More Than 70 Teams Compete at Annual Lake Tahoe Summit Classic

Tourney co-hosted by ADVNC, PLL Play draws teams from California, Nevada and beyond 

TRUCKEE, Calif. — More than 70 club lacrosse teams faced off on June 14 and 15 at the Lake Tahoe Summit Classic, a tournament established in 2014 and co-hosted by PLL Play and San Francisco-based ADVNC Lacrosse.

The two-day event saw 12 champions crowned across eight boys divisions and four girls divisions as four different facilities in Truckee-Tahoe were transformed into bustling lacrosse hubs under sunny skies on both Saturday and Sunday.

Tournament attendees descended upon the stunning enclave in the days leading up to the event, as coaches, athletes and their families arrived early to enjoy all the region’s natural wonders, like Lake Tahoe’s North Shore and its sweeping views of the Sierra Nevada.

But come Saturday, guests packed the sidelines at Truckee High School, Riverview Sports Park and Meadow Park in Truckee as well as North Tahoe Regional Park in Tahoe Vista, where the action kicked off early each morning and ran into the late afternoon.

At Riverview Sports Park, planes taking off from Truckee Tahoe Airport buzzed overhead as the snow-capped peaks of Mount Rose and Slide Mountain loomed in the distance. Vendors and food trucks at each location served groups of guests relaxing or recharging in between contests.

Modeled after the popular Lake Placid Summit Classic held annually in the Adirondack Mountains, the Lake Tahoe Summit Classic showcases the sport in one of the country’s most gorgeous retreats.

Teams traveled from all over California, Nevada, Washington and Oregon to compete for divisional titles and spend quality time with their teammates and families. Sunday saw bracket play mount to intense matchups at each facility. And when the dust settled, each of the victorious squads gathered to accept championship medals and celebrate with their biggest fans.

An occasion that every few years aligns with the Lake Tahoe Summit Classic, dads and their sons and daughters commemorated Father’s Day in thrilling fashion and in an incredible setting. Families snapped photos and a few fathers even found themselves wearing the winner’s medallions.

Per-Anders Olters, who played lacrosse at the University of Vermont, coached the North Bay Alcatraz Outlaws U10B team to the Boys 2034 title. He called the event “a perfect family retreat.”

“This was my first time in Tahoe and there’s not really a more beautiful place to play a tournament,” said Olters, the first NCAA Division I player from Germany and a past  member of the German men’s national team. “After games, you can hop right in the lake, which is awesome. It’s not only a beautiful backdrop.”

Olters and his Outlaws overcame strong competition to emerge Sunday afternoon as champs, an achievement he’s hopeful will serve his players well moving forward.

“We had a great experience,” he said. “Our games were definitely exciting. Our semifinal was like a complete barn-burner. So competition wise, I thought it was great for our boys and everything we needed to get out of a tournament.”

The Lake Tahoe Summit Classic was launched by ADVNC Lacrosse and Summit Lacrosse Ventures as a destination weekend for the growing number of travel teams operating in western states.

ADVNC Lacrosse was founded by Chris Rotelli, who starred at the University of Virginia and won the 2003 Tewaaraton Trophy. The company offers high-level training and fields club squads throughout the Bay Area, Napa, Sonoma and Sacramento.

In recent years, ADVNC Lacrosse has experienced explosive growth, now featuring training and teams in Oregon, Washington, Texas, Oklahoma and Virginia as well as a National Development Program.

“It’s hard to believe it’s been 11 years since our first Lake Tahoe Summit Classic, and this year’s event was one of the best,” said Rotelli, a three-time All-American and NCAA Division I champion at Virginia before being selected first overall in the 2003 Major League Lacrosse collegiate draft. “Tahoe is the most beautiful place in the world, and the weather this year was perfect.”

Rotelli was busy on the sidelines, and each day he observed players and coaches thriving in what he described as a positive atmosphere.

“Seeing the joy on Father’s Day — dads watching their kids playing lacrosse in this wonderful place — makes this event different from any tournament we attend and it’s why we look forward to coming back every year. The tournament ran so smoothly, and it’s a big credit to the ADVNC operations crew and PLL Play staff who do an amazing job putting on a top-notch event.”

Since moving to the Bay Area to play with the San Francisco Dragons, Rotelli has made a tremendous impact on the game. In addition to leading ADVNC Lacrosse, he’s been the head coach at Sacred Heart Prep in Atherton, where he’s helped a long list of student-athletes move on to play at the collegiate level.

“Chris was such an incredible player, it’s no surprise how quickly he’s made a tremendous impact on lacrosse in California and the entire West Coast,” said Kevin Leveille, PLL Play’s VP of Youth Sales Strategy and himself a former college All-American and later a star in Major League Lacrosse.

When presented with the opportunity to work with the ADVNC team, Leveille said it was an easy choice and he felt confident that a collaboration in Truckee-Tahoe could create a vibe similar to the Lake Placid Summit Classic.

“This has become a special and festive weekend that means a lot to us and to the teams that compete. We’re grateful for Chris and ADVNC and the standard of excellence they’ve set,” Leveille said.

“We also want to thank two local sponsors, Visit Truckee-Tahoe and North Tahoe Community Alliance, for their continued support and for helping make this year’s event an amazing one. Just like at Lake Placid, we encourage our Lake Tahoe Summit Classic attendees to visit Truckee-Tahoe outside of the tournament scope and to fully experience all it has to offer.”

Below is a breakdown of the divisional champions at the Lake Tahoe Summit Classic:

Mark your calendar for next year’s Lake Tahoe Summit Classic, tentatively scheduled for June 13 and 14, 2026.

Check the full PLL Play schedule for pro-led training and development opportunities in California and all throughout the country. And be sure to follow the PLL, PLL Play and Summit Lacrosse Society on Instagram to keep up with us this summer.