Billy Dwan III selected No. 11 by Maryland Whipsnakes in PLL Draft
Dwan has scored 19 career goals for SU, the most pole scores in program history. Eli Schwartz | Asst. Photo Editor
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Syracuse defender Billy Dwan III became the third Orange player selected in the 2026 PLL Draft Tuesday when he was selected No. 11 by the Maryland Whipsnakes Tuesday. In his four years at SU, Dwan has scored the most pole goals in program history with 19. Dwan will join SU teammate Joey Spallina, who was selected No. 3 overall by the Whipsnakes.
His scoring prowess as a close defender — scoring goals that ignite the team and the crowd — has stood out during his four years at Syracuse and will now be applied at the professional level. He also has the defensive chops to quiet some of the best attacks in the game, causing 50 career turnovers.
Dwan, the son of longtime Johns Hopkins coach Bill Dwan, committed to SU as the 11th-ranked recruit in the 2022 class, according to Inside Lacrosse. He started eight of the Orange’s 15 games as a freshman in 2023 and has started every game since.
In his sophomore year, the 6-foot-4, 231-pound Dwan earned Inside Lacrosse’s Third Team All-American honors and took home Honorable Mention honors as a junior in 2025. He also earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference Tournament Team and All-ACC recognition last season.
An attacking highlight so far this season was Dwan scoring twice in SU’s road win at then-No. 11 Johns Hopkins on March 7 at Homewood Field, a venue he grew up playing on.
Now, Dwan will move onto the professional level along with Spallina and Michael Leo, who was selected No. 6 by the California Redwoods, once the Orange’s season concludes.
