(Photos Courtesy PLL)
The 2024 PLL runners-up are getting younger.
Maryland traded Zed Williams and its third-round pick in the 2025 college draft (23rd overall) in exchange for Philadelphia’s Matt Brandau and the Waterdogs' 2025 third-round pick (17th overall) on Friday, which was the deadline for the postseason trade window that started on Nov. 4. The next player movement window begins on March 3, 2025, for the start of free agency.
Dan Arestia of Sticks In Lacrosse first reported the deal.
Williams, 29, had a resurgent eighth season for the Whipsnakes, posting 31 points on a team-high 26 goals, good for second in the PLL behind only MVP Jeff Teat. Maryland head coach Jim Stagnitta trading the 2020 Championship Series MVP back at the height of his trade value shows his desire to get younger on the offensive end.
In what was a challenging last-placed finish for Philadelphia during head coach Bill Tierney’s first year at the helm, Brandau struggled to make an impact on the Waterdogs' roster as a rookie. The all-time Ivy League leading scorer managed just four goals and two assists in four games played.
With two years left on his rookie contract, Brandau joins an attack line with third-round draft pick and Rookie of the Year TJ Malone along with one of the faces of the franchise in Matt Rambo. Though Brandau never quite settled into a crowded Philly offense, his 380 total NCAA points (sixth all-time) bodes well for his upside for Maryland.
Williams joins an attack unit that boasts Michael Sowers and Kieran McArdle, as well as Ethan Walker. They also own the No. 1 pick in the 2025 PLL Draft, with the presumptive selection of Cornell star CJ Kirst potentially joining the offensive end after his college career. After five seasons with Stagnitta and Co., Williams won one title and appeared in two championship games, but finished with just two goals on 20 shots in three playoff games this past season.
Maryland still has three third-round draft picks from previous trades and this swap. The final pick of the third round (and 24th overall) came from their Jackson Morrill deadline deal with the Archers, though Morrill never suited up for Utah during its successful repeat bid. Their 20th overall pick came from the Cannons in the November 2023 deal that sent Connor Kirst and Bryce Young to Boston in exchange for Matt Rees. Last year, Stagnitta selected 2024 Rookie of the Year TJ Malone with the first pick of the third round at the same slot they've just acquired at 17th overall.
