In an era in which specialization rules the Premier Lacrosse League, Zach Currier stands alone as a relentless, two-way force.
During Saturday’s loss to the Maryland Whipsnakes, the Philadelphia Waterdogs midfielder became the first player in PLL history to reach 200 career points and 400 ground balls, continuing to build on his legacy by doing everything, everywhere, all the time.
“You don’t get Zach Currier every generation,” Waterdogs goalie Matt DeLuca said.
From the moment he stepped on the field as the top pick in the 2020 PLL Entry Draft, Currier rewarded the Waterdogs by becoming one of the cornerstones of the club.
Currier is a “throwback” in every sense. He plays both offense and defense with equal dominance, goes all-out on the wings on faceoffs, and turns chaotic ground ball scrums into Waterdogs possessions.
“He’s like a machine that just keeps doing it over and over and over again, without saying a heck of a lot,” head coach and general manager Bill Tierney said.
There are 19 players with 400-plus career ground balls and 60 with 200-plus points. Currier is the only athlete with both of those feats.
One of his more underrated factors is his ability to vacuum up ground balls on the wing and push the break before defenders can react. The 31-year-old Canadian has recorded 30-plus ground balls in seven of his nine pro seasons and ranks 19th all-time in that stat.
“He’s never not going 110%, and you see that on the field,” DeLuca said. “It’s hard not to play hard when you have a guy like that roaming around in the middle of the field and making the plays he does.”
The veteran’s drive is remarkable, according to his teammates. His willingness to play at any spot on the field has earned him another level of respect from his legendary coach.
“We were going to get CJ [Kirst] back, [Currier] came and volunteered to be a shorty, playing on the wings, playing offense, playing defense,” Tierney said. “And as Matt said, overall, [Currier is] the best middie, in my take, out there.”
The 2021 Gait Brothers Midfielder of the Year is still writing his story, but the legacy is clear: Currier isn’t just the best two-way middie in the game. He’s one of the best players the sport has ever seen – one of the PLL’s ultimate Swiss Army knives.
“I truly think, overall skill in the full field of the game that you look at, that’s the best lacrosse player,” DeLuca said.
