Phillylacrosse.com, Posted 9/21/11
From US Lacrosse
US Lacrosse has announced the teams scheduled to participate in the 2012 Champion Challenge, a US Lacrosse event at ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., Jan. 28-29.
The U.S. men’s national senior team will take on the University of Denver. The U.S. women’s national senior team will play Northwestern University, the University of Maryland and the English Women’s National Team.
The U.S. men’s senior team will take on the Denver Pioneers who had their best season in NCAA Division I with a 15-3 record and a trip to the NCAA semifinals. Denver will return all but seven players from its 2011 team.
The 2011-2012 U.S. women’s senior team will take on the top two finishers in last year’s NCAA Division I tournament: national champion Northwestern and runner-up Maryland. The Wildcats came out on top in 2011, 8-7, after losing the national championship to the Terps in 2010.
Representing the U.S. women’s team are six Wildcats and four Terps. Northwestern players include Sarah Albrecht ’06, Katrina Dowd ’10, Lindsey Munday ’06, Shannon Smith ’12, Danielle Spencer ’10 and Taylor Thornton ’13. The Maryland players are Caitlyn McFadden ’10, Brittany Poist ’11, Katie Schwarzmann ’13 and Acacia Walker ’05. Current college players will suit up for Team USA and play against their college teammates.
The U.S. men’s team will include members of the 2010 Federation of International Lacrosse world championship team and training team; and professional-level players who have participated in previous Team USA events.
The schedule of featured games is as follows:
Saturday, Jan. 28, 5 p.m. and 7 p.m. – U.S. Women’s Team vs. Maryland
Sunday, Jan. 29, 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. – U.S. Women’s Team vs. Northwestern
Sunday, Jan. 29, 1:30 p.m. – U.S. Men’s Team vs. Denver
In addition to playing, both U.S. men’s and women’s national teams will host National Team Player Clinics for youth and high school players in grades 3-12 on Saturday, Jan. 28. And, the U.S. women’s team coaching staff will offer a clinic for local coaches to learn “The Team USA Way.
For more information about Champion Challenge, a US Lacrosse event, visit: www.uslacrosse.org/ChampionChallenge
Marriott and Nationwide are the official sponsors of the US Lacrosse National Teams Program. Warrior is the official equipment and apparel sponsor of the U.S. men’s national teams. Champion is the official apparel sponsor, and deBeer is the official equipment sponsor of the U.S. women’s national teams.
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