The professional landscape for women’s athletics expanded on Wednesday night, April 15, as the New York Charging selected University of Michigan graduate student Ava Class 12th overall in the first-ever Women’s Lacrosse League Collegiate Draft. The event marks a historic milestone for the sport, establishing a formal pipeline for collegiate talent to transition into a professional environment.
Class, a native of Hunt Valley, Maryland, arrives in New York following a standout tenure at Michigan where she established herself as one of the most versatile offensive threats in the program’s history. Her selection by the Charging highlights the league’s strategy of targeting players with proven high-volume scoring and playmaking capabilities at the NCAA level.
The draft represents more than just a roster addition for New York; it is the foundational step for a league seeking to professionalize women’s lacrosse. By creating a structured collegiate draft, the WLL is mirroring the growth patterns seen in other women’s professional sports, aiming to increase the visibility of elite athletes and provide a sustainable career path beyond the university system.
A Legacy of Production at Michigan
Class enters the professional ranks as a member of an elite group of athletes. She is just the 10th player in the history of the University of Michigan women’s lacrosse program to record 100 career points. This milestone is a testament to her consistency over multiple seasons, balancing the roles of a finisher and a facilitator.
During the current campaign, Class has been a central pillar of the Wolverines’ offense. She currently ranks second on the team with 42 points, split evenly between 21 goals and 21 assists. Her ability to distribute the ball as effectively as she scores has made her a difficult matchup for collegiate defenders and a high-value asset for the New York Charging.
Her career statistics further underscore her impact on the field, totaling 65 goals and 35 assists. These numbers, combined with her experience starting 13 games this season, provide the New York franchise with a player who possesses both the technical skill and the mental maturity of a graduate student athlete.
National Recognition and Accolades
The professional interest in Class was bolstered by her recognition on the national stage. She was named an IL Women Nike Third Team Midseason All-American, a distinction that places her among the top tier of midfielders and attackers in the country. This level of recognition typically signals to professional scouts that a player can maintain their performance against the highest level of competition.
For the New York Charging, selecting a player with All-American credentials at 12th overall suggests a focus on reliability and proven pedigree. In a first-ever draft, where data on professional transition is limited, the Charging have leaned on established NCAA benchmarks to build their inaugural core.
The Michigan Pipeline to Professional Lacrosse
While Class is the latest to be drafted, she is not the first from Ann Arbor to make a mark on the professional circuit. The rise of the WLL and its affiliated teams has seen a steady migration of Michigan talent into the professional game, creating a growing network of alumni across the league.
Class now joins a cohort of former Wolverines who have already navigated the transition to the professional level. The distribution of Michigan talent shows a broad reach across different franchises, indicating that the university’s training is producing players compatible with various tactical systems.
| Player | Professional Team |
|---|---|
| Ava Class | New York Charging |
| Kaylee Dyer | Boston Guard |
| Maddie Burns | Boston Guard |
| Jill Smith | California Palms |
The presence of Dyer and Burns with the Boston Guard and Smith with the California Palms provides Class with a blueprint for success. This established presence of alumni can be critical for a rookie’s adjustment to the speed and physicality of the professional game, which often differs significantly from the collegiate pace.
What the WLL Draft Means for the Sport
The implementation of a collegiate draft is a pivotal shift in the economics and visibility of women’s lacrosse. Historically, the transition from college to high-level play was less structured. By introducing a formal draft process, the Women’s Lacrosse League is creating a market value for players and a centralized point of interest for fans and media.
This move is expected to influence how collegiate programs recruit and train their athletes. When players see a clear path to a professional contract—such as the one Ava Class has now secured—the incentive for elite specialization increases. It also raises the stakes for midseason performances, as All-American nods and point totals now have a direct correlation to draft stock.
For the New York Charging, the acquisition of Class is the first step in building a brand in one of the world’s most competitive sports markets. The success of the franchise will depend not only on the talent of its draftees but on the league’s ability to schedule games and market the athletes to a broader audience.
As the league moves forward, the focus will shift from the draft board to the field. The next confirmed checkpoint for the league and its new players will be the announcement of the official season schedule and the commencement of training camps, where Class and her fellow draftees will begin the transition from student-athletes to professional competitors.
We invite readers to share their thoughts on the growth of women’s professional sports in the comments below.
