Porter Malkiel is a standout attack from the ADVNC NDP ‘24 team signed to play for Princeton, starting this Fall.

Both of Porter’s parents, mom, Whitney and dad, Jon, played hockey and lacrosse at Princeton. Porter was introduced to both games by them at a young age. “I played everything when I was a kid,” said Porter. “Lacrosse, but also hockey, football, baseball and soccer. But I was always drawn to lacrosse. I enjoyed all aspects of the game. As I’ve gotten older, lacrosse has become more of my focus.”

Lacrosse is the entire Malkiel family’s sport. Porter’s younger brothers, Mackie (2026) and George (2028) both play for ADVNC NDP. “We have a goal and a little field at our house,” Porter said. “One of us is always using it. We are all playing with each other when we can.”

The Malkiel’s reside in Portland, Oregon, and came to ADVNC through Team Oregon. Porter’s childhood hasn’t been without some challenges. He was diagnosed with dyslexia when was young. Lacrosse has helped him over the years. “The doctor told us he was going to have a hard time gaining self esteem in school,” Jon Malkiel said. “He said, try and find activities that Porter really enjoys, and feed him that. Porter gravitated towards lacrosse naturally. He just really loved it. Through programs like Team Oregon, and later, ADVNC, Porter has naturally wanted to work hard at lacrosse, and has gained lots of positives through the game.”

“When I was diagnosed with dyslexia in 5th grade, I didn’t know how to deal with it. I didn’t have any role models who were dealing with it. But then I came across a video where Tucker Dordevic (who went on to play at Syracuse and Georgetown and now plays in the PLL) gave a speech about dealing with his own dyslexia. I knew that he lived really close to me in Portland. I immediately DM’d him on Instagram, and told him about my condition. He couldn’t have been nicer. He soon became a role model for me, on and off the field. We started shooting a lot together. We stay in close touch now. He’s always very helpful, and I love getting his perspective on things.”

When September 1, 2022 came around, Porter was sought after by a number of top DI programs. “Growing up with both parents having played at Princeton, the Tigers were always in the back of my mind,” said Porter. In deciding which college to attend, Porter was inspired by one of his role models from Oregon, this time, Alex Slusher. “I liked Princeton even more because of Alex, who was a childhood idol of mine. I used to go watch him play in high school. When I was in 6th and 7th grade, I was the kid sitting on the sideline, watching all of his high school games. Then he started asking me to shoot with him, and we built a meaningful relationship from there. When I visited Princeton, he hosted me, and it was surreal how things came full circle. That’s when I knew Princeton was where I wanted to go.”

Now in the midst of his final high school season at Jesuit High School, and the club lacrosse experience behind him, the Malkiel’s offer perspective on their journey.

“I was really happy when Team Oregon partnered with ADVNC,” said Jon Malkiel. “It’s great for the kids in the Pacific Northwest. It helps them grow their game and get better looks against higher end talent. The ADVNC kids, their families and the coaches have given us a really positive experience. Having the addition of Chris Rotelli has been great. Being from the West Coast, it’s harder to get the same level of coaching and practices as on the East Coast. So having the high end option here on the West Coast, with some of the best coaches in the country, has been really great.”

“Playing for ADVNC has been great,” said Porter. “I had already played with a lot of the same players with West Coast Starz. So I had a lot of friends on the ADVNC team already. It’s really fun playing with ADVNC. And playing for Coach Rotelli has been amazing. Playing for a guy who won the Tewaaraton, and is a great coach now, has been very cool.”

Having relied on older role models to help him over the years, Porter has this advice for young players who aspire to follow in his own footsteps. “Watch as much lacrosse as you can and get inspired by others,” he said. “Then, go play as much as you can, and always try and enjoy it. The shooting and the wall ball. Be consistent with what you’re doing. Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to older guys that you look up to. You might be surprised how willing they are to help you.”

Jon Malkiel has this advice for parents of kids who are considering programs like ADVNC. “If a kid is hungry for lacrosse, ADVNC is a great place to feed them. Having teams competing locally, regionally and nationally gives families access to development opportunities for players at all ability levels. ADVNC also provides national exposure at some of the highest-level events.”