At some point, you stop questioning how and just start accepting what is. The Utah Archers are the PLL’s gold standard. Back-to-back titles and a roster that continues to reload instead of rebuild—it’s clear that Coach Chris Bates has built something different. A 6-4 regular season record might’ve made it easy to look past them for a while last year, but as usual, they were right where they needed to be when it mattered most. The Archers beat the Whipsnakes 12-8 in the PLL Championship and left no doubt that 2023 was no fluke.
What separates this group is how complete they are. Third in offense, third in defense, second in goaltending, fourth in faceoffs, and top two in man-up efficiency. That balance doesn’t happen by accident. This is the result of years of smart roster construction, sharp drafting, and a system where every player fits. You don’t just fall into a dynasty. You build it. And right now, the Utah Archers are showing no signs of slowing down.
Fields, O’Keefe, Moore—and Then Some
There may not be a more selfless attack unit in the league than what the Archers run out each weekend. Connor Fields, Mac O’Keefe, and Matt Moore don’t just work together—they thrive off each other. Fields led the team with 32 points, O’Keefe added 24, and Moore chipped in another 10 while playing within the offense. These aren’t players chasing highlights. They make the right play every time. It’s clinical. It’s disciplined. And it’s lethal.
From the midfield, Grant Ament and Tom Schreiber bring an entirely different set of problems for defenses. Ament put up 28 points last season. Schreiber, even while battling injury, added 27. Both can initiate from anywhere, and when they’re dodging on shorties out of the box, it’s a nightmare to cover. Schreiber’s health is something to monitor, but if he’s anywhere close to full speed, there’s not a midfield in the league that can match up clean.
Defense Wins Championships—And Titles Too
The Utah Archers defense doesn’t just stop you. It smothers you. With Brett Dobson in net—coming off a 57.2% save percentage season—this group gives very few second chances. He has legitimate MVP potential and might already be the best goalie in the world. The unit in front of him just makes his job easier.
Graeme Hossack remains the anchor. He sets the tone. He wins matchups. He doesn’t need flash because he wins the hard way—consistently. Mason Woodward was a first-round pick and looked like one from the start. Jon Robbins continues to be one of the most effective LSMs in the league, and the Archers just added Brendan Lavelle and Mitchell Dunham through the draft to keep the depth strong.
What Coach Bates has done defensively is create a system where the poles play fast but never reckless. They recover well. They rotate as one. And they’re never afraid to push in transition. That identity is locked in.
Sisselberger Gives Them the Edge
Possession wins in this league. And when you’ve got Michael Sisselberger winning 58.4 percent of your faceoffs, you’re going to have the ball enough to wear teams down. He brings physicality to the stripe and lets the Archers play make-it-take-it lacrosse. It’s one of the reasons their offense feels inevitable when it gets rolling.
Man-up conversions sit at 43.5 percent—second in the PLL—and that’s a direct result of having the ball, playing patiently, and forcing defenses into mistakes. If there’s a blemish here, it’s man-down, where they finished dead last. At just 44.4 percent, it’s the one spot that could swing a tight playoff game. But when your roster looks like this, you’re rarely in positions where special teams decide outcomes.
Built to Win, Again
The offseason told the full story of how strong this organization is. The Archers lost five players—Aughavin, Williams, DiBenedetto, Morrill, and Van Overbeke—all of whom were good enough to find homes elsewhere and contribute right away. That’s not a sign of weakness. That’s a sign of surplus. There simply wasn’t room to keep everyone.
What Coach Bates continues to do is draft for system fit. Lavelle is another athletic, high-IQ defender. Sam King at 3.2 is the steal of the draft—an Ivy League scorer landing in one of the most efficient offenses in the PLL. Bryce Ford adds midfield depth. And there was no need to chase free agents or trades. This team knows who it is.
The Utah Archers aren’t talking about a title this year. They’re talking about a third. They expect to win, and nothing short of that will satisfy a group that’s spent years building toward sustained greatness. The biggest threat to the Archers this year is themselves. If they stick to the system, trust the roster, and stay healthy, everyone else is playing catch-up.
The dynasty isn’t just alive—it’s growing.
