Six former members of the Rutgers men’s lacrosse program have secured spots on National Lacrosse League (NLL) rosters as the 2025 season begins this week. The group includes Connor Kirst with the Las Vegas Desert Dogs, Adam Charalambides with the Vancouver Warriors, Joe Nardella with the Oshawa Firewolves, Brian Cameron with the Philadelphia Wings, and two recent draftees—Matthew Paolatto on the Colorado Mammoth and Dante Kulas on the Firewolves practice roster.
Adam Charalambides was recently recognized as the No. 45 player in the NLL preseason by Inside Lacrosse. Last season, four of these alumni saw action in the league: Charalambides played for Vancouver, Nardella for Albany, Kirst for Las Vegas, and Cameron for Toronto before moving to Philadelphia this year. Paolatto and Kulas are preparing for their first professional games.
The former Scarlet Knights made notable contributions last season. Charalambides recorded 84 points with 30 goals and 54 assists. Cameron had nine goals and 14 assists. Kirst contributed 12 points and served as a team captain, while Nardella led the league in faceoff win percentage at 65%.
Rutgers men’s lacrosse has sent a total of 47 alumni to professional leagues including Major League Lacrosse (MLL), Premier Lacrosse League (PLL), and NLL. Of those, 35 were coached by current head coach Brian Brecht.
Connor Kirst earned All-American honors and was named First Team All-Big Ten in 2021 at Rutgers. Adam Charalambides was a two-time First Team All-Big Ten selection and a 2021 All-American; he ranks second all-time at Rutgers in goals scored (149) and fifth in points (201). Brian Cameron played two seasons at Rutgers from 2022 to 2023, scoring a total of 60 goals with 19 assists. Joe Nardella is a two-time All-American who received Big Ten Specialist of the Year honors as well as First Team All-Big Ten recognition during his collegiate career.
Dante Kulas was drafted by the Firewolves in the third round (38th overall) after playing from 2022 to 2025 at Rutgers, where he appeared in 52 games—starting in 32—and tallied 54 goals along with 30 assists. Matthew Paolatto was also selected in the third round (44th overall) by Colorado following his single season at Rutgers where he served as top faceoff specialist, posting a win rate of nearly sixty percent.
Rutgers continues to maintain its presence within professional lacrosse through its alumni’s participation across multiple leagues.
