Tourney founded in 2015 draws teams from Northeast, Ontario and Haudenosaunee territories
ELMA, N.Y. — PLL Tournaments has announced a one-year partnership with the 3Nation Lacrosse Classic, a one-day Sixes event in Western New York that each fall brings together American, Canadian and Haudenonsaunee boys youth and scholastic-aged teams.
Co-founded in 2015 by former Inside Lacrosse Editor-in-Chief John Jiloty and longtime pro player, world team coach and lacrosse referee Joe Smith, the 3Nation Lacrosse Classic will celebrate its tenth anniversary on October 26 at Sahlen’s Flash Fields. This year’s presenting sponsor is Buffalo-based litigation firm Hoover & Durland LLP.
Two newly constructed, state-of-the-art fields will see fast-paced 6-on-6 action unfolding across four boys divisions: High School (2026-2027), Junior Varsity (2028-2029), Junior High (2030-2031) and Middle School (2032-2033). Action begins in the morning and each team is guaranteed four games. Come late afternoon, champions will be crowned and a “Sportsman” from each title winner and runner-up squad will be honored via PLL Assists.
“We couldn’t be more excited to partner with the Premier Lacrosse League as we look to evolve and optimize the 3Nation Lacrosse Classic and celebrate our tenth anniversary by bringing the best American, Canadian and Haudenonsaunee talent to Western New York,” said Jiloty, who grew up in Rochester.
The Syracuse University alum led the editorial coverage at Inside Lacrosse’s headquarters in Baltimore for nearly 15 years, fostering the media and event company’s omnipresence in lacrosse before returning to Western NY, where he’s now Senior Vice President of the Buffalo-based Martin Group.
Smith was a standout defender at Towson University before going on to play nine seasons of Major League Lacrosse, winning a championship with the Rochester Rattlers, and winning the National Lacrosse League title with the Rochester Knighthawks and later with the Buffalo Bandits. The Orchard Park native was twice named to the U.S. Men’s Indoor roster and has twice been named to the team staff. A seasoned referee, Smith officiates games across New York, including at the annual Lake Placid Summit Classic.
“The team that hosts the Summit tournaments and now leads PLL Play puts on world-class events, so their expertise is going to provide such a high-quality experience for our teams, coaches and parents,” Smith said.
Since its inception, the 3Nation event has drawn as many as 60 teams a year from across New York, Pennsylvania and Canada.
Kevin Leveille, the VP of Youth Sales Strategy for the Premier Lacrosse League, says the Buffalo-Niagara region is one of the best locations for tournaments in both summer and fall given its proximity to so many lacrosse programs.
“Given the large number of young players in the Great Lakes, in Ontario and in various parts of New York and Pennsylvania, the 3Nation tournament is an increasingly important opportunity for clubs and families,” said Leveille, a three-time All-American at UMass before going on to play professionally in both Major League Lacrosse and the National Lacrosse League.
One of the game’s all-time leading goal-scorers — 273 in his 11-year MLL career — Leveille was recently inducted into the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame in the midst of a busy summer hosting successful events across the country.
The newest collaboration, he said, is a natural match to the existing PLL Tournaments lineup.
“John and Joe have created a terrific event with a proven track record of attracting talented teams,” Leveille said. “We pride ourselves on adding value and using the PLL brand to maximize the tournament experience for attendees, and we’re fired up to take 3Nation to the next level.”
Registration for the 2025 3Nation Lacrosse Classic is now open at the following link:
https://pll-slv.leagueapps.com/tournaments/4725280-2025-3nation-classic
Team spots are limited and any interested teams with questions are encouraged to reach out to PLL Play Sales Accounts Managers Mark Cockerton or Casey Vock.
View the complete PLL Tournaments schedule to see our Fall 2025 and Summer 2026 lineup as well as our full slate of PLL Play offerings. And be sure to follow the 3Nation Lacrosse Classic on Instagram and check out the PLL, PLL Play and PLL Tournaments on social media as well to keep up with us all year long.
