Annapolis Native Woodall Returns To Hometown For All-Stars Game

ANNAPOLIS, MD — Lacrosse fans can catch the Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game Saturday, July 27, at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in Annapolis and watch Annapolis native Alex Woodall in action. The MLL All-Star Game returns to Maryland for the first time since 2002 and will be hosted by the Chesapeake Bayhawks, one of MLL’s original franchises.

Woodall spoke with Patch about the upcoming all-stars game and how excited he is to be back in front of his hometown crowd.

"It’s just an honor to be a part of any all star game at the professional level. It’s nice to have a break from the regular season to compete with guys from all over the league. I couldn’t be more excited about the venue that it’s being played in with the game being held in Annapolis. I’m really looking forward to it," Woodall told Patch. "I used to practice at Navy Stadium for the Annapolis Hawks and Coach Cottle. I always wished that I could get the chance to play in that stadium at a higher level. I never got that chance in college but now, it will be my third time in one summer playing there. It means a lot because I also grew up going to every Bayhawks game up until last summer. Having my family and friends in the area makes it so exciting. Annapolis is a great place for lacrosse and I’m so excited to have family and friends there to watch the all-star game. It’s just awesome to play in a venue where I have so many great memories."

The Maryland native grew up watching his older sister play lacrosse and eventually picked up one of her girl's sticks. He was hooked, he told Patch.

"She inspired me to play. I come from an area where lacrosse is very popular. I always played offense but loved facing off so much that it’s all I wanted to do. So, in ninth grade I became strictly a faceoff specialist. I made the varsity team at Saint Mary’s as a freshman and never looked back. It was my ticket to college," Woodall told Patch.

Woodall played lacross for Towson University. He was first overall pick in the 2019 MLL collegiate draft and recorded 124 faceoff wins and 69 ground balls through eight games played as a rookie faceoff specialist out of Towson. A co-captain his senior year at Towson, Alex won 74.2 percent of his faceoffs, finishing second nationally and in school history. He became the program's all-time faceoff wins leader on March 30 and finished his collegiate career with 583 faceoff wins and was a First Team All-CAA.

Tickets to the all-star game start at $25 and are available online for purchase. Gates open for the fan zone and tailgate at 5 p.m. Saturday and will feature happy hour food and drink until 6 p.m. There will be fun for the whole family including live music, fastest shot competitions, face painters and more.