ITHACA, N.Y. – For the second-consecutive National Lacrosse League (NLL) Entry Draft, a Big Red men's lacrosse player was the first to hear his name called, as Jonathan Donville '21 was the top pick in the 2021 draft, being selected by the Panther City Lacrosse Club on Saturday night.

With Donville's No. 1 overall selection, the Big Red has now had back-to-back top picks in the NLL Entry Draft, with Jeff Teat '21 being chosen first in 2020 by the New York Riptide. This marks the first time in Cornell men's lacrosse history that two players have been picked first in the NLL Draft, and is just the third time in league history that this has occurred. North Carolina had back-to-back No. 1 overall selections in 1992 and 1993 (Jim Buczek and John Webster) during the Major Indoor Lacrosse League (MILL) era and Syracuse did in 2009 and 2010 (Sid Smith and Cody Jamieson).

"Both Jeff and Jon were talented players that worked as hard as any that I've coached, and in the process, made every person around them better," said Connor Buczek, the Richard M. Moran Head Coach of Men's Lacrosse. "It's a great honor for our program to have two of our best players and teammates go first overall in the NLL Draft in consecutive years. We hope that Cornell will continue to be a destination for top Canadian talent due to our style of play and proximity to home."

A two-time team captain for the Big Red, a rarity in Cornell men's lacrosse history, Donville was named a second team Inside Lacrosse/Maverik Media All-American following the 2020 season, as well as a 2021 Preseason All-American. Donville was off to a great start in his junior campaign before COVID-19 brought the season to a screeching halt, ranking second on the team in goals (13) and third in assists (7) and points (20). He was on track to crush his numbers from a sophomore season that saw him record 20 goals and 14 assists for 34 points en route to garnering All-Ivy League honorable mention. Donville was the top-scoring midfielder for the Big Red in 2019 and 2020.

"Jon is an incredible talent that has earned everything that he has gotten in this game through hard work and humility," said Buczek. "I'm so proud of him and know this is just the first of many accomplishments and accolades that he will receive in his professional career."

With Donville's No. 1 overall selection by Panther City Lacrosse Club, the league's newest team, he becomes just the second player in Cornell men's lacrosse history to be taken first overall (Teat) in the NLL Entry Draft.