Eleven Buckeyes Make 2025-26 NLL Rosters
11/26/2025 10:00:00 AM | Men's Lacrosse
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The 2025-26 National Lacrosse League (NLL) starts Nov. 28 marking the start of the season for 11 Buckeyes on seven different teams.
Four Buckeyes make the 21-player roster for the Halifax Thunderbirds. Ryan Terefenko, who was named to the United States' sixes team this fall and is coming off a PLL season worthy of the George Boiardi Hard Hat Award, looks to capitalize of a successful 2024-25 campaign in which he was a finalist for the Transition Player of the Year award. Jake Withers led the league last season in loose balls (282), his third straight season with the most loose ball recoveries, and was first with a 63% faceoff win percentage. Withers also led the team in caused turnovers (28). Johnny Pearson begins his sixth season after playing in all 18 games last year and recording a career-high eight points, 37 loose balls and 12 blocked shots. Knox, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2022 NLL Entry Draft, enters his second season with Halifax.
Trent DiCicco and Tre Leclaire team up on the San Diego Seals again this season. DiCicco, who earned All-Rookie Team honors last year, finished the 2024-25 season with seven goals, 11 assists and collected 95 loose balls. Tre Leclaire, in his fourth season with the Seals, is coming off one of the best seasons of his career, tallying 14 goals and 14 assists and controlling 51 loose balls.
Justin Inacio had a breakout season last year as a faceoff specialist for the Calgary Roughnecks. He was third in the league in win percentage (60%) and fifth in loose balls (156). He faces former Buckeye Austin Shanks and the Saskatchewan Rush Dec. 6.
Shanks suits up for his second season with Saskatchewan after signing as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2024 following six seasons with Rochester and Halifax.
Jesse King takes the field in his first season with the Vancouver Warriors after playing for the Calgary Roughnecks from 2019 to 2025. King led the Roughnecks in assists, finished second in points, and tied for third in goals across 18 games last season.
Eric Fannell is set for his first season with the Philadelphia Wings after previously playing for Albany, Halifax and Rochester.
After being placed on injured reserve last December, Jeff Henrick is set to return to the field for the Georgia Swarm.
Current Buckeyes Alex Marinier and Bobby Van Buren were selected in the 2025 NLL Entry Draft earlier this fall. Marinier was picked sixth overall by Halifax and Georgia got Van Buren with the 67th pick.
#GoBucks
