WHEREAS, The Waterdogs are a professional men's field lacrosse team in the Premier Lacrosse League, founded in 2020 as a part of the PLL’s expansion. Their home city became Philadelphia in 2024 following the PLL assigning each team a home market; and
WHEREAS, On Sunday, September 20th, 2026, they beat the Denver Outlaws 14-4 at Sports Illustrated Stadium in Harrison, New Jersey. It is the second championship in team history, following their first in 2022. During the 2026 Championship season, the Waterdogs finished 9-3, the best score in the league, and earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference; and
WHEREAS, The Waterdogs are led by head coach Bill Tierney, a National Lacrosse Hall of Fame coach who won seven NCAA Division I national championships at Princeton and Denver. The 2026 title is his first in the PLL and his eighth championship as a head coach; and
WHEREAS, This year’s team included many talented players, like CJ Kirst (2026 PLL MVP and Championship MVP), Michael Sowers (2026 PLL Attackman of the Year), Sean Byrne (goalie who had 11 saves in the championship, best mark in a PLL title game), Gavin Adler (first player to win back-to-back championships on two different teams), and Kieran McArdle (team captain and a member of the team during both championships); and
WHEREAS, Alongside their athletic accomplishments, the Waterdogs
balance lacrosse with full-time jobs and only practice together on the weekends before a game, showing deep personal commitment and passion to the sport
; now, THEREFORE, BE IT,
RESOLVED, THAT THE CITY COUNCIL OF PHILADELPHIA Does hereby honor the Philadelphia Waterdogs, their coaches, and their staff for their 2026 Premier Lacrosse League championship.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That an engrossed copy of this resolution will be presented to the Philadelphia Waterdogs as a sincere expression of the City Council of Philadelphia’s gratitude and admiration.
End