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Adelphi Midfielder Kyle Lewis Selected As Lone Division II Athlete in 2026 Premier Lacrosse League College Draft

Franklin Square's own Kyle Lewis makes history as the only DII prospect taken in the 2026 PLL Draft

Garden City, NY (04/15/2026) — Adelphi University Men's Lacrosse Team midfielder Kyle Lewis was selected in the fourth round of the 2026 Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) College Draft, by the Philadelphia Waterdogs with the 29th overall selection, Tuesday evening.

Described as a player with, "firecracker feet," the defending national Midfielder of the Year, two-time NCAA Champion and All-American is the first Adelphi Panther ever to be drafted to a team in the PLL, which was co-founded in 2018 by the sport's most high-profile player and personality, Paul Rabil.

Lewis, a senior at Adelphi, was the only Division II student-athlete selected and just one of two non-Division I players, joining Jack Regnery from Tufts University (DIII).

Through 70 games in his Adelphi career, the Franklin Square, NY, native has scored over 100 times, including the overtime game winner in the 2025 title game. As the PLL draft was airing on ESPNU on Tuesday, Lewis was busy scoring four goals in the squad's crucial top 10 matchup against No. 9 Pace University.

"If I had to describe Kyle, I'd say he's elite on the field and unmatched in character," said Head Coach Gordon Purdie (Adelphi '88). "The PLL isn't just getting one of the greatest athletes I've ever coached, they are getting one of the most sincere men I've ever known."

Returning to the site of the program's eighth national championship, Lewis will play for Bill Tierney, who coached at the University of Denver and Princeton before joining the PLL coaching ranks. Tierney is also a Long Island native.

Lewis joins a list of Adelphi greats to make it to the next level of professional lacrosse, including teammate Dylan Renner, who was picked up by the Utah Archers following the 2025 National Championship. He is also the first Division II player to be drafted to the PLL since 2021. Current Adelphi assistant coach Greg Puskuldjian ('14), from Glen Head, NY, was the 13th pick in the 2020 PLL Player Entry Draft after coming over from Major League Lacrosse when the league's merged.

There was a time that the Long Islander sought other options, entering the transfer portal last summer to weigh out the possibility of transferring to a Division I institution. After choosing to remain in Garden City, NY, he was named both the USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Player of the Year and Midfielder of the Year and was the only Division II player to be on the first installment of the prestigious Tewaaraton Watch List at the start of 2026.

"Being selected in the draft is a by-product of Kyle's perseverance and commitment to lacrosse," said said Greg Bouris, assistant teaching professor of sport management at Adelphi with over 35 years of experience in the professional sport industry." "It is also a testament to the Adelphi University athletic program. Under Coach Purdie's guidance, Adelphi has maintained its status as one of the most successful lacrosse programs in the entire NCAA ecosystem. Kyle's selection, in the backdrop of the NIL and transfer portal era, also confirms that an athlete with the skill level to play professionally should make their collegiate choices based on a number of factors, including the fact that the individual will be a non-player for most of their lives."

The men's lacrosse team is riding a 22-game win streak that dates back to the 2025 season, including a 13-0 stretch this year. Lewis and the team conclude the regular season on Saturday, April 18, at Motamed Field, and will earn the Regular Season crown for the third time in the last five seasons.

Members of the media interested in attending Saturday's game, need additional information, or would like to be connected with Kyle Lewis, please email Emily Dorko, Associate Athletic Director for External Relations at edorko@adelphi.edu.

About Adelphi: A modern metropolitan university with a personalized approach to higher learning

Adelphi University, New York, is a highly awarded, nationally ranked, powerfully connected doctoral research university dedicated to transforming students' lives through small classes with world-class faculty, hands-on learning, and innovative ways to support academic and career success. U.S. News & World Report named Adelphi a 2026 Best National University, Best College for Veterans, and Top Performer in Social Mobility. In addition, Forbes has ranked Adelphi the top private university on Long Island for three past three years.

Adelphi serves more than 7,300 students at its beautiful main campus in Garden City, New York-just 23 miles from New York City's cultural and internship opportunities-and at dynamic learning hubs in Manhattan, the Hudson Valley and Suffolk County, as well as online.

More than 123,000 Adelphi graduates have gained the skills to thrive professionally as active, engaged citizens, making their mark on the University, their communities and the world.

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University Men’s Lacrosse Team midfielder Kyle Lewis

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