Jerry Ragonese Bio
Jerry Ragonese (born August 21, 1986) is an American professional lacrosse player who currently competes for the Chaos Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League. A faceoff specialist, he has built his career around winning possessions and giving his offenses extra opportunities to score. Beyond the field, Ragonese is a co-founder of the Faceoff Academy, a coaching venture, and of Pro Athletics, a Los Angeles-based uniform and apparel manufacturer serving the lacrosse community.
Early Life and Background
Jerry Ragonese was born on August 21, 1986, in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, where he grew up and developed his early interest in lacrosse. He attended Governor Livingston High School, competing locally before reaching the collegiate level. Standing 5 feet 10 inches tall and competing at around 200 pounds, he has the compact, powerful build typical of elite faceoff specialists.
After finishing high school, Ragonese continued his education and athletic career at the Rochester Institute of Technology, where he played for the RIT Tigers. His time at RIT helped him refine the technique and strength required to win draws at a high level and prepared him for a professional career that began in 2011.
Path to Lacrosse
Ragonese entered the professional ranks in 2011 with the Rochester Rattlers of Major League Lacrosse, the top outdoor league in North America at the time. His early professional years gave him experience against veteran midfielders and established faceoff opponents, allowing him to sharpen his wing play and ground ball work.
He later joined the Charlotte Hounds and the New York Lizards, two of the league’s most recognizable franchises, continuing to build his reputation as a reliable specialist. When Major League Lacrosse merged its operations with the Premier Lacrosse League in 2020, Ragonese transitioned to the PLL and was listed with the Redwoods Lacrosse Club.
Jerry Ragonese Career
Early Career (2011–2015)
Ragonese began his professional career with the Rochester Rattlers in 2011, breaking into Major League Lacrosse as a faceoff specialist. His role with the Rattlers was to give his team extra possessions, and he quickly established himself as a dependable option at the X.
His development during these early seasons allowed him to move between MLL franchises, gaining exposure to different offensive systems and coaching staffs. This period of adjustment helped him build the consistency that would define his later career.
Major League Lacrosse Breakthrough (2016–2019)
Continuing with the Charlotte Hounds and then the New York Lizards, Ragonese took on larger responsibilities as his faceoff percentage improved. He became known for his quick hands, low stance, and ability to dictate the tempo of possessions.
His work at the faceoff dot gave his offenses shorter fields and more settled opportunities, and he earned a reputation as one of the more reliable specialists in the league.
Premier Lacrosse League Era (2019–Present)
After the formation of the Premier Lacrosse League, Ragonese was listed with the Redwoods Lacrosse Club before moving to the Chaos Lacrosse Club, where he continues to compete. The PLL’s tour-based format and condensed schedule placed a premium on specialists who could consistently win draws, a role Ragonese has continued to fill.
He remains active in the league, contributing faceoff wins and ground balls while mentoring younger specialists entering the league.
Driving Style and Strengths
As a faceoff specialist, Ragonese relies on quick hands, a low center of gravity, and precise clamp technique. His strengths include reading the referee’s whistle, adapting to opposing specialists’ preferences, and cleanly exiting the wing to secure ground balls for his offense.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among Ragonese’s career milestones are his debut in Major League Lacrosse in 2011, his progression through several MLL franchises including the Rochester Rattlers, Charlotte Hounds, and New York Lizards, and his transition to the Premier Lacrosse League with the Redwoods Lacrosse Club and later the Chaos Lacrosse Club.
Jerry Ragonese Career Wins
Ragonese’s professional value is measured primarily in faceoff wins, ground balls, and team success rather than goal-scoring totals. Across stints with the Rochester Rattlers, Charlotte Hounds, New York Lizards, Redwoods Lacrosse Club, and Chaos Lacrosse Club, he has served as a possession-winning specialist whose work at the X has shaped his teams’ offensive identity.
Premier Lacrosse League Highlights
In the PLL, Ragonese has been listed with the Redwoods Lacrosse Club and the Chaos Lacrosse Club. His responsibilities at the faceoff dot have continued to provide his offenses with valuable extra possessions during league play.
Other Wins and Performances
Outside of league play, Ragonese co-founded the Faceoff Academy, a training business focused on developing faceoff specialists, and Pro Athletics, a Los Angeles-based lacrosse uniform and apparel manufacturer. Both ventures reflect his standing within the sport and his commitment to growing the game at the grassroots level.
Jerry Ragonese Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Ragonese grew up in Berkeley Heights, New Jersey, a community with a strong youth lacrosse tradition that helped shape his early development as a faceoff specialist.
Personal Life
Ragonese maintains ties to both the East Coast, where he was raised and played collegiately at the Rochester Institute of Technology, and the West Coast, where Pro Athletics is based in Los Angeles. He continues to be active in the lacrosse community through his playing career and his business ventures.
2025 Season Performance
Heading into the 2025 season, Ragonese remains with the Chaos Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League, where he is expected to continue his role as a primary faceoff specialist. His experience and consistency at the X remain valuable assets for the team’s midfield and defensive units.
The PLL’s competitive landscape in 2025 features established contenders and rising challengers, making faceoff efficiency a critical factor in close games. Ragonese’s veteran presence helps stabilize the Chaos in tight matchups.
With his track record of adaptability and his off-field ventures through the Faceoff Academy and Pro Athletics, Ragonese enters 2025 as both a contributor on the field and an entrepreneur influencing the broader lacrosse community.