Next wave of WLA talent to be drafted January 31

The Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) has scheduled its 2023 Graduating Junior Draft for Tuesday January 31 at 7 p.m.

The WLA will be hosting its draft of B.C.’s top 21-year-old players live from the Langley Events Centre, and the entire event will be available virtually to lacrosse fans throughout North America.

The draft will be webcast live at WLALacrosse.com and hosted by longtime lacrosse play-by-play broadcaster, Jake Elliott.  A representative from each team will also appear by video link along with WLA Commissioner Paul Dal Monte.

For the first time, each team will submit two (2) territorial protections, followed by five (5) draft rounds, in reverse order of the 2022 final regular season standings.  Should a team elect not to exercise their two territorial protections, they will be awarded compensatory picks following the 1^st and 2^nd rounds respectively.

As a number of trades affect the first few rounds, the projected order of first round picks is:  

1) Victoria Shamrocks (from Maple Ridge)

2) Burnaby Lakers

3) Nanaimo Timbermen (from New Westminster)

4) Victoria Shamrocks

5) Nanaimo Timbermen

6) Maple Ridge Burrards (from Coquitlam)

7) Langley Thunder.

For the full, up-to-date draft order, visit WLALacrosse.com.

Draft results will be presented live at WLALacrosse.com and on official WLA social media channels. Check your team’s social media or use the hashtag #WLADraft to participate in the conversation.

“The WLA and its member teams are looking forward to the 2023 season and hosting the Mann Cup in September,” said Dal Monte, noting, “the Junior Draft signals the unofficial start of the coming season, and we are very excited about this year’s crop of graduating juniors and what they will contribute to each of our member clubs.”

The 2023 WLA schedule will be announced in mid-February with teams playing a full 18-game regular season followed by playoffs in the run up to the Mann Cup hosted by this year’s WLA champion in September.

The Western Lacrosse Association (WLA) is an amateur men’s Senior A box lacrosse league sanctioned by the Canadian Lacrosse Association. The WLA consists of seven teams based in cities throughout southwestern British Columbia, playing an 18-game schedule from late May to the end of July. Each year, the playoff teams battle for the right to compete against the Major Series Lacrosse (Ontario) champion for the Mann Cup. The championship is hosted alternately between Ontario and British Columbia every September.