Hempstead, NY - The Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) announced the inaugural Pro Lacrosse Hall of Fame class Tuesday afternoon, and Hofstra men's lacrosse legend Nicky Polanco among the 11 named to the first class of the Pro Lacrosse Hall of Fame.
 

2004 and 2005 Defensive Player of the Year Nicky Polanco sits at #10 all time for groundballs. He won a Championship with the '04 Philadelphia Barrage before winning back to back titles in Chesapeake. pic.twitter.com/2oTbQ7b7jy

— Premier Lacrosse League (@PremierLacrosse) February 15, 2022

Players are eligible for the Pro Lacrosse Hall of Fame if they had a minimum five-year playing career in the PLL and/or Major League Lacrosse (MLL), retired from professional play for at least three years, and must be nominated by a member of the Hall of Fame Committee while receiving a 75-percent majority vote of approval for election.

A 2002 graduate of Hofstra, Polanco was a two-year letterwinner on defense for the Pride in 2001 and 2002. He was named a USILA All-America honorable mention as a junior before earning All-America first team honors his senior season. Polanco was named All-CAA Second Team after recording one goal, three assists, and 70 ground balls in 2001, and he was named CAA Defensive Player of the Year and Player of the Year in 2002 as a senior after tallying two goals, three assists and 73 ground balls.

The fourth-overall pick of the 2002 MLL Collegiate Draft by the Bridgeport Barrage, Polanco enjoyed a stellar nine-year professional career where he won MLL titles in 2004 with the Philadelphia Barrage, and 2012 and 2013 with the Chesapeake Bayhawks, and he was named the MLL Defensive Player of the Year in 2004 and again in 2005. He also suited up for the hometown Long Island Lizards from 2005-2011, and played the final four games of his career in 2015 with the New York Lizards. After his final MLL season in 2015, Polanco ranks 10th all-time in ground balls with 480.

Inducted into the Long Island Metropolitan Lacrosse Foundation Hall of Fame in 2015, Polanco joins a star-studded inaugural class for the Pro Lacrosse Hall of Fame. His fellow inductees include Mark Millon, Casey Powell and John Grant Jr. at attack, Jay Jalbert, Gary Gait and Matt Striebel at midfield, John Gagliardi and Pat McCabe at defense, Paul Cantabene at face-off, and Brian Dougherty in goal.