BALTIMORE — Johns Hopkins University’s Homewood Field is undergoing a transformation. For this weekend it’s not going to be the home of the Blue Jays, but rather the home of the Whipsnakes... the Premier Lacrosse League’s Maryland Whipsnakes.
"Being in the state of Maryland is always something special to me," said Matt Rambo. He is an attackman for the Whipsnakes and a has been with the PLL since it’s inaugural season of 2019. He is a former league MVP and two-time champion.
"It’s up and down. There is a lot of scoring, a lot of hits," he said.
The 30-year-old is also one of the best players to ever suit up for the University of Maryland. He is a 2017 national champion with the Terps and Tewaaraton Award winner as the best player in college lacrosse.
This weekend he returns again as a pro.
"What the PLL product does, it’s the best product in lacrosse you can have," he said.
And this year it has a twist. For the first time since its inception the barnstorming league has attached home cities, states or regions to its eight team names. Eight weeks into the regular season, its finally Maryland’s turn to host.
"The city-based [model] has definitely been giving the home team a little bit more advantage," said Rambo. "The cities have really gotten behind every home team."
Fans are cheering on these world-class athletes who also compete on the world stage. Many play for Team USA. Former Hopkins player and coach Seth Tierney is the PLL’s head of competition. He also coaches the U.S. national team.
Expect the PLL to be well-represented when lacrosse makes its Olympic debut in 2028.
"It would be safe to say that, if not the entire team, a lion’s share of it will be from the PLL," said Tierney.
You can watch both Whipsnakes games live on WMAR. Saturday at 1:00 p.m. they take on the Philadelphia Waterdogs. Sunday at 3:00 p.m. they play the Boston Cannons.
Follow Shawn Stepner on Twitter @StepnerWMAR and Facebook
