Still 2 years away from the FIL World Championships in Manchester England, Team USA gears up for their upcoming bout with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on January 15 in Bradenton, Florida. This is the 3rd even since Duke coach, John Danowski was named the head coach of the US men's national team. He explains how the previous events exceeded team expectations, but there is still work to be done. Team USA fell short in the 2014 games, earning a silver medal, and look to obtain their record setting 10th gold metal in England.
The final 23-man roster for the world championship will come in due time. But for now, Danowski and company have some work to do with the 30-man roster for this January's game. "We are not necessarily looking for the most skilled players because they are all skilled, but the right players to create the best team possible at this time.” This roster features 8 members from the 2014 games in Denver and a whole lot of new faces:
Attack
Ryan Brown, Charlotte Hounds, Johns Hopkins 2016
Ned Crotty, Rochester Rattlers, Duke 2010 *^
Matt Danowski, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Duke 2008
Matt Kavanagh, Denver Outlaws, Notre Dame 2016
Marcus Holman, Ohio Machine, North Carolina 2013 *
Rob Pannell, New York Lizards, Cornell 2013 *
Midfield
Mike Chanenchuk, Charlotte Hounds, Maryland 2014
Kyle Harrison, Ohio Machine, Johns Hopkins 2005 *#
John Haus, Charlotte Hounds, Maryland 2013
Paul Rabil, New York Lizards, Johns Hopkins 2008 *^
Drew Snider, Denver Outlaws, Maryland 2012
Joe Walters, New York Lizards, Maryland 2006 #
Short-Stick Defensive Midfield
Dominique Alexander, Ohio Machine, Ohio State 2013
Jake Bernhardt, Ohio Machine, Maryland 2013
Josh Hawkins, Boston Cannons, Loyola 2013
Kevin Unterstein, New York Lizards, Hofstra 2008
Long-Stick Defensive Midfield
Matt Bocklet, Denver Outlaws, Johns Hopkins 2008
Joel White, Rochester Rattlers, Syracuse 2011
Defense
Jesse Bernhardt, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Maryland 2013 *
Tucker Durkin, Florida Launch, Johns Hopkins 2013 *
Mike Ehrhardt, Charlotte Hounds, Maryland 2014
Joe Fletcher, New York Lizards, Loyola 2014
Kyle Hartzell, New York Lizards, Salisbury 2007 *
Michael Simon, Denver Outlaws, Stevenson 2009
Faceoff
Trevor Baptiste, Denver 2018
Brendan Fowler, Charlotte Hounds, Duke 2014
Joe Nardella, Boston Cannons, Rutgers 2015
Goalie
John Galloway, Rochester Rattlers, Syracuse 2011
Adam Ghitelman, Atlanta Blaze, Virginia 2011
Jack Kelly, Denver Outlaws, Brown 2016
* Member of 2014 U.S. men’s national team
^ Member of 2010 U.S. men’s national team
# Member of 2006 U.S. men’s national team
One of the more notable names on this list is the face off phenom Trevor Baptiste. Still enrolled at the University of Denver, Baptiste is more than 10 years younger than the oldest player on the roster, "K18" Kyle Harrison. If you follow the sport of lacrosse, these are all really big names in our sport today. The combination of vets and new guys is perfect to ensure long-term success. Pivotal if we (as the lacrosse community) have any desire to see our great game, played the Olympics one day in our lifetime.
Still 2 years away from the FIL World Championships in Manchester England, Team USA gears up for their upcoming bout with the Notre Dame Fighting Irish on January 15 in Bradenton, Florida. This is the 3rd even since Duke coach, John Danowski was named the head coach of the US men's national team. He explains how the previous events exceeded team expectations, but there is still work to be done. Team USA fell short in the 2014 games, earning a silver medal, and look to obtain their record setting 10th gold metal in England.
The final 23-man roster for the world championship will come in due time. But for now, Danowski and company have some work to do with the 30-man roster for this January's game. "We are not necessarily looking for the most skilled players because they are all skilled, but the right players to create the best team possible at this time.” This roster features 8 members from the 2014 games in Denver and a whole lot of new faces:
Attack
Ryan Brown, Charlotte Hounds, Johns Hopkins 2016
Ned Crotty, Rochester Rattlers, Duke 2010 *^
Matt Danowski, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Duke 2008
Matt Kavanagh, Denver Outlaws, Notre Dame 2016
Marcus Holman, Ohio Machine, North Carolina 2013 *
Rob Pannell, New York Lizards, Cornell 2013 *
Midfield
Mike Chanenchuk, Charlotte Hounds, Maryland 2014
Kyle Harrison, Ohio Machine, Johns Hopkins 2005 *#
John Haus, Charlotte Hounds, Maryland 2013
Paul Rabil, New York Lizards, Johns Hopkins 2008 *^
Drew Snider, Denver Outlaws, Maryland 2012
Joe Walters, New York Lizards, Maryland 2006 #
Short-Stick Defensive Midfield
Dominique Alexander, Ohio Machine, Ohio State 2013
Jake Bernhardt, Ohio Machine, Maryland 2013
Josh Hawkins, Boston Cannons, Loyola 2013
Kevin Unterstein, New York Lizards, Hofstra 2008
Long-Stick Defensive Midfield
Matt Bocklet, Denver Outlaws, Johns Hopkins 2008
Joel White, Rochester Rattlers, Syracuse 2011
Defense
Jesse Bernhardt, Chesapeake Bayhawks, Maryland 2013 *
Tucker Durkin, Florida Launch, Johns Hopkins 2013 *
Mike Ehrhardt, Charlotte Hounds, Maryland 2014
Joe Fletcher, New York Lizards, Loyola 2014
Kyle Hartzell, New York Lizards, Salisbury 2007 *
Michael Simon, Denver Outlaws, Stevenson 2009
Faceoff
Trevor Baptiste, Denver 2018
Brendan Fowler, Charlotte Hounds, Duke 2014
Joe Nardella, Boston Cannons, Rutgers 2015
Goalie
John Galloway, Rochester Rattlers, Syracuse 2011
Adam Ghitelman, Atlanta Blaze, Virginia 2011
Jack Kelly, Denver Outlaws, Brown 2016
* Member of 2014 U.S. men’s national team
^ Member of 2010 U.S. men’s national team
# Member of 2006 U.S. men’s national team
One of the more notable names on this list is the face off phenom Trevor Baptiste. Still enrolled at the University of Denver, Baptiste is more than 10 years younger than the oldest player on the roster, "K18" Kyle Harrison. If you follow the sport of lacrosse, these are all really big names in our sport today. The combination of vets and new guys is perfect to ensure long-term success. Pivotal if we (as the lacrosse community) have any desire to see our great game, played the Olympics one day in our lifetime.