LOS ANGELES – University at Albany alumnus Lyle Thompson was picked first in the 2021 Premier Lacrosse League Entry Draft by the Cannons Lacrosse Club.
 
The Entry Draft consisted of three rounds in which each of the eight teams had three minutes to make their selections.  Thompson was one of several former UAlbany players in the entry pool, including Nate Siekierski, Jack Burgmaster, and Justin Reh.
 
The Cannons Lacrosse Club is the newest team in the PLL, bringing the league's total to eight.  They are formerly the Boston Cannons of the MLL, and are the only MLL team to continue operations following the PLL merger in December, 2020.
 
Thompson began his professional career getting drafted first overall in 2015 by the Florida Launch of Major League Lacrosse.  He was traded to the Bayhawks in 2017, for whom he played until the MLL merged with the PLL.  Collegiately, Thompson won back-to-back Tewaaraton Awards, finishing his career with 175 goals and 225 assists, scoring an NCAA record 400 total points.
 
Thompson's brother Miles, with whom he shared the 2014 Tewaaraton Award, plays for the PLL's Chaos Lacrosse Club.
 
In the MLL, Thompson won the 2019 MVP and Offensive Player of the Year awards, leading the Bayhawks to the league title.  Thompson has also won one National Lacrosse League title and MVP award with the Georgia Swarm.  Internationally, Thompson plays for the Iroquois National Team, and has placed third at the 2014 and 2018 World Lacrosse Championships, and second at the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships.
 
Thursday's Entry Draft was the second of three drafts the PLL will undertake before the start of the 2021 season.  Next up is the College Draft, scheduled for April.  The 2021 season begins June 4 and will last until September 19.