Before starting his freshman fall as a member of the RIT men’s lacrosse team, Michael Grace had played field lacrosse just a handful of times. When Grace asked his coaching staff what position he would play as an incoming freshman, he was told that attack would be the best fit for him.
After struggling to make an impact with a short stick during fall ball, Grace convinced his coaches to keep him on the team for the spring as a long pole to see if there was room for growth.
Little did Grace know, that would be the best decision he would ever make as a lacrosse player.
By the end of Grace’s tenure at Division III RIT, he had been named a three-time All-American, competed for the Canadian National Team at the World Games and earned the USILA William C. Stiles Memorial Outstanding Defenseman Award in his senior campaign.
Grace never thought in his wildest dreams that he would get the opportunity to play in the PLL until those World Games, when he found himself guarding the likes of Michael Sowers, Brennan O’Neill, Rob Pannell and Tom Schreiber as a rising senior in college. Seeing that he could hold his own against the world’s best and play heavy minutes for Team Canada, the idea of playing lacrosse professionally started to float in Grace’s mind.
“I never thought playing professionally was going to be an option until I got the chance for Team Canada,” Grace said. “I went into the portal for my grad year to see if I can make the jump to Division I, but at the beginning of my college career, it was never a thought that I had.”
With an extra year of eligibility, Grace took his talents an hour east of his alma mater to Syracuse University. Playing in lacrosse’s most talented and highly viewed conference, the ACC, Grace’s talents were now on full display to the lacrosse world.
Grace’s transition to the D-I level was seamless. After starting all 19 games at close defense, causing 15 turnovers and tallying 54 ground balls, Grace caught the eyes of several PLL coaches, including New York Atlas head coach and general manager Mike Pressler.
“He’s very imposing,” Pressler said. “He’s 6-5. His range, his length – he gives you so much to work with in the off-ball defense. … Michael is that complementary defenseman who understands his role and has exceeded expectations.”
The Atlas selected Grace with the 22nd pick in the 2025 College Draft. Lifelong dreams had become a reality for the 24-year-old, who also saw three of his fellow Syracuse teammates drafted (Sam English and Carter Rice by California and Owen Hiltz by Carolina).
“It felt good to hear my name,” Grace said. “We watched the draft in our film room, and to see the guys get hyped not only when I got picked, but when Hiltzy, Sammy and Ricey got picked, it was a full circle moment looking back after thinking that I wouldn’t even go to college to play lacrosse and five years later, I got drafted to play pro.”
Since making his PLL debut against the Maryland Whipsnakes in Philadelphia, Grace has made an immediate impact in New York’s defensive and transition game plan. In four games, Grace has tallied five points, scooped up seven ground balls and caused one turnover.
Pressler believes that Grace has done a tremendous job covering opposing teams’ off-ball players, helping slow down and disrupt offensive sets on the backside due to the size advantage he brings to the table.
“He puts his stick out and he’s 20 feet long,” Pressler said. “If you throw a pass around anybody and he’s near it, he is going to get his stick on it. Exceptional skills, really tough, highly competitive, and he is developing week in and week out to be a tremendous addition to our 19-man roster.”
Grace’s ability to bump up to play as a long-stick midfielder is another key to what makes him a valuable asset to the New York coaching staff.
“To have the versatility to be able to mix and match with Brett [Makar] and Grace has been huge for us,” Pressler said. “Right now, it is more Grace down low and Makar up top, but that can change next week versus the Redwoods. To have versatility with only dressing five poles on gameday is huge.”
Grace continues to stay motivated as a later-round draft pick to constantly prove his worth not only in the PLL, but to his teammates in New York.
“Once the draft is over, it doesn’t really matter what pick you were. It’s about how you are playing in the league at this point,” said Grace. “Going under-recruited and not really looking at the beginning doesn’t really matter unless you are putting the work in. Somebody is always watching, and you’re going to get noticed, and if you put your head down and grind, then you are going to have your opportunity and it will come.”
