Kyle Harrison (Lacrosse)

Image of Kyle Harrison (Lacrosse)
Image of Player Kyle Harrison (Lacrosse)

Player Information

Kyle Harrison is an American entrepreneur and retired professional lacrosse player. He now serves as the PLL Director of Player Relations and Diversity Inclusion. He had a seventeen-year career in professional field lacrosse, and played for the US national lacrosse team twice. As a college lacrosse player at Johns Hopkins University, he played at the two-way midfield position and also took face-offs. He was a team captain on the 2005 team that went undefeated (16-0) to win the NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship. The same year, he won the Tewaaraton Men's Player of the Year Award.
Birthdate:
12 March 1983
Full Name:
Kyle Harrison
Birthplace:
Baltimore, Maryland, USA
Nationality:
United States
Gender:
Male
Height (cm):
185
Weight (kg):
93
Parents:
Miles Harrison (Father), Wanda Harrison (Mother)
Partner:
Meredith
Children:
Brooke (Daughter), Smith (Son)
Education:
Friends School of Baltimore (High School), Johns Hopkins University (College)
Career Started:
2005
Notable Achievements:
Brendan Looney Leadership Award (2005, 2006), All Star (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2014, 2017, 2019, 2021), Tewaaraton Award National Player of the Year (2005)
Draft Year:
2005
Drafted By:
New Jersey Pride
Previous Teams:
New Jersey Pride (From 2005, To 2007), Los Angeles Riptide (From 2007, To 2009), Denver Outlaws (From 2009, To 2010), Ohio Machine (From 2014, To 2018), Redwoods L.C. (From 2019, To 2021)
Player Active:
From - 2005, To - 2021
Sponsors:
STX, Nike, Beats Electronics

Kyle Harrison Bio

Kyle Harrison is an American entrepreneur and retired professional lacrosse player. He now serves as the Premier Lacrosse League Director of Player Relations and Diversity Inclusion. He had a seventeen-year career in professional field lacrosse and played for the United States national lacrosse team twice. As a college lacrosse player at Johns Hopkins University, he played at the two-way midfield position and also took face-offs. He was a team captain on the 2005 team that went undefeated (16-0) to win the NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship. The same year, he won the Tewaaraton Men’s Player of the Year Award.

Early Life and Background

Kyle Harrison was born on March 12, 1983, in Baltimore, Maryland. He is the son of Miles and Wanda Harrison. Growing up in Baltimore, he started playing lacrosse at the age of three. His father, Miles Harrison, a third-generation legacy physician, played college lacrosse at Morgan State University, the first historically black college and university (HBCU) to field a lacrosse team in the NCAA. Kyle’s grandfather was a Major in the Army. Although influenced by his father’s legacy, Kyle was never pressured to play lacrosse. He attended the Friends School of Baltimore, where he graduated in 2001.

Path to Lacrosse

At Friends School, Kyle Harrison excelled as a tri-athlete, competing in soccer, basketball, and lacrosse. He won multiple MIAA titles and earned all-conference honors in all three sports. In lacrosse, he led his team to three consecutive MIAA B-Conference Championships and earned All-America, All-Metro, and All-State honors. After a standout high school career, he was recruited to play NCAA Division I lacrosse for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays.

Kyle Harrison Career

Early Career (2002–2005)

Kyle Harrison played for the Johns Hopkins Blue Jays men’s lacrosse team from 2002 to 2005. He was a Writing Seminars major and became one of the most decorated players in the program’s history. In his freshman year, he started all 14 games and was the team’s number one faceoff man. He earned USILA Second Team All-American honors in his sophomore year and was a finalist for the Tewaaraton Award. By his senior year, he led the team as co-captain to an undefeated season, culminating in winning the 2005 NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship. He was awarded the Tewaaraton Award, becoming the first minority to receive it.

Breakthrough (2005–2021)

After a successful college career, Kyle Harrison was drafted first overall by the New Jersey Pride in the 2005 MLL draft. He played for the Pride until 2007, making an immediate impact as a midfielder. He was selected for the MLL All-Star Game in 2005 and 2006. Following his time with the Pride, he played for the Los Angeles Riptide, Denver Outlaws, and Ohio Machine, where he was named the season MVP in 2014 and led the team to a championship in 2017. From 2019 to 2021, he served as a captain for the Redwoods Lacrosse Club in the Premier Lacrosse League.

Notable Works and Milestones

Kyle Harrison is widely regarded as one of the greatest lacrosse players of all time. He is known for pioneering the jumpshot and popularizing the fake-and-split dodge. He has been a nine-time All-Star and a twelve-time team captain throughout his career. In 2023, he was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, and in 2025, he will be inducted into the Professional Lacrosse Hall of Fame.

Kyle Harrison Award Nominations

Throughout his career, Kyle Harrison has received numerous nominations, including being a finalist for the Tewaaraton Award multiple times during his college career and earning All-American honors.

Kyle Harrison Awards Won

Kyle Harrison has won several prestigious awards, including the Tewaaraton Award in 2005, the Brendan Looney Leadership Award in both 2019 and 2021, and multiple All-Star selections in both MLL and PLL.

Kyle Harrison Family

Kyle Harrison is married to Meredith, and they have two children together, a daughter named Brooke and a son named Smith.

Personal Life

Kyle Harrison has been a distinguished role model for the next generation of lacrosse players, particularly within the African-American community. In July 2020, he co-founded the Black Lacrosse Alliance, which aims to promote inclusivity in the sport and inspire a more diverse generation of lacrosse players.