Cullen Brown is an American lacrosse defender from Silver Spring, Maryland, who played for Ohio State University before joining the California Redwoods in the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). During his four college seasons, he established Ohio State’s career record for caused turnovers and earned the 2026 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award.
Beginning with just two starts in his first Ohio State season, Brown later became a team captain, contributed to Big Ten championship success, and earned national All-American recognition. In April 2026, the Redwoods selected him 14th overall in the PLL College Draft, opening the next stage of his competitive career.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Cullen Brown |
| Hometown | Silver Spring, Maryland, United States |
| High school | The Landon School |
| University | Ohio State University |
| Sport | Men’s lacrosse |
| Playing position | Defenseman |
| Major achievement | 2026 Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year |
| Professional team | California Redwoods |
Who Is Cullen Brown in Professional Lacrosse?
Cullen Brown is a professional lacrosse player who represents the California Redwoods as a defender. He previously competed for the Ohio State Buckeyes from 2023 through 2026, wearing jersey number 42 throughout his collegiate career.
Brown finished his Ohio State career with a program-record 90 caused turnovers, alongside 196 ground balls in 60 appearances. A caused turnover is recorded when a defensive player’s action forces an opponent to lose possession, making it a useful measure of defensive contribution.
Brown also helped Ohio State win the 2025 Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships. His performances brought major individual recognition the following year, including conference defensive honours and national All-American selections.
The California Redwoods subsequently drafted him in April 2026. California’s professional roster identifies him as a defender wearing jersey number 9.
From The Landon School to Ohio State Lacrosse
Brown’s introduction to lacrosse came through his father, who encouraged him to join the Silver Spring Warriors youth programme when he was seven years old.
At Maryland’s The Landon School, Brown competed in both lacrosse and basketball while gaining experience that preceded his college career. Outside school competition, he played club lacrosse for DC Express.
His achievements before university included All-IAC First Team and All-Met Second Team recognition. During his junior year, he was named Most Valuable Player at the Nike National All-Star Games.
Those experiences preceded his move to Ohio State, where he joined the men’s lacrosse programme for the 2023 season.
In a December 2025 interview published by Ohio State Athletics, Brown explained that he had wanted to attend a major state university. Brown recalled that his campus visits gave him an opportunity to connect with the coaching staff and future teammates, whose welcoming approach influenced his choice.
When asked about his enjoyment of lacrosse, Brown pointed to the freedom athletes have to bring their own creativity to the game. Brown identified the creativity of the sport and the opportunity for players to develop their own playing styles as qualities he particularly enjoyed.
Reflecting on his college experience, he credited coaches, teammates, and university staff with supporting his development. He also described how his understanding of lacrosse had improved through coaching and competitive experience.
Brown also recalled visiting Selma, Alabama, through the Big Ten Life Series, an educational experience that introduced him to important aspects of American civil rights history.
How Brown Established Ohio State’s Defensive Records
Brown’s college statistics show a steady increase in his defensive responsibilities.
During his freshman season in 2023, he appeared in 14 games and started twice. He finished with eight caused turnovers and 29 ground balls.
His role expanded the following year considerably.
In 2024, he started all 15 games, collecting 51 ground balls and causing 17 turnovers. That season established him as a regular part of Ohio State’s starting defensive unit.
His strongest single-season caused-turnover total followed in 2025. Across 17 appearances, all starts, he recorded 34 caused turnovers and 60 ground balls.
The 34 caused turnovers established a new Ohio State single-season program record.
That year also brought team success, as the Buckeyes secured both the Big Ten regular-season title and the conference tournament championship.
In 2026, he started every one of Ohio State’s 14 games, forcing 31 turnovers and collecting 56 ground balls.
Ohio State defensive statistics
| Season | Games | Starts | Caused turnovers | Ground balls |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 14 | 2 | 8 | 29 |
| 2024 | 15 | 15 | 17 | 51 |
| 2025 | 17 | 17 | 34 | 60 |
| 2026 | 14 | 14 | 31 | 56 |
| Total | 60 | 48 | 90 | 196 |
Across four seasons with the Buckeyes, Brown appeared in 60 games, started 48 and accumulated 196 ground balls.
His 90 career caused turnovers became another Ohio State programme record, adding to the single-season mark established in 2025.
These figures represent his four years in NCAA competition and are separate from his subsequent professional statistics.
His 2026 Captaincy and National Defensive Honours
Ahead of the 2026 season, Ohio State head coach Nick Myers announced Brown as one of five team captains.
The appointment, confirmed on November 21, 2025, followed three seasons in which Brown had developed from a limited-start freshman into an established defensive player.
His final collegiate campaign brought several individual distinctions.
He was named the 2026 Big Ten Men’s Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Year, recognising his performance within the conference. The Big Ten also selected him for its 2026 All-Conference First Team.
National recognition followed through separate All-American selections from USA Lacrosse and the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA). Both organisations placed him on their respective First Teams for 2026.
His university records also document achievements beyond competition.
Brown studied finance at Ohio State and received Ohio State Scholar-Athlete recognition in each year from 2023 through 2026. He was an Academic All-Big Ten selection from 2024 to 2026 and received Academic All-American recognition in 2026.
On April 13, 2026, Ohio State identified him as one of its male finalists for the Big Ten Medal of Honor, an additional recognition connected to his academic and athletic record.
Why the California Redwoods Selected Brown in the PLL Draft
Brown’s next career milestone came on April 14, 2026, when the California Redwoods selected him in the second round of the Premier Lacrosse League College Draft.
He was the 14th overall pick.
The selection followed his established defensive record at Ohio State, where he had developed experience in recovering ground balls, disrupting opponents’ possession, and contributing to the team’s defensive structure.
California Redwoods head coach Anthony Kelly discussed several qualities that made Brown an appealing draft prospect.
Among them was his versatility. Although primarily a close defender, Brown was also considered capable of playing long-stick midfield, a position requiring defensive skills alongside greater movement through the midfield area.
Kelly also identified Brown’s ground-ball recovery and transition play as strengths.
Those qualities offered California options when evaluating how he might fit into its defensive unit.
Independent reporting from USA Lacrosse Magazine also documented the Redwoods’ draft planning, including Kelly’s consideration of Brown as a potential selection.
The move represented Brown’s transition from NCAA Division I competition to the professional league after completing his four-season Ohio State career.
Brown’s 2026 Rookie Season with the California Redwoods
Following his selection, Brown began competing for California during the 2026 PLL season.
His early appearances attracted attention from specialist lacrosse journalists. In June, Inside Lacrosse placed him third in an early-season Rookie of the Year watch assessment, discussing his defensive contributions and performances against established professional attackers.
The assessment also reported that he scored a goal in his first professional game. The third-place placement was an editorial ranking, not an official Rookie of the Year award.
One documented appearance came on August 2, when California defeated the New York Atlas 21–13.
The Premier Lacrosse League‘s match coverage identified Brown as part of a defensive group alongside Cole Kastner and Chris Fake. Together, the three players accounted for seven of California’s ten caused turnovers during the victory.
The California Redwoods listed Brown as a defender, while head coach Anthony Kelly had previously identified his ability to play both close defense and long-stick midfield.
As of October 2026, Brown appeared on the California Redwoods roster wearing jersey number 9 and playing in defense. His professional appearances followed a four-season college career distinguished by Ohio State defensive records and major national honours.