Dougherty, Sweeney, Cassese and Driscoll make 40-man training roster for US National team

Philllyacrosse.com, Posted 6/10/09

Philadelphians Brian Dougherty (goalie), Kyle Sweeney (long-stick midfield), Kevin Cassese (midfield) and D.J. Driscoll (defenseman) were among the 40 players named by US Lacrosse today who have qualified for the 2010 U.S. men’s national training team following a three-day tryout at Bryant University.
All 40 players, tabbed by a 14-member player selection committee, advance with an opportunity to compete in the Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championship in Manchester, England from July 10-24, 2010.
Dougherty (Episcopal Academy, assistant coach at Haverford College) is a former Philadelphia Barrage standout who now plays for the Long Island Lizards of Major League Lacrosse. Sweeney (Springfield-Delco) is also a former member of the Barrage who currently plays for the Boston Cannons and also stars for the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League. Cassese (Lehigh head coach) is yet another former Barrage star who is playing for the Cannons. Driscoll (Malvern Prep) plays for the Chicago Machine.
Team USA will compete in three training weekends during the fall of 2009. After those three weekends, the roster will be cut to the FIL-mandated size of 23 players for the 2010 FIL World Championship in Manchester, England.
“I want to commend our selection committee in the professionalism and unbelievable insight. It was a very difficult task to get from 84 to 40. Speaking for the coaching staff, I couldn’t be more pleased with the 40 we selected,” said Team USA head coach Mike Pressler (Bryant University). “We have a heck of a group with our 40 now, and that’s our team going into the fall of ’09.”
There were 84 invitees at tryouts, down from 120 in years past, who competed in two sessions of two games apiece Monday and Tuesday prior to a final session Wednesday morning.
“Getting it down to 84 made the games more competitive. There were very few games decided by more than a couple of goals,” said Larry Quinn, chair of the player selection committee. “The coaching staff has a really tough decision of getting to the final 23, but it helps to see how they play together.”
The training team includes eight members of the 2006 U.S. men’s team that finished as runner-up to Canada at the world championship: Cassese, Sweeney, Ryan Boyle, Kyle Harrison, Nicky Polanco, Ryan Powell, Matt Striebel, and Joe Walters.
Boyle, Cassese and Striebel were also members of the gold medal-winning 2002 U.S. men’s team.

2010 U.S. Men’s Training Team:
M Matt Abbott – Washington Bayhawks (Syracuse ’09)
M Stephen Berger – Long Island Lizards (Washington ’04)
A Ryan Boyle – Boston Cannons (Princeton ’04)
M Steven Brooks – Chicago Machine (Syracuse ’08)
A/M Kevin Buchanan – Washington Bayhawks (Ohio State ’08)
M Kevin Cassese – Boston Cannons (Duke ’03)
D Joe Cinosky – Toronto Nationals (Maryland ’09)
A/M Brandon Corp – Boston Cannons (Colgate ’09)
A/M Ned Crotty – Duke ‘09
A Matt Danowski – Long Island Lizards (Duke ’08)
G Brian Dougherty – Long Island Lizards (Maryland ’95)
D DJ Driscoll – Chicago Machine (Notre Dame ’06)
FO Chris Eck – Boston Cannons (Colgate ’08)
G Adam Fullerton – Denver Outlaws (Army ’08)
M John Glynn – Chicago Machine (Cornell ’09)
M Kyle Harrison – Denver Outlaws (Johns Hopkins ’05)
G Mickey Jarboe – Quicksilver LC (Navy ’00)
A Kevin Leveille – Chicago Machine (UMass ’03)
A Mike Leveille – Chicago Machine (Syracuse ’08)
D Eric Martin – Denver Outlaws (Salisbury ’04)
D Ryan McClay – Boston Cannons (Cornell ’03)
LSM Parker McKee – Duke ’10
A Brendan Mundorf – Denver Outlaws (UMBC ’06)
D Shawn Nadelen – Washington Bayhawks (Johns Hopkins ’01)
LSM Nick O’Hara – Toronto Nationals (Duke ’07)
M Stephen Peyser – Long Island Lizards (Johns Hopkins ’08)
D Nicky Polanco – Long Island Lizards (Hofstra ’02)
M Matt Poskay – Boston Cannons (Virginia ’06)
A Ryan Powell – Big Foot LC (Syracuse ’00)
M Paul Rabil – Boston Cannons (Johns Hopkins ’08)
D Jack Reid – Boston Cannons (Massachusetts ’06)
M Max Seibald – Denver Outlaws (Cornell ’09)
M Chris Schiller – Sailin’ Shoe LC (Penn State ’99)
FO Alex Smith – Washington Bayhawks (Delaware ’07)
M Matt Striebel – Chicago Machine (Princeton ’01)
LSM Kyle Sweeney – Boston Cannons (Georgetown ’03)
M Joe Walters – Toronto Nationals (Maryland ’06)
A Drew Westervelt – Denver Outlaws (UMBC ’07)
M Matt Zash – Long Island Lizards (Duke ’06)
D Lee Zink – Denver Outlaws (Maryland ’04)