2026 has been a whirlwind for new Seals forward Brennan O’Neill and one of the top lacrosse players in the world is excited for the opportunity to start the next chapter of his box lacrosse career right here in San Diego.
Fortunately for O’Neill and Seals fans, neither will have to wait long as the former first overall pick in the 2024 NLL Draft will be in San Diego this weekend for the team’s first training camp and intrasquad scrimmage. The team will gather for its annual media day and a pair of practices before taking the field for an intrasquad scrimmage in front of an exclusive group returning and prospective season ticket members this Sunday morning at the Seals brand new home, Frontwave Arena. Seals fans new and old can’t wait to see O’Neill don the purple and gold.
“Oh yeah, no doubt,” said O’Neill about the reception he expects from the fans this weekend in San Diego. “Anytime you get the support from the fan base, it just makes you that much more motivated and that much more excited to to play in front of your home crowd. I'm really excited to be part of the Seals and it’s been incredible to be accepted the way I have been so far.”
There’s still a limited number of spots open for Sunday morning’s scrimmage. If you’re not already a season ticket member and interested in possibly becoming one, you can visit at sealslax.com and frontwavearena.com to find out how you too can become a STM and join the Seals on Sunday at Frontwave Arena.
Up until recently, O’Neill had no idea that he’d be planting roots in San Diego, but that opportunity came about when his former NLL club, the Philadelphia Wings, shockingly disbanded. The Seals would go on to claim the former Duke University superstar with their first pick in the League’s disbursement draft, and while he leaves the City of Brotherly love behind with fond memories, he’s excited about what lies ahead in San Diego.
“My time in Philly was amazing,” said O’Neill. “It really was hard not to win more games for that great fan base and it was tough to deal with, but the fact that I can land in a good spot after the dispersal draft and end up in a place like San Diego where the Seals have such great talent is really awesome.”
A 24-year-old native of Bay Shore, New York, O’Neill comes from an extremely tight-knit family and admittedly, he wasn’t initially quite sure if he wanted to pick up and move across the country to continue his NLL career. But after talking it over with his family and giving it a lot of thought, he realized that the opportunity to join the Seals was simply too good to pass up.
“Going into the dispersal draft I didn't really know what to expect,” said O’Neill. “I'm a big family person and I like to be around my family as much as possible, so things like that go into the decision-making process. Being from the East Coast, it’s a long way to go, but I think Coach Merrill did a really great job of making sure that I'd still be able to see my family.
“And I’ve heard nothing but great things about the organization. I've heard the locker room is great and the guys are amazing, super close and really tight-knit, so I hope it can be kind of like my family away from my family where I can still feel at home even though I'm on the other side of the country.”
O’Neill recently signed a two-year contract with the Seals and General Manager and Head Coach Patrick Merrill was instrumental in that deal getting done. When asked about O’Neill, he offered nothing but praise for the team’s latest addition to its offensive attack.
“I don’t like to just casually throw around the term generational talent but there’s a reason that Brennan was the first overall pick in both our League and the PLL,” said Merrill. “We’ve all seen what he can do with a lacrosse stick in his hand. We’re doing everything we can to bring a championship back here to San Diego and being able to bring in a player of Brennan’s caliber gets us one step closer to achieving that ultimate goal.”
The Wings went just 12-24 in O’Neill’s two seasons in Philly, but he was one of the bright spots. As a rookie, he tied for third on the team with 25 goals and just a year later, he led the Wings with 31 goals and 67 points. In Philadelphia, he was mentored by veteran forwards like Joe Resetarits and Mitch Jones, and now in San Diego, he’ll be surrounded by a host of talented scorers that includes Wes Berg, Tre Leclaire, Connor Robinson and Ben McIntosh. Berg, for one, is excited to see O’Neill join the Seals’ lineup.
“We are thrilled about the addition of Brennan,” said Berg. “Very rare do you see someone with the size, athleticism and skill in one package. To have someone built like a linebacker with great hands and IQ is unique to our sport and probably most sports out there. He is not a fun matchup defensively. I am glad we have him on our side now and I’m excited to play with him.”
Landing in San Diego has also created an opportunity for O’Neill to reunite with one of his former college teammates, defenseman Aidan Maguire, who was the Seals first-round pick in this year’s NLL Draft.
“Maguire is a good buddy of mine,” said O’Neill of his former Blue Devil teammate. “I only got two years with him at Duke, but I stayed on and worked with the program for another two years after my eligibility was up so I've gotten to know him really well. He's a pure competitor and athlete, but he’s also just a good person that I've always enjoyed being around.”
Besides his prowess in box lacrosse, O’Neill is also one of the world’s most prominent performers in the outdoor game. Back in 2023, he was the only collegiate player selected to compete on Team USA’s gold medal winning side in the World Lacrosse Men’s Outdoor Championships, and it was there that he scored a team-leading five goals in the gold medal match against Canada on his way to earning tournament MVP and Most Outstanding Midfielder honors. O’Neill parlayed that effort into being selected first overall by the Denver Outlaws in the 2024 Premier League Draft.
Though his current focus remains on both the Seals and the Outlaws during the summer months, it’s not lost on O’Neill that lacrosse will be making its return to the Summer Olympic Games, which will take place just up the road in Los Angeles in 2028.
“That would be a dream come true,” explained O’Neill of his Olympic aspirations. “The Olympics is obviously a goal of every athlete, and now that it's a possible opportunity in lacrosse is really cool.”
For now, O’Neill is locked in and ready to take his box game to even greater heights and the Seals are thrilled to have him.
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