Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly Bio
Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly (born November 21, 1994) is an American professional lacrosse player who currently plays for the Cannons Lacrosse Club of the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). Listed at 5 feet 11 inches and 185 pounds, he competes as a midfielder and face-off specialist, a dual role that has defined his reputation across collegiate and professional competition. Kelly is widely recognized for scoring the first goal in PLL history during the league’s opening game in 2019, a moment that placed him at the center of the league’s launch story. He was also selected for the 2021 PLL All Star Game held in San Jose, California.
Early Life and Background
Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly was born at the Greater Baltimore Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, and raised in Lutherville, Maryland. He is the son of Frank Kelly III and Gayle Kelly, and he grew up alongside three siblings. He began playing lacrosse at age six through the Lutherville-Timonium Rec Council and quickly developed a passion for the sport. As a youth, he also played for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes National Team, helping the squad win the 2009 US Lacrosse U15 National Championship and earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team.
Kelly continued his development at Calvert Hall College High School, where he was a four-year letterman in lacrosse and a two-time high school All-American. As a senior, he served as team captain and led the program to an MIAA championship in 2012. Beyond lacrosse, Kelly was a three-year starter and captain on the Calvert Hall football team, helping the program capture its first football championship in 28 years while earning first-team All-MIAA honors as a running back and All-State recognition as a defensive back in 2012. He was also the youngest member of the 2012 USA Under-19 Lacrosse Team, which won gold at the FIL World Championship in Turku, Finland.
Path to Professional Lacrosse
Kelly attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 2014 to 2017, where he played college lacrosse as a four-year starter at the face-off X and was named team captain his senior year. He earned the Holmes Harden Sr. Memorial Award all four seasons for leading the team in ground balls and was recognized as a two-time All-American. In 2016, Kelly was named co-MVP of the National Championship squad and received the Turnbull Trophy, cementing his status as one of the nation’s elite face-off specialists.
In 2017, he captained the Tar Heels to an ACC Championship, finishing his college career ranked second in all-time face-off wins with 718 and third in all-time ground balls with 378 at UNC. That spring, he was selected 48th overall in the 2017 Major League Lacrosse (MLL) Draft by the Chesapeake Bayhawks, making him one of six UNC players chosen that year and launching his professional career.
Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly Career
Early Career with the Chesapeake Bayhawks (2017–2019)
Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly began his professional career with the Chesapeake Bayhawks in 2017 after being drafted in the sixth round of the MLL Draft. As a rookie midfielder and face-off specialist, he quickly became a reliable presence in the middle of the field and contributed to the Bayhawks’ playoff run that season. His development was steady, with face-off duties and midfield minutes becoming a regular part of his role.
In 2018, Kelly was selected to the MLL All-Star Team, where he helped lead the league squad to an overtime victory over Team USA. The performance validated his reputation as a top-tier face-off competitor and positioned him as one of the rising specialists in the professional game.
Premier Lacrosse League Breakthrough with the Archers (2019–2021)
When the PLL announced its six-team inaugural roster on March 4, 2019, Kelly was named to the Archers LC as a face-off specialist. He made an immediate impact on the league’s opening day at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on June 1, 2019, winning the first face-off, scooping the first ground ball, and scoring the first goal in PLL history just eleven seconds into the contest against Chrome Lacrosse Club. By July 2019, he ranked third in league history for ground balls, establishing himself as one of the PLL’s foundational players.
Kelly continued to be a stabilizing force for the Archers through 2021, when he was selected to represent the team at the PLL All-Star Game in San Jose, California. His work at the face-off X and his ability to generate possessions made him a central piece of the Archers’ midfield rotation during the league’s first three seasons.
Cannons Lacrosse Club Era (2021–Present)
In 2021, Kelly was traded to the Cannons Lacrosse Club along with the Archers’ third-round pick in the 2022 PLL College Draft in exchange for the Cannons’ third- and fourth-round picks in the same draft. The move gave him a fresh opportunity to anchor a new midfield unit, and he has since been a regular contributor on face-offs and in transition.
With the Cannons, Kelly has maintained his identity as a high-volume ground ball collector and possession winner, continuing to play the dual midfielder and face-off specialist role that has defined his career. He remains active in the PLL and continues to be viewed as a veteran presence in the middle of the field.
Driving Style and Strengths
Kelly’s game is built around face-off technique, quick hands, and relentless ground ball pursuit. His ability to consistently win the opening clamp and clear the area gives his team immediate possession advantage, while his left-handed shot and midfield instincts allow him to contribute offensively in transition. His strengths pair especially well with teams that prioritize tempo and possession, and his consistent production on the X has been a defining trait throughout his professional career.
Notable Events and Milestones
Kelly’s signature moment came on June 1, 2019, when he scored the first goal in PLL history at Gillette Stadium. He has also earned an MLL All-Star selection in 2018, an NCAA National Championship MVP award in 2016, and an ACC Championship in 2017, marking him as a winner at every level of the sport.
Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly Career Wins
Across his collegiate and professional career, Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly has built a résumé that includes a USA Under-19 gold medal, an MIAA high school championship, an NCAA National Championship MVP award, an ACC Championship, and an MLL All-Star Game victory. In the PLL, he has been a regular contributor since the league’s first season and has been selected for the PLL All Star Game.
League Highlights
Kelly was selected to the 2018 MLL All-Star Team, where he played a key role in the league’s overtime victory over Team USA. In the PLL, he was chosen for the 2021 PLL All Star Game in San Jose, California, and he holds the distinction of having scored the first goal in league history in 2019.
Other Wins and Performances
Kelly won gold with the 2012 USA Under-19 Lacrosse Team at the FIL World Championship in Turku, Finland, and was part of the 2009 US Lacrosse U15 National Championship team. He also helped Calvert Hall win an MIAA championship in 2012 and contributed to the program’s first football championship in 28 years that same year.
Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly was raised in Lutherville, Maryland, by his father, Frank Kelly III, and his mother, Gayle Kelly. He grew up alongside three siblings, including his brother, Frankie Kelly, with whom he co-owns K-2 Lacrosse Training.
Personal Life
Kelly graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with a degree in business administration. He currently resides in Atlanta, Georgia, where he works as a Director of Corporate Development at OneDigital Health and Benefits. Outside of lacrosse, he enjoys golf, tennis, and hiking. He married Caroline Dilli in 2021.
2025 Season Performance
Entering the 2025 PLL season, Stephen Patrick DeMaine Kelly remains with the Cannons Lacrosse Club, where he continues to handle primary face-off duties and contribute in the midfield. As a veteran presence on a competitive Cannons roster, his role in generating possessions and cleaning up ground balls remains central to the team’s weekly game plan.
Kelly’s 2025 outlook is shaped by his consistency at the face-off X and his experience as a former PLL All-Star. With the league continuing to expand its schedule and visibility, his production on the draw and in transition will likely be a key factor in the Cannons’ push toward the postseason. Fans and analysts will be watching to see whether he can build on his legacy as the scorer of the first goal in PLL history while helping his team compete for a championship.