High School

John Carroll lacrosse star Owen Chesla commits to Embry-Riddle

Chesla's college selection boosts Florida’s growing MIAA lacrosse pipeline

Al Franyo

John Carroll's Owen Chesla is one of a growing number of MIAA stars to select to play their college lacrosse in Florida.
John Carroll's Owen Chesla is one of a growing number of MIAA stars to select to play their college lacrosse in Florida. / Owen Chesla

As many MIAA Lacrosse supporters know, several players from the league have chosen to continue their lacrosse journeys by committing to programs in Florida. It’s inspiring to see our beloved sport growing so rapidly in the Sunshine State. One of the most impressive aspects of this trend is the diversity of Florida programs that “MIAAers” have selected. And, as lacrosse continues to thrive in Florida, we can expect that number to increase.

Recently, a student-athlete from John Carroll joined this list. For a while, 2025 Patriots defenseman Owen Chesla had dreamed of attending a college where he could pursue his passion for flying while also playing lacrosse. Now, that dream is becoming a reality. Owen has committed to Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Daytona Beach, where he’ll join the Eagles in Division II.

Congratulations to Owen and his family. During his college years, he’ll not only play lacrosse but also enjoy the beautiful nearby beaches and the Daytona International Speedway. When Severn attackman Trey Dring, now a sophomore at Embry-Riddle, committed a couple of years ago, some wondered if this might be the start of a recruiting pipeline between the program and the MIAA. With Owen’s commitment two years later, it seems that this connection may indeed be taking shape.

As for Embry-Riddle Lacrosse’s future, supporters have every reason to feel optimistic. Coach John Jez is set to begin his first season with the Eagles, and his track record in college lacrosse speaks for itself. Most recently, Jez led Post University, where he revitalized a team that hadn’t won a game in the season prior to his arrival. His coaching career began at Pace University in the early 2000s, but the pinnacle of his career was his 2007-2017 tenure at LIU Post (now Long Island University). There, he amassed an impressive 163-63 record in Division II, leading his teams to seven NCAA DII Tournament Semifinals, three Championship appearances, and two National Titles.

If Jez’s coaching success carries over to Daytona Beach, there’s no reason Embry-Riddle can’t achieve great things with him at the helm—and with Owen Chesla, his first MIAA recruit, contributing to the team. Owen will arrive in Jez’s second season, by which time Jez’s system should be well-established. Notably, Owen already knows what it’s like to be part of a new coaching era, as he played for John Carroll under Coach Gunnar Waldt in 2024, Waldt’s first season with the Bel Air, MD program.

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Al Franyo
AL FRANYO

Al Franyo has been a die-hard fan and follower of lacrosse, especially at the high school and college levels, since the late-80s. He absolutely loves watching games, as well as talking and writing about the sport. On Facebook, he founded the College Lacrosse Discussion Page, which has well over 15,000 members, and helped found and runs the MIAA Lacrosse Discussion Page, which has nearly 5,000 members. The MIAA A Conference is one of the strongest, most competitive and exciting high school conferences in America. Three of his favorite topics include recruiting news about players making college commitments, programs taking the next steps under their respective head coaches, and programs that are so-called "sleepers" when it comes to being very good to great. Even with lacrosse growing at such a rapid pace, Franyo loves how it is still such a small, tight, and fun world. And, in many ways, it is its own culture. He began writing about his favorite sport for High School On SI in 2024. Twitter: @alfranyo

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