Rye's Kian McCarthy (7) fires a shot in front of Bronxville's Sean McGrath (4) during boys lacrosse action at Bronxville High School May 29, 2021. Rye won the game 12-11. Bronxville Vs Rye Boys Lacrosse
San Diego, California – The San Diego Seals are stepping into the future — and they’re bringing the entire sport of lacrosse with them.
This week, the Seals announced a landmark partnership with Point Loma Nazarene University, home to one of the top biomechanics labs in the country. Developed with input from the San Diego Padres, the lab isn’t built for baseball or any single sport — it’s a high-tech performance hub that measures everything from body mechanics to muscle efficiency. And now, for the first time, it’s being used to analyze lacrosse athletes.
“It’s not only a game-changing resource for our team, but I think it also raises the standard for the sport in general,” said Seals head coach and general manager Patrick Merrill.
In recent years, leagues like Major League Baseball and the NBA have embraced data-driven performance models that have transformed how players train, recover, and compete. The National Lacrosse League, meanwhile, has lagged behind, with many teams still relying on the same training methods that defined the 1990s. This partnership could change that — and position San Diego as a national leader in sports science for lacrosse.
“Every year it seems like [other sports] have new analytics or training methods they’re working on,” said Seals captain Wes Berg. “Lacrosse has definitely been behind the trend. So to be able to take a lot of this really interesting science that baseball’s been using for a long time — that’s not something we’re used to. Usually, it’s a cookie-cutter program of what you do to train and stay healthy. To have something that they can cater to guys personally, and as a team, is really cool.”
The technology can measure everything from muscle imbalances to throwing mechanics, giving coaches and medical staff precise insight into how each athlete moves. But data is only valuable if it’s interpreted well — and Merrill knows that the first year will involve a learning curve.
“I think it’s going to be a feeling-out process, even though I’d love to implement everything right away,” he said. “What we’re excited about is there’s going to be less guesswork in how we use data and how the guys execute on the field.”
For Point Loma Nazarene, the collaboration offers something just as valuable: hands-on experience for students. “Having opportunities like this is what makes our programs excellent,” said Dave Gladson, PLNU’s associate vice president for marketing. “It’s one thing to learn in the classroom, but when you can take what you’re learning in a lab like this and work with real players on the field, it just takes the program to another level.”
The Seals completed their first round of biomechanical testing as part of training camp this week. The results — and their impact — will begin to show on December 14, when San Diego opens its NLL season at Pechanga Arena.
