Northwestern University Athletics
Former Wildcat Izzy Scane to Compete in New Women's Lacrosse League
11/13/2024 6:07:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
News came today that the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) has launched the Women's Lacrosse League (WLL), a new women's professional league set to debut at the 2025 Championship Series, featuring the best lacrosse players in the world. Not surprisingly, a Wildcat, Izzy Scane, was headlining today's announcement.
Northwestern's lacrosse program, led by 8-time national champion head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, is making waves once again as Scane is set to compete in the newly launched league. The WLL, which has been established to elevate the sport and provide another professional platform for women's lacrosse, will feature four teams in cities that have yet to be announced. The full list of players will be announced at a later date.
Scane and Wildcat teammate Erin Coykendall were on hand to ring today's Nasdaq Closing Bell. Video of the event can be viewed here.
The league will be played in the Olympic Sixes format, with teams competing for the inaugural WLL Championship Series trophy in 2025.
Another Wildcat connection is alum Ashley Gersuk Murphy (featured in the photo above), a four-year team captain for the Lake Show, who serves as PLL's Senior Vice President.
"I think it's incredible," Scane said to Stephen A. Smith on ESPN's First Take. "For a lot of us who thought that D-I lacrosse would be the pinnacle of our sport, the most we'd have the opportunity to continue to play, so for the WLL to become a thing and for the 2028 Olympics to have women's lacrosse is a really exciting thing and I think it is a big step for our sport, a big for us. It's super exciting." (Watch that interview here)
Izzy Scane, the NCAA's all-time leading goal scorer, will bring her offensive prowess to the WLL. Scane's dynamic play has already left an indelible mark on collegiate lacrosse, and her transition to another professional league will undoubtedly be thrilling for fans and followers of the sport.
"We're proud to announce the launch of the Women's Lacrosse League, a groundbreaking step forward for the sport, giving elite women athletes a premier stage to compete, inspire, and make their mark as we move toward lacrosse's reemergence at the Olympics in 2028," said Paul Rabil, co-founder and president of the Premier Lacrosse League. "We can't wait to welcome fans to the first WLL games at the 2025 Championship Series, where we'll provide these exceptional athletes with a world-class experience alongside the best in the PLL."
In 2024, the PLL hosted its first professional women's lacrosse exhibition in the U.S. — the Unleashed All-Star Game — after international exhibitions in Japan over the last three years. At the 2024 PLL All-Star Skills Competition, fans watched Charlotte North shoot a record 92 miles per hour in the Fastest Shot Competition, as well as Scane, Alex Aust Holman and Dana Dobbie compete in the lacrosse derby.
The formation of the Women's Lacrosse League is a significant milestone for the sport, offering female lacrosse players another dedicated professional stage. The league aims to foster growth and visibility for women's lacrosse, and the presence of alumni like Scane – and likely additional Wildcats who will be named at a later date – underscores Northwestern's legacy in cultivating elite players. Fans can look forward to seeing these Wildcats in action, continuing their journey as professional athletes and contributing to the growth of women's lacrosse.
