May 8, 2018
PHILADELPHIA, Pa. - On Monday evening, senior midfielder Katie O'Donnell (West Chester, Pa.) was selected with the fourth overall pick in the 2018 Women's Professional Lacrosse League Draft by the New England Command.
The WPLL is comprised of five teams, the Baltimore Brave, New England Command, New York Fight, Philadelphia Fire and the Upstate Pride, and is set to begin its inaugural season this summer.
O'Donnell becomes the fourth Nittany Lion drafted into the WPLL since the announcement of the league's formation last summer. The senior, who was recently named the Big Ten Midfielder of the Year, will join former Nittany Lion teammates in Ally Heavens '16 and Steph Lazo '17 on the Command roster. Former teammate Madison Cyr '16 is currently a member of the New York Fight.
O'Donnell is currently third in the Big Ten with 56 goals this season to lead all midfielders while ranking tied for 33rd nationally. The senior also leads the team with 15 multi-goal games this season including a team-best 12 games with three or more tallies.
The Tewaaraton Award nominee, is also just two goals shy of becoming just the fourth Penn State player ever to reach the 200 goal milestone. O'Donnell's 198 career goals rank sixth in the nation among active players.
O'Donnell, who just last week earned her third consecutive nod on the All-Big Ten Team, is currently second on the team with 62 points to rank tied for sixth in the Big Ten. The senior's 222 career points place her sixth on the Penn State all-time list and currently rank 20th in the nation among active players.
The WPLL is said to be a league "for players, by players" and is committed to both advancing the sport of lacrosse through providing professional opportunities for women in the sport of lacrosse in addition to providing each player with an athlete-first approach in terms of league scheduling, management and advancement.