Kyle Harrison Bio
Kyle Harrison is an American entrepreneur and retired professional lacrosse player. Over a seventeen-year career in professional field lacrosse, he became one of the most decorated midfielders in the sport’s history. He played for the United States national lacrosse team twice and now serves as the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) Director of Player Relations and Diversity Inclusion. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Harrison was born on March 12, 1983, in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the son of Miles Harrison and Wanda Harrison. He grew up in Baltimore and started playing lacrosse at age three, influenced by his father, Miles, who played college lacrosse at Morgan State University, the first historically Black college or university to field a lacrosse team in the NCAA. His grandfather served as a Major in the Army.
Kyle enrolled at the Friends School of Baltimore, where he graduated in 2001. He wore the number 18 throughout his career, a tribute to his father’s playing days. Growing up, his favorite athlete was Michael Jordan. He attended the school alongside his lifelong friend Benson Erwin, with whom he would later win championships at both the high school and collegiate levels.
Path to Lacrosse
At the Friends School of Baltimore, Harrison was a standout tri-athlete, competing in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse within the Maryland Interscholastic Athletic Association (MIAA). He won one MIAA soccer title, two MIAA basketball titles, and three consecutive MIAA B-Conference lacrosse championships in 1997, 1998, and 1999. In his senior year of high school, he totaled 52 points, including 24 goals and 28 assists, while scooping more than 100 ground balls.
After performing well at recruiting camps, Harrison was recruited to play NCAA Division I lacrosse for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays. He also received sponsorship interest even before graduating, laying the foundation for his long-term partnership with STX and Nike that began in 2005.
Kyle Harrison Career
Early Career (2002–2005)
Harrison played Division I men’s lacrosse from 2002 to 2005 for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays under Coach Dave Pietramala. During his freshman year, he started all 14 games on the first midfield line, winning 120 of 190 faceoffs and scooping 85 ground balls. He helped Hopkins upset defending national champion Princeton 8–5 in the season opener.
Over his four college seasons, he became one of the most decorated players in Johns Hopkins lacrosse history. He was a three-time USILA All-American, a two-time McLaughlin Award National Midfielder of the Year, and the 2005 Tewaaraton Award National Player of the Year. He also led the team in faceoff wins and ground balls, finishing his career with 126 points and 304 ground balls.
NCAA Championship Season (2005)
In his senior season, Harrison served as co-captain and led Johns Hopkins to a perfect 16–0 record and the 2005 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship. He totaled 44 points with 24 goals and 20 assists. He became the first minority to receive the Tewaaraton Award and won the McLaughlin Award for the second time.
That year, the New York Times described Harrison as lacrosse’s most prominent African-American star since Jim Brown earned first-team All-American honors at Syracuse in 1957. He played alongside freshman Paul Rabil, who would later win the 2007 NCAA championship and McLaughlin Award. Harrison’s senior season established him as the face of college lacrosse.
MLL Era (2005–2009)
Harrison was the first overall pick in the 2005 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Draft by the New Jersey Pride. He played in the MLL All-Star Game in 2005 and 2006, and represented the United States at the 2006 World Lacrosse Championship, where the team finished as runner-up to Canada.
After the 2007 season, he was traded to the Los Angeles Riptide, where he played in the 2008 MLL All-Star Game and helped the Riptide return to the postseason as the third seed. In 2009, he joined the Denver Outlaws before stepping away from the MLL later that year.
Ohio Machine and PLL Redwoods (2014–2021)
After co-founding the LXM Pro Tour in late 2009 as an alternative professional league, Harrison returned to the MLL in 2014 with the Ohio Machine. He was named the team’s season MVP in 2014 and led the Ohio Machine to a championship in 2017.
From 2019 to 2021, Harrison served as a captain for the Redwoods Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League. He earned the PLL Brendan Looney Leadership Award in 2019 and 2021 and was selected as a PLL All-Star in both of those seasons. He retired in 2021 after his final season with the Redwoods.
Driving Style and Strengths
Harrison is credited with pioneering the lacrosse jumpshot, his signature move, which adapts the basketball jumpshot to the sport. He is also credited with popularizing the fake-and-split dodge, also known as the hitch-and-split dodge, which originated as an adaptation of the Allen Iverson crossover. He was renowned for his athleticism, explosiveness, shooting on the run, and versatility as a two-way midfielder.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature accomplishments, Harrison won the 2017 MLL championship with the Ohio Machine, led Johns Hopkins to an undefeated 16–0 season in 2005, and represented the United States in two World Lacrosse Championship finals. He was inducted into the Johns Hopkins University Athletics Hall of Fame in 2016, the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2023, and the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2025.
Kyle Harrison Career Wins
Kyle Harrison amassed a remarkable collection of championships, awards, and All-Star selections across high school, college, and professional lacrosse. His seven MLL All-Star selections and two PLL All-Star nods highlight his sustained excellence throughout his seventeen-year professional career.
Major League Lacrosse and PLL Highlights
Harrison was a seven-time MLL All-Star and a two-time PLL All-Star with the Redwoods Lacrosse Club. His most significant professional victory came in 2017 when he led the Ohio Machine to the MLL championship. He also helped the Los Angeles Riptide reach the postseason in 2008 as a third seed.
He earned the PLL Brendan Looney Leadership Award in 2019 and 2021, recognizing his impact as captain of the Redwoods. He served as a twelve-time team captain across his professional career, underscoring his leadership and longevity in the sport.
Other Wins and Performances
At the high school level, Harrison won three consecutive MIAA B-Conference lacrosse championships with the Friends School of Baltimore. In college, he captained the undefeated 2005 Johns Hopkins team that won the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship. With the United States national team, he reached the World Lacrosse Championship final in both 2006 and 2014, finishing as runner-up to Canada in both tournaments.
Kyle Harrison Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Kyle Harrison is the son of Miles Harrison and Wanda Harrison. His father, Miles, is a third-generation legacy physician who played college lacrosse at Morgan State University. Kyle’s grandfather served as a Major in the Army, instilling a tradition of service and discipline in the family.
Personal Life
Kyle Harrison lives with his wife, Meredith. Together, they have two children, a daughter named Brooke and a son named Smith. He co-founded the Black Lacrosse Alliance in July 2020 to promote inclusivity and inspire a more diverse generation of lacrosse players. He has also maintained long-term sponsorship partnerships with STX, Nike, and Beats Electronics.
2025 Season Performance
Although Kyle Harrison retired from professional lacrosse in 2021, his presence in the sport continues through his role as PLL Director of Player Relations and Diversity Inclusion. In 2025, he was inducted into the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame, cementing his legacy as one of the most influential figures in modern lacrosse. He also continues to mentor young players and expand his entrepreneurial ventures.
Harrison’s post-playing contributions include advocacy through the Black Lacrosse Alliance, which he co-founded in 2020 to push the culture of lacrosse forward. His sustained involvement in the PLL and ongoing sponsorship work with STX reflect his lasting impact on the professional game.
As a Hall of Famer, retired player, and league executive, Kyle Harrison remains an active voice in shaping the future of lacrosse. His career totals, including 126 collegiate points and a 61.1 percent career faceoff win rate at Johns Hopkins, stand among the best in the sport’s history.