The National Lacrosse League expanded to Las Vegas, Nevada, when an ownership group including Joseph Tsai, Steve Nash, Dustin Johnson, and Wayne Gretzky was awarded a franchise on June 21, 2021.

The new team, fittingly named the Las Vegas Desert Dogs after Nevada’s landscape, quickly assembled an experienced front office and coaching staff. They made a big hire of NLL legend Shawn Williams as their first General Manager and Head Coach. Bringing decades of playing and coaching expertise, Williams was an ideal candidate to make the expansion Desert Dogs instant contenders with his aggressive style and knack for talent evaluation over his distinguished 17-year NLL career.

The Desert Dogs swung into action for the first time in the 2022-2023 NLL season, facing off against opponents at the sparkling new Michelob Ultra Arena located on the Las Vegas Strip. The owner, Joseph Tsai, got special permission from the league to own multiple NLL franchises, as he already had a stake in the San Diego Seals.

With such an accomplished management team and ownership group, expectations were sky-high for the NLL’s glitzy new franchise. The team was determined to make a splashy debut in their first season to prove that lacrosse can thrive in a non-traditional market like Las Vegas. 

Coach Williams and his roster, which boasts the likes of Zack Greer, Rob Hellyer, and Jack Hannah, look forward to showing the league and its fans just how gritty the Desert Dogs can be when competing for the coveted NLL Championship trophy.

Their inaugural season ended with a 6th-place spot, which wasn’t high enough for the playoffs, but it was an encouraging debut for a team with so much promise. 

oin the pack – get your tickets to see the Las Vegas Desert Dogs make their mark in the National Lacrosse League!