BALTIMORE - A pair of Loyola University Maryland women's lacrosse seniors - Lindsey Ehrhardt and Taylor VanThof – were among the 25 players drafted by the Women's Professional Lacrosse League (WPLL) in the 2019 WPLL Spring Draft, as released across the WPLL's Facebook, YouTube and IGTV accounts Thursday night.
 
Senior Hannah Powers was also one of six players named to the WPLL Player Pool where, in addition to being able to work WPLL Clinics and Professional Development Days, she'll have an opportunity to get called up and join any of the five teams if/when they have an opening on their travel roster.
 
VanThof, an All-America midfielder from Livonia, New York, was selected as the 14th overall pick by the Philly Fire, while Ehrhardt, a defender from Westbury, New York, was the 20th selection overall by the NY Fight. 
 
"Taylor VanThof is one of the best at the draw in the country," WPLL Fire Head Coach Ricky Fried said. "However, she is not just a specialty player, she is very dynamic with the ball and creates offense for herself and her teammates. She will make an impact for WPLL Fire all over the field."
 
"This season, Lindsey Ehrhardt has solidified herself as one of the best defenders in the nation," WPLL Fight Head Coach Shannon Smith said. "She plays with a unique mix of confidence and creativity, and has found ways to shut down some of the nation's top scorers during her time at Loyola. We are excited to add Lindsey to our defensive unit."
 
VanThof will join older sister Taryn VanThof '15 (New England Command) in the League and will team with three former Greyhounds – Maddy Lesher '16, Katrina Geiger '18, and Frankie Kamely '18 – on the Philly Fire roster.
 
Ehrhardt will become the first Greyhounds on the NY Fight roster. 
 
The duo will raise Loyola's total to nine former players in the professional ranks, as the Philly Fire now features four Greyhounds (Geiger, Kamely, Lesher and Taylor VanThof), while Upstate Pride (Molly Hulseman '15 and Molly Wolf '16) and New England Command (Bailey Mathis '17 and Taryn VanThof) have two each. In addition to Ehrhardt on the NY Fight roster, assistant coach Dana Dobbie plays for Baltimore Brave, while Loyola head coach Jen Adams serves as the League's Commissioner. 
 
VanThof will graduate as Loyola's single-game (21), season (146) and career (357) record holder for draw controls. She earned All-America honors as a junior and is a two-time regional All-American, two-time Tewaaraton Award nominee and two-time All-Patriot League First Team midfielder. 
 
Throughout her career, she's played in 73 games. She's scored 98 goals, assisted 22 others and recorded 120 points to go with 63 ground balls and 36 caused turnovers. 
 
Ehrhardt has emerged as one of the top defenders in the NCAA this season, and currently ranks 11th in the country with 37 caused turnovers. She's helped the Greyhounds' defense rank 14th nationally in scoring defense, as the unit is allowing just 9.00 goals per game. In Patriot League only games, the unit has become even stingier, as it's giving up a just 6.75 goals per game and has posted a League-best shutout streak of 43:24 minutes this year. 
 
Powers, the Patriot League Attacker of the Year in 2018, is looking to become one of Loyola's first four-time All-Patriot League honorees, as she's already earned there-straight accolades, including two first-team distinctions. The League's Rookie of the Year in 2016, Powers has gone on to become the first Greyhound in program history to record 150 goals and 100 assists throughout their careers. She's a two-time regional All-American and was honored on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List and as an honorable mention Preseason All-American this year. 
 
The WPLL, founded in 2017 by four-time All-American and two-time World Champion Michele DeJuliis, is a professional league made up of the top post-collegiate female lacrosse players in the world and a youth development league connecting with the high school players in the country.
 
The 2019 season will begin on Sunday, June 2, at Gillette Stadium in Boston, Massachusetts. The season will continue in Richmond, Virginia, on June 14-15, before visiting Homewood Field in Baltimore on June 22-23 and Philadelphia on July 6. The regular-season will conclude on July 20 at James M Shuart Stadium on Long Island.
 
In addition, the league will partner with ESPN this upcoming season, with all regular-season games being streamed on ESPN3. The Championship will air on ESPNU.