Men’s Lacrosse Alumni in the NLL: 2025-26 Recap
Apr 27 | Men's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – Rutgers men's lacrosse alumni wrapped up competition in the indoor pro league this past weekend. Three Scarlet Knights saw action - Adam Charalambides played with the Vancouver Warriors, Connor Kirst with the Las Vegas Desert Dogs and Matthew Paolatto with the Colorado Mammoth. Joe Nardella (Oshawa Firewolves), Dante Kulas (Oshawa Firewolves) and Brian Cameron (Philadelphia Wings) also saw time with NLL clubs.
Adam Charalambides was a member of the Vancouver Warriors, who earned a No. 1 seed in the Playoffs but were eliminated in the Quarterfinals. Charalambides finished his fifth season with the Warriors franchise that originally drafted him in the first round. He scored 26 goals and had 44 assists for 70 points, also scooping 77 loose balls. It was his third-straight 70-plus point season. In his 89-game NLL career, Charalambides has 128 goals, 228 assists and 456 points, with 392 loose balls.
Charalambides was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten and 2021 All-American at RU. He totaled 149 goals (second all-time at RU) and 201 points (fifth all-time in program history).
Connor Kirst played in 17 games with the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. He compiled strong all-around statistics with seven goals, 14 assists, 26 caused turnovers, eight blocks and 25 faceoff wins. Kirst had 144 loose balls, which was the seventh most in the league in the regular season.
Kirst was an All-American and First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2021 at RU. He was a member of RU's 2021 NCAA Tournament team, which earned a victory over Lehigh in the First Round.
Matthew Paolatto excelled in his first professional season as the top option on faceoffs for the Colorado Mammoth, who made the playoffs as well. In 17 games he won 238-of-408 faceoff, 58%. His 238 faceoff wins were the fifth most for a NLL rookie since 2007. He collected 131 loose balls and had three goals, five assists and seven caused turnovers. Among those with at least 10 faceoffs taken, Paolatto's winning percentage ranked fifth in the NLL. He was fourth in loose balls among primary faceoff men.
Paolatto was a Third Round selection of the Mammoth, going 44th overall. He excelled in his lone season at RU, where he was the team's top faceoff specialist. The native of Sherborn, Mass. had a winning percentage of 59.2% at the 'X' last season (173-of-292) with 99 ground balls, two goals and four assists. He spent the summer with the PLL's Whipsnakes franchise, backing up former Scarlet Knight faceoff man Joe Nardella.
Joe Nardella and Dante Kulas each spent time with the Firewolves franchise. Nardella, who was the best in the NLL the previous season on faceoffs at 65%, missed the season due to injury. Kulas was on the practice roster, while Brian Cameron was with the Wings franchise.
Rutgers men's lacrosse has established a strong pipeline to the professional ranks. Rutgers boasts a total of 47 alumni all-time between Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and the National Lacrosse League (NLL). This success placing players in the pros has been accelerated recently, with 35 alumni coached at RU by current head coach Brian Brecht to go on to the professional level.
Next up in professional lacrosse is the outdoor summer season, the Premier Lacrosse League. The PLL starts play on May 8. Seven Scarlet Knight alumns have already begun participating in early training camps for the PLL ahead of the league getting going shortly.
Adam Charalambides was a member of the Vancouver Warriors, who earned a No. 1 seed in the Playoffs but were eliminated in the Quarterfinals. Charalambides finished his fifth season with the Warriors franchise that originally drafted him in the first round. He scored 26 goals and had 44 assists for 70 points, also scooping 77 loose balls. It was his third-straight 70-plus point season. In his 89-game NLL career, Charalambides has 128 goals, 228 assists and 456 points, with 392 loose balls.
Charalambides was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten and 2021 All-American at RU. He totaled 149 goals (second all-time at RU) and 201 points (fifth all-time in program history).
Connor Kirst played in 17 games with the Las Vegas Desert Dogs. He compiled strong all-around statistics with seven goals, 14 assists, 26 caused turnovers, eight blocks and 25 faceoff wins. Kirst had 144 loose balls, which was the seventh most in the league in the regular season.
Kirst was an All-American and First Team All-Big Ten selection in 2021 at RU. He was a member of RU's 2021 NCAA Tournament team, which earned a victory over Lehigh in the First Round.
Matthew Paolatto excelled in his first professional season as the top option on faceoffs for the Colorado Mammoth, who made the playoffs as well. In 17 games he won 238-of-408 faceoff, 58%. His 238 faceoff wins were the fifth most for a NLL rookie since 2007. He collected 131 loose balls and had three goals, five assists and seven caused turnovers. Among those with at least 10 faceoffs taken, Paolatto's winning percentage ranked fifth in the NLL. He was fourth in loose balls among primary faceoff men.
Paolatto was a Third Round selection of the Mammoth, going 44th overall. He excelled in his lone season at RU, where he was the team's top faceoff specialist. The native of Sherborn, Mass. had a winning percentage of 59.2% at the 'X' last season (173-of-292) with 99 ground balls, two goals and four assists. He spent the summer with the PLL's Whipsnakes franchise, backing up former Scarlet Knight faceoff man Joe Nardella.
Joe Nardella and Dante Kulas each spent time with the Firewolves franchise. Nardella, who was the best in the NLL the previous season on faceoffs at 65%, missed the season due to injury. Kulas was on the practice roster, while Brian Cameron was with the Wings franchise.
Rutgers men's lacrosse has established a strong pipeline to the professional ranks. Rutgers boasts a total of 47 alumni all-time between Major League Lacrosse (MLL), the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and the National Lacrosse League (NLL). This success placing players in the pros has been accelerated recently, with 35 alumni coached at RU by current head coach Brian Brecht to go on to the professional level.
Next up in professional lacrosse is the outdoor summer season, the Premier Lacrosse League. The PLL starts play on May 8. Seven Scarlet Knight alumns have already begun participating in early training camps for the PLL ahead of the league getting going shortly.
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