Nat St Laurent has stepped down as the Head Coach and General Manager of the California Redwoods, effective immediately, the Premier Lacrosse League announced. Joe Spallina has been named the new GM of the Redwoods, and Spallina will launch the search for a new head coach immediately.
For the second time this offseason, the PLL has separated the role of head coach and GM, previously hiring Spencer Ford and Roy Colsey as GM and head coach, respectively, for the Carolina Chaos. The move signals that the separation of the two roles will be the norm for the league going forward.
St Laurent served as the head coach of the Redwoods from the launch of the Premier Lacrosse League. In that time the Redwoods made the postseason six times, including trips to the PLL title game in 2019, the semifinals in 2020 and 2023, and the quarterfinals in 2021 and 2022.
However in 2024, the Redwoods had their worst season on record, finishing 3-7, a year after they finished top four and qualified for the Championship Series. They had the second lowest scoring offense in the league and a league worst score differential.
Spallina is currently the head coach of the Stony Brook University women’s lacrosse team. As a men’s pro lacrosse coach and leader, his resume is extensive. He served as the head coach and GM of the New York Lizards. He was named MLL Coach of the Year in his first year as head coach in 2012. In his time as head coach with the Lizards, the team finished under .500 once, made the semifinals five times in seven years, and won the MLL title in 2015. As GM, his first round draft selections include Joe Fletcher, Luke Duprey, Rob Pannell, and Joel Tinney. He coached Greg Gurenlian and Rob Pannell in MVP seasons.
The moves made so far this offseason were made by St Laurent before stepping down. Spallina will steer the club through the coaching search and the remainder of free agency, as well as the upcoming PLL draft. Spallina will hire the new head coach, which will be a collaborative process between him and the league office. A new offensive coordinator also needs to be hired, following the resignation of John Grant Jr.
Official statement form the PLL:
Nat St. Laurent Resigns as California Redwoods Head Coach, Premier Lacrosse League Names Joe Spallina General Manager
LOS ANGELES – March 11, 2025 – The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) powered by Ticketmaster today announced Nat St. Laurent has resigned as Head Coach of the California Redwoods. The PLL has named Joe Spallina the next General Manager of the organization, and the league has initiated a search for the team’s next Head Coach.
PLL Co-Founder and President Paul Rabil and California Redwoods General Manager Joe Spallina released the following statements:
“Since 2019, Coach Nat St. Laurent has built an incredible culture within the Redwoods organization—one that has resonated deeply with players and fans alike, now extending to California. We’re grateful for his leadership, dedication, and lasting impact on one of the PLL’s original teams,” said Paul Rabil, co-founder and President of the PLL. “With decades of experience coaching and building championship-winning professional lacrosse teams, Joe Spallina is a proven General Manager that can lead the California Redwoods forward.”
“I’m extremely honored to be named the general manager of the California Redwoods. Since stepping off the sideline as a head coach and general manager in the MLL, I’ve long admired the path the PLL has blazed for professional lacrosse,” said Joe Spallina, General Manager of the California Redwoods. “My goal is to turn the Redwoods into the premier destination in the PLL through strong draft strategy and player signings, adding to an already extremely talented roster. Brick by brick, a championship quality roster is on its way for Redwoods fans.”
As General Manager, Spallina will oversee team roster management, including scouting, draft selection, player contracts, and acquisitions. Accomplished at the professional, international, and collegiate level, Spallina brings 20 years of experience to the Redwoods organization. As Head Coach and General Manager of the New York Lizards, Spallina built championship caliber rosters, winning the MLL title in 2015, and Coach of the Year honors in 2012. Spallina is also the winningest coach in program history at Stony Brook, leading the women’s lacrosse program to 11 consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances and 10 conference titles.
The California Redwoods’ 2025 season will kick off May 30 in Albany, NY when they face the Denver Outlaws. The Redwoods will return to Torero Stadium for their 2025 homecoming weekend June 27-28. To view the Redwoods schedule and purchase tickets, visit www.premierlacrosseleague.com/schedule.
About the Premier Lacrosse League
The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) powered by Ticketmaster is a men’s professional lacrosse league in North America, composed of eight teams rostered by the best players in the world. Co-founded by lacrosse superstar, philanthropist, and investor Paul Rabil and his brother, serial entrepreneur and investor, Mike Rabil, the PLL is backed by an investment group composed of Joe Tsai Sports, The Chernin Group, Arctos, Brett Jefferson Holdings, The Raine Group, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), The Kraft Group, Bolt Capital and other top investors in sports and media. The PLL is distributed through an exclusive media rights agreement with ABC, ESPN, ESPN2, and ESPN+. The PLL was named 2023 Best Place to Work in Sports, and 2020 Sports Breakthrough by the Sports Business Journal, and recognized as a 2021 Best Employer in Sports by Front Office Sports. For more on the league, visit www.premierlacrosseleague.com and follow on social media: Instagram (@PLL), Twitter (@PremierLacrosse), Facebook (@PremierLacrosseLeague), YouTube (YouTube.com/PLL) and TikTok (@pll).