Experience ruled yesterday when the next U.S. men's lacrosse national team was announced following four days of tryouts at UMBC.
Among the 23 players selected to the team that will try to win America's seventh consecutive International Lacrosse Federation world championship next summer in London, Ontario, 21 are on Major League Lacrosse rosters.
And for the first time since the event's inception in 1967, three brothers will represent the United States at the ILF games, which will include a record number of 18 teams and take place July 13-22, 2006.
Mikey, Ryan and Casey Powell, all of whom starred at Syracuse University and earned Division I Player of the Year honors, made the team as attackmen. Syracuse alums led the way with five selections, including defenseman Patrick McCabe, a 1991 graduate who, at 36, is the oldest member of the team.
The youngest and only current collegiate player to make the team was University of Maryland attackman Joe Walters, who will be a senior with the Terps in 2006.
Midfielder Kyle Harrison, who last month led Johns Hopkins to the NCAA title, won the Tewaaraton Trophy as the game's best player and is about to begin his pro career with Major League Lacrosse's New Jersey Pride, was one of three ex-Hopkins players chosen. The others were midfielder A.J. Haugen and defenseman John Gagliardi.
"It's tough for a college player, because [the international game] is a different game, much more free-flowing, more physical, no [substitution] horns, a running clock," said Larry Quinn, chairman of the 24-man selection committee that chose the squad from nearly 120 candidates.
Roster
U.S. men's team
Coach
John Desko
Attack
Player Current team College
Ryan Boyle Phila. Barrage Princeton
Casey Powell Rochester Rattlers Syracuse
Ryan Powell Rochester Rattlers Syracuse
Mikey Powell Bayhawks Syracuse
Scott Urick New Jersey Pride Georgetown
Joe Walters Maryland Maryland
Midfield
Kevin Cassese Rochester Rattlers Duke
Roy Colsey Phila. Barrage Syracuse
Kyle Harrison New Jersey Pride Johns Hopkins
Jay Jalbert Long Island Lizards Virginia
A.J. Haugen Long Island Lizards Johns Hopkins
Blake Miller Long Island Lizards Hofstra
Doug Shanahan Phila. Barrage Hofstra
Matt Striebel Phila. Barrage Princeton
Defense
Christian Cook Bayhawks Princeton
Ryan Curtis Boston Cannons Virginia
John Gagliardi Long Island Lizards Johns Hopkins
Patrick McCabe Long Island Lizards Syracuse
Nick Polanco Long Island Lizards Hofstra
Todd Rassas Capital LC Notre Dame
Kyle Sweeney Phila. Barrage Georgetown
Goal
Chris Garrity Boston Cannons Penn State
Trevor Tierney Bayhawks Princeton
