Former WPLL leader and US Lacrosse Hall of Famer hired to head academy operations

LOS ANGELES, CA. (March 5, 2020) - The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) has announced its hiring of Rachael DeCecco as the Head of PLL Academy. In her role, DeCecco will oversee all operations related to PLL Academy and spearhead the team in launching new verticals for the league’s youth initiatives. PLL Academy’s mission is to connect the league’s own world-class athletes with the next generation of the sport through one-day clinics, overnight camps, and the PLL Player’s Tour.

Prior to her new role at PLL, DeCecco was previously the SVP of the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL). In this position, DeCecco helped launch WPLL in 2017 and was instrumental in the nascent league’s strategy, partnerships, and operations. DeCecco additionally led the WPLL Foundation, an arm of the league committed to developing life and leadership skills for young women through lacrosse. As a player, DeCecco was one of the most decorated athletes in women’s lacrosse. She was a two-time National Champion as a player at Princeton University, leading the team to back-to-back titles in 2002 and 2003. Following her sensational final season in 2003, DeCecco received the prestigious Tewaaraton Trophy - handed out to the nation’s top player. DeCecco was named a three-time First Team All-American, a two-time National Defender of the year, an MVP following the 2003 NCAA Tournament, and the 2003 Ivy League Player of the Year. She was additionally named to the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2019 for her contributions to the game as a player and an executive. 

“Through my experiences with Mike, Paul and the entire PLL team it was evident that there is an environment that consistently fosters innovation and a culture that very much aligns with my values as a leader and as a person,” says DeCecco. “I’m proud to be working for an organization with an amazing vision for the sport and excited about the impact we can have in the lacrosse community and beyond.”

“Having known Rachael for several years, I am consistently blown away by the quality of all initiatives she drives,” says PLL Co-Founder and CEO Mike Rabil. “Attention to detail, personal ambition, and work ethic are values that we hold paramount at PLL and they are areas where Rachael jumps off the board. PLL Academy is a massive revenue driver for our business as well as a focal point for the growth of youth lacrosse participation and I could not imagine a better person to guide this ship for the long-term.

ABOUT PREMIER LACROSSE LEAGUE

The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) brings the sport of lacrosse to a national stage for the first time through a tour-based model, complete with the best players the sport has to offer. Co-founded by lacrosse superstar, philanthropist, and investor Paul Rabil and his brother, serial entrepreneur and investor, Mike Rabil, the Premier Lacrosse League is backed by an investment group comprised of The Raine Group, Joe Tsai Sports, Brett Jefferson Holdings and Creative Artists Agency (CAA). The upcoming 2020 season is scheduled to begin on May 29 with the season culminating with a Championship Game on September 20. The PLL season is distributed through an exclusive media-rights agreement with NBC Sports Group. For more information, visit www.premierlacrosseleague.com and follow on social media: Instagram (@PLL), Twitter (@PremierLacrosse), Facebook (@PremierLacrosseLeague) and YouTube (YouTube.com/PLL).