What's Next: 2025 Maryland Whipsnakes

2025 Season Result: 4-6, 2nd in East, Lost in Quarterfinals

Draft Selections: 1.3, 2.3, 3.3, 4.3

Pending Free Agents:

Ryan Aughavin, M

Jake Bernhardt, SSDM

Colin Heacock, M

Jack Koras, M

Brendan Krebs, G

SEASON RECAP:

The Whips made some serious moves in the offseason before 2025. The headline of it all was they traded away Zed Williams and acquired Matt Brandau, and they signed Rob Pannell. Those moves, with the context of TJ Malone returning at attack and Levi Anderson having a breakout year for them last year, created a possible attack logjam.

This year, the transition to a younger core of players continued. It started in 2024 with TJ Malone becoming the top weapon, and this year it expanded. Matt Brandau led all PLL midfielders in total goals; his acquisition looking like a massive success for the Whips. Brandau, a natural attackman, not only becoming a scoring threat in the midfield, but showed a natural instinct for the sub game and tracking back. Some of this can likely be traced to how much Sixes he’s played (for Team USA now a few times), but his game reached a new level. Ajax Zappitello was the league leader in CTs, consistently drawing top dodging matchups and developing under the leadership of Matt Dunn and Tim Muller. Draft pick Emmet Carroll became the starter after about a month, and posted a 56.2% save percentage on the year, with three games at 60+%. While the young stars are already burning bright, working in that many new faces can lead to some inconsistent play.

The Whips were on the wrong end of three one goal games this year, as they (and frankly most PLL teams in their own words) never really put together that perfect 48 minute game in all phases. It’s not easy to do, but the Whips as an organization have, as part of their identity, always executed well. They play smart, clean lacrosse and win with efficiency. They are a lacrosse/judo hybrid, winning my using their opponents mistakes against them. This year they could do that, but not as consistently as the early PLL years. 

The Whips, despite the ups and downs, entered the last weekend of the PLL season with a playoff scenario available to them, and when they had control over their own destiny, delivered. They played maybe their best game of the year in Boston, winning 15-8 in an extremely well executed game that featured vintage Rob Pannell, and made the playoffs. They would lose in the quarters, however, to Philadelphia, but the Whips young core put plenty of quality play on tape.  

OFFSEASON PLAN:

Coach Jim Stagnitta has done a fine job drafting and making moves to ease the process of getting younger. That’s a project that continues this offseason. The free agent list is one of the shortest in the PLL. The notably absent names are some of the aging attackmen. Rob Pannell and Matt Rambo are both signed through next year. Pannell will be 36 next year. Rambo will be 32. Rambo already was a healthy scratch several times in 2025. Young weapons like Levi Anderson, ROTY finalist Aidan Carroll, and even Brandau are waiting to move to their natural attack positions full time. Even those three creates a log jam with TJ Malone firmly entrenched playing at X. The first decisions that impact the Whips season will be the ones made by Pannell and Rambo. 

Elsewhere, the Whips could use some midfield help. Brandau led all midfielders in total goals and was exceptional in a midfield role, while Brad Smith once again produced and was impactful for the Whips. But even Stagnitta would tell you that wasn’t the plan. Smith and Brandau, top two options, were really expected to be third and fourth options. The Whips had hoped that Tucker Dordevic could return this summer, but it didn’t happen. Ryan Conrad missed the entire summer. Just like that the Whips were down two major midfield threats. The draft has some quality weapons in the midfield that make sense, players like Mikey Weisshaar, Michael Leo, Matt Collison, or even Eric Spanos. 

On the other end of the field, Matt Dunn and Tim Muller stay at a high level but father time is undefeated. Dunn will be 32, Muller will be 31. Ajax Zappitello is already one of the league’s top cover men, but the succession plan for the rest of the defense should start taking shape. That doesn’t necessarily mean more cover men, but great communicators and help defenders will be needed to replace players like Muller and Dunn eventually.