US Lacrosse Announces 30-Man Roster for Team USA
February 5, 2014 - Major League Lacrosse (MLL) News Release
BOSTON (Feb. 5, 2014) - US Lacrosse announced tonight on The Lacrosse Network, the 30-man roster that will face Team MLL in the 2014 All-Star Game on June 26 at Harvard Stadium (Get Tickets Here). Team USA Coach Richie Meade put together a youthful team with a combination of rookies and veterans as they prepare to defend their title at the FIL World Championship in Denver this July.
The announcement comes on the heels of a tryout process that included 98 players and lasted several months, culminating in the Champion Challenge, a US Lacrosse event, in Orlando on Jan. 26 for a Blue-White exhibition game, which has been chronicled in this week's all-access series, "Road to the Rockies: Making Team USA" on The Lacrosse Network.
"I can't say enough good things about all of the guys who have been a part of this process," said Team USA Head Coach Richie Meade in a statement. "Both the guys who are continuing on and the ones who aren't have been incredible on and off the field since we started working on this process a year and a half ago. You could make a good case for each of them to be on this list, but we are really excited about the group we've put together. We're ready to move from the evaluation phase into the preparation phase as we look ahead to Denver."
As expected the MLL is well represented on the roster with 28 of the 30 currently playing in the League. The largest representations come from the New York Lizards and the Chesapeake Bayhawks with seven players each, including 2013 Tewaaraton Award winner and Cascade Rookie of the Year Rob Pannell, attackman Ned Crotty and fellow first-timers Kyle Hartzell and Brian Karalunas. All-Star goalie Drew Adams, rookie JoJo Marasco and veteran Max Seibald round out the Lizards' contingent.
Veteran attackman Brendan Mundorf highlights the Bayhawks crew, with midfielders Matt Mackrides, Matt Abbott, Dan Burns and Jeff Reynolds as well as defenders Jesse Bernhardt and Michael Evans also representing Chesapeake.
The Boston Cannons have four players on the 30-man roster, highlighted by perennial All-Star Paul Rabil as well as the only faceoff specialist selected to Team USA, Chris Eck. They are joined by midfielder Kyle Buchanan and defenseman Mitch Belisle.
Both the Rochester Rattlers and Denver Outlaws have three men selected to Team USA. Attackman Kevin Leveille, goalie John Galloway and midfielder Dave Lawson will be representing the Rattlers while two-time Warrior Defensive Player of the Year Lee Zink, and two-time Warrior Goaltender of the Year Jesse Schwartzman are joined by current Warrior Most Improved Player of the Year Drew Snider.
The MLL's newest team, Florida Launch will be represented by defenseman Tucker Durkin and attackman Garrett Thul who impressed coaches at the recent Champion Challenge earning MVP honors.
Rounding out the MLL representatives are Ohio Machine attackmen Steele Stanwick and Marcus Holman. The final two players on the roster are midfielder Kyle Harrison and New York Lizards draftee Joe Fletcher.
Four players return from the gold medal-winning 2010 FIL World Championship squad that defeated Canada 12-10 in Manchester, England, to earn the United States' ninth world title. Returners include Crotty and Mundorf (All-World) as well as Rabil (MVP and All-World) and Seibald (All-World).
The 30 players will convene again June 22 at a location to be determined as they prepare for the 2014 MLL All-Star Game on June 26. They will then hold one final training camp July 6-9 in Colorado Springs before the FIL World Championship. The roster will be trimmed down to 25 or 26 (23-man roster plus two or three alternates) just in time for the World Championship which begins in Denver on July 10.
For more information on the U.S. men's national team, visit uslacrosse.org/usmen. Follow the team on Facebook at fb.com/uslacrosse, on Twitter and Instagram at @uslacrosse and use #USAMLAX.
Team USA 30-Man Roster
Attack (7)
Ned Crotty - New York Lizards
Marcus Holman - Ohio Machine
Kevin Leveille - Rochester Rattlers
Brendan Mundorf - Chesapeake Bayhawks
Rob Pannell - New York Lizards
Steele Stanwick - Ohio Machine
Garrett Thul - Florida Launch
Midfield (7)
Kyle Buchanan - Boston Cannons
Dave Lawson - Rochester Rattlers
Matt Mackrides - Chesapeake Bayhawks
JoJo Marasco - New York Lizards
Paul Rabil - Boston Cannons
Max Seibald - New York Lizards
Drew Snider - Denver Outlaws
SSDM (4)
Matt Abbott - Chesapeake Bayhawks
Dan Burns - Chesapeake Bayhawks
Kyle Harrison - LXM Pro
Jeff Reynolds - Chesapeake Bayhawks
F/O (1)
Chris Eck - Boston Cannons
Defense (8)
Mitch Belisle - Boston Cannons
Jesse Bernhardt - Chesapeake Bayhawks
Tucker Durkin - Florida Launch
Michael Evans - Chesapeake Bayhawks
Joe Fletcher - Loyola University (drafted by the New York Lizards)
Kyle Hartzell - New York Lizards
Brian Karalunas - New York Lizards
Lee Zink - Denver Outlaws
Goalie (3)
Drew Adams - New York Lizards
John Galloway - Rochester Rattlers
Jesse Schwartzman - Denver Outlaws
Major League Lacrosse Stories from February 5, 2014
- Seven Lizards Named to Team USA 30-Man Roster - New York Lizards
- Three Outlaws Named to Team USA 30-Man Roster - Denver Outlaws
- US Lacrosse Announces 30-Man Roster for Team USA - MLL
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