, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}}{{cite web |last1=Brown |first1=Kevin |title='Dream As Big as Possible': New Women's Lacrosse League Details, Timeline Emerge |url=https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/dream-as-big-as-possible-new-women-s-lacrosse-league-details-timeline-emerge/64229 |website=Inside Lacrosse |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114135939/https://www.insidelacrosse.com/article/dream-as-big-as-possible-new-women-s-lacrosse-league-details-timeline-emerge/64229 |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |url-status=live}}

The Women's Lacrosse League is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Premier Lacrosse League.{{cite web |last1=Mazzeo |first1=Mike |title=PLL launches Women's Lacrosse League, will debut in 2025 |url=https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/11/13/womens-lacrosse-league |website=Street & Smith's Sports Business Journal |access-date=November 14, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241114122331/https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Articles/2024/11/13/womens-lacrosse-league |archive-date=November 14, 2024 |date=November 13, 2024 |quote=The WLL will live as a separate subsidiary of the PLL but be wholly owned by the league [...] The WLL will be run day-to-day on the commercial and operations side by Courtney Ellis, senior director/play operations and women’s growth at the PLL, and on the lacrosse side by Rachel DeCecco, VP/lacrosse at the PLL.|url-status=live |url-access=limited}} Courtney Ellis serves as the league's operations director through her role as the PLL's director of women's growth, while Rachel DeCecco serves as its sporting director through her role as the PLL's vice president of lacrosse.

The Women's Lacrosse League consists of four clubs: the Boston Guard, captained by Charlotte North; the California Palms, captained by Ally Mastroianni; the Maryland Charm, captained by Alex Aust Holman; and the New York Charging, captained by Izzy Scane. The league chose the markets for their four charter franchises based on local television viewership for lacrosse, the size of the local fandom for women's lacrosse, and the success of the PLL clubs that share the markets.{{cite web |last1=Lawson |first1=Jade |title=Maryland's new women's lacrosse team is ready to make history: 'It's our time.' |url=https://wjla.com/news/local/womens-sports-lacrosse-maryland-espn-st-james-complex-wll-maybelline-new-york-womens-lacrosse-premier-lacrosse-league-sports-dmv-maryland-charm-pll-wll-championship-series-where-to-watch-washington-scores-highlights |website=WJLA ABC7 |access-date=February 12, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250212014604/https://wjla.com/news/local/womens-sports-lacrosse-maryland-espn-st-james-complex-wll-maybelline-new-york-womens-lacrosse-premier-lacrosse-league-sports-dmv-maryland-charm-pll-wll-championship-series-where-to-watch-washington-scores-highlights |archive-date=February 12, 2025 |date=February 12, 2025 |url-status=live}} Official home grounds for the four teams are yet to be determined.

ESPN hold the domestic broadcasting rights to the Women's Lacrosse League in the United States, airing some matches on its ESPN2 channel, while also livestreaming all the league's matches on ESPN+.{{cite web |last1=Coryell |first1=Olivia |title=2025 Lexus PLL Championship Series Exclusively on ESPN Platforms February 11-17 |url=https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2025/02/2025-lexus-pll-championship-series-exclusively-on-espn-platforms-february-11-17/ |website=ESPN Press Room |access-date=February 5, 2025 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250205234814/https://espnpressroom.com/us/press-releases/2025/02/2025-lexus-pll-championship-series-exclusively-on-espn-platforms-february-11-17/ |archive-date=February 5, 2025 |date=February 4, 2025 |url-status=live}} The league's primary sponsors are Lexus and Whirlpool, while Maybelline holds the naming rights to the league and the WLL Championship Series, as the "Maybelline Women's Lacrosse League" and "Maybelline Championship Series", respectively.{{cite web |last1=Pile |first1=Tatiana |title=Maybelline and Women's Lacrosse League announce partnership |url=https://www.glossy.co/beauty/maybelline-and-womens-lacrosse-league-announce-partnership/ |website=Glossy |access-date=January 25, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250125014712/https://www.glossy.co/beauty/maybelline-and-womens-lacrosse-league-announce-partnership/ |archive-date=January 25, 2025 |date=January 23, 2025 |quote=The Maybelline Women's Lacrosse League will officially debut at the Premier Lacrosse League's 2025 Championship Series... |url-status=live |url-access=limited}}

{{Portal|Sports}}

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Category:2024 establishments in the United States

Category:Lacrosse leagues in the United States

Category:Professional sports leagues in the United States

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Category:Women's sports leagues in the United States