NLL Connections Take Centre Stage At The Baggataway Cup
By Gary Groob
The road to the Baggataway Cup will bring some familiar names to National Lacrosse League fans as six teams gather in Ottawa November 12–14. Across the Guelph Gryphons, Ottawa Gee-Gees, Western Mustangs and Nipissing Lakers, players with NLL connections will be looking to help their university teams bring home a championship.
From first-round selections to players drafted just this September, the field offers another look at the talent competing in the Canadian University Field Lacrosse Association.
While many of CUFLA's eligibility rules align with those of the OUA, CUFLA is different in that its players are allowed to compete in professional lacrosse while continuing their education at a Canadian university.
Guelph brings a pair of NLL connections in Nicholas Volkov and Ethan Lee. Volkov was selected by the Albany FireWolves in the first round, 14th overall, in 2023 and is now with the Calgary Roughnecks. Calgary acquired him in September’s dispersal draft and subsequently signed him to a two-year agreement. Lee was selected by the Halifax Thunderbirds in the third round, 45th overall, in 2025 and signed a three-year contract with the club this September.
The Gryphons enter the tournament following a convincing 22–4 qualifying victory over Toronto. They will open against Trent at 5 PM on November 12, looking to carry that momentum into championship weekend.
The host Ottawa Gee-Gees feature Julien Belair, Ben Kromer and Owen Wills. Belair was selected by the Saskatchewan Rush in the second round, 22nd overall, in 2025 and signed a three-year agreement this September. Kromer was taken by the Philadelphia Wings in the third round, 40th overall, in the same draft. He now joins Volkov in the Calgary organization after being selected in the dispersal draft and signing a two-year agreement.
Wills is among the newest NLL draft selections heading to the tournament. The San Diego Seals selected him in the fifth round, 56th overall, in September’s 2026 Entry Draft and signed him to a three-year agreement. Ottawa begins its pursuit of the Cup against Nipissing at 8 PM on November 12.
Western’s Troy MacDonald also heard his name called in this year’s draft, going to the Toronto Rock in the fifth round, 63rd overall. The Rock signed him to a three-year agreement in October. MacDonald and the Mustangs advanced with a 9–3 victory over McMaster and will begin their Baggataway Cup weekend in the November 13 semifinal at 8 PM.
In goal, Nipissing’s Connor O’Toole brings a connection to the Vancouver Warriors. Selected in the first round, 18th overall, in 2023, O’Toole signed another one-year agreement with Vancouver in July. He will look to help the Lakers get past the host Gee-Gees in their opening matchup.
With McGill and Trent completing the six-team field, the Baggataway Cup will put university pride and a championship on the line. For NLL fans, it is also an opportunity to follow players connected to their clubs as they compete for one of Canadian university lacrosse’s biggest prizes.
