Matthew Paolatto Joins PLL’s Whipsnakes
May 14 | Men's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Following the season, Rutgers men's lacrosse faceoff man Matthew Paolatto is heading to play professional lacrosse. He was picked up by the Maryland Whipsnakes.
Paolatto joined RU for the 2025 season after three seasons at Union, where he was a three-time All-American and Faceoff Person of the Year in 2024 at the Division III level. The Sherborn, Mass. native excelled in 2025 in his lone campaign as a Scarlet Knight. Named an Honorable Mention All-American by Inside Lacrosse, he was also once named to the USILA Team of the Week. He won 173-of-292 faceoffs, with 99 ground balls, two goals, four assists and five caused turnovers. He ranked 16th nationally with 6.19 ground balls per game and 15th (second in the Big Ten) with a faceoff winning percentage of 59.2%.
Paolatto will seek to become the second Rutgers' alumn taking faceoffs for the Whipsnakes, with Joe Nardella also on the roster. He was one of a record 11 Scarlet Knights were rostered in the PLL. Additionally, the Carolina Chaos had Jules Heningburg, Shane Knobloch and Ross Scott, a quartet of RU alumns were on the Boston Cannons in Colin Kirst, Connor Kirst, Ethan Rall and Adam Charalambides, the New York Atlas had Michael Rexrode and Ronan Jacoby and Christian Scarpello was on the Philadelphia Waterdogs.
Full rosters are being finalized this month in advance of team training camps. The PLL season begins with games on the weekend of May 30.
Paolatto joined RU for the 2025 season after three seasons at Union, where he was a three-time All-American and Faceoff Person of the Year in 2024 at the Division III level. The Sherborn, Mass. native excelled in 2025 in his lone campaign as a Scarlet Knight. Named an Honorable Mention All-American by Inside Lacrosse, he was also once named to the USILA Team of the Week. He won 173-of-292 faceoffs, with 99 ground balls, two goals, four assists and five caused turnovers. He ranked 16th nationally with 6.19 ground balls per game and 15th (second in the Big Ten) with a faceoff winning percentage of 59.2%.
Paolatto will seek to become the second Rutgers' alumn taking faceoffs for the Whipsnakes, with Joe Nardella also on the roster. He was one of a record 11 Scarlet Knights were rostered in the PLL. Additionally, the Carolina Chaos had Jules Heningburg, Shane Knobloch and Ross Scott, a quartet of RU alumns were on the Boston Cannons in Colin Kirst, Connor Kirst, Ethan Rall and Adam Charalambides, the New York Atlas had Michael Rexrode and Ronan Jacoby and Christian Scarpello was on the Philadelphia Waterdogs.
Full rosters are being finalized this month in advance of team training camps. The PLL season begins with games on the weekend of May 30.
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