By: Scott Eddy, Assistant Athletics Director for Strategic Communications
ST. BONAVENTURE, N.Y. – Three St. Bonaventure men's lacrosse products heard their names called in Saturday's National Lacrosse League Draft as Kyle Pepper was selected in the first round by the Calgary Roughnecks, Aiden MacDonell was picked in the second round by the Georgia Swarm and Kaden Brennan went in the fourth round to the Philadelphia Wings.
After going off the board at No. 11 in Saturday's first round, Pepper matches the highest NLL Draft selection in St. Bonaventure men's lacrosse program history along with Brett Dobson who went 11th overall to Georgia in the 2022 draft. Since, Dobson has become one of the top goalies in the league.
Pepper is also the top Atlantic 10 player selected in this year's draft and one of two A-10 products to be picked in the first round along with Levi Verch of Saint Joseph's.
A four-year member of the Bonnies program, Pepper ranks seventh in school history with 48 total points and ninth in career goals with 25 tallies. His 23 helpers stand sixth since the program joined the Division I ranks in 2019. The Victoria, British Columbia product had a career year this past season as a senior, recording 25 points from his midfield position (10G-15A). He is slotted to play transition at the next level.
Bona has now had three NLL first round picks since 2022 – Dobson, Pepper and Zack Belter also in 2022. Belter has won back-to-back league titles with the Buffalo Bandits.
MacDonell joins his former Bonaventure teammate Dobson in Georgia where he again will block shots for one of the game's best in the cage.
The Toronto native has served as a defensive stalwart for the Bonnies over the past four years, ranking eighth in school history in caused turnovers (20) despite seeing an injury cut his senior season to just three games.
Brennan becomes the first Bonaventure player to be drafted by Philadelphia after spending three years with the Bonnies and seeing action in 41 contests. He'll join transition with the Wings after tallying three points, 10 groundballs and four caused turnovers this past season.
In all, the Bonnies have registered 12 NLL Draft selections – all since 2021 when Daire Newbrough became the program's first pro draft pick, going to Calgary in the fifth round that year.
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