DATE: June 25, 2002
CONTACT: Paul Krome, pkrome@lacrosse.org

U.S. Men's Lacrosse Team Wraps Up Exhibition Schedule In La Jolla, Calif., Thursday

Baltimore — The 2002 U.S. Men’s Lacrosse Team, bound for Perth, Australia, July 5-15 for the International Lacrosse Federation (ILF) World Championship, will wrap up its six-game stateside exhibition schedule Thursday against the Southern California Paclax.com All-Stars at La Jolla High School in La Jolla, Calif. The exhibition, set for 7 p.m., will be the U.S. team’s final tuneup before it departs for Australia.

The game will follow two San Diego County high school all-star games. Gates open at 1:30 p.m. The boys all-star game begins at 2:30, followed at 5 p.m. by the girls all-star game. The San Diego Chapter of US Lacrosse also is presenting a U.S. team player interaction zone and Pacific Lacrosse is sponsoring a fastest shot contest. Admission is $6.

"The exhibition schedule has been a great help to the team, as far as preparing for Australia, but it’s also been exciting for lacrosse fans around the country to see the U.S. team in action," said Chris Hupfeldt, general manager of the 2002 U.S. Men’s Team. "We’re expecting another great lacrosse day in Southern California Thursday."

The U.S. team will be coming off Tuesday’s exhibition in San Francisco and will leave for Australia Friday. Under the direction of Army coach Jack Emmer, the U.S. is seeking its sixth straight ILF championship. Nine collegians highlight the 23-man roster (available at www.lacrosse.org), making it the youngest team the U.S. has ever fielded in ILF play.

Attackman Darren Lowe (Brown ’92) is the only player on the U.S. team with experience from the 1998 World Championship, when the U.S. edged Canada, 15-14 in overtime, to win the title in Baltimore. The U.S. team also includes current the first two winners of the Tewaaraton Trophy, awarded annually to the top collegiate player. Midfielder Doug Shanahan (Hofstra ’01) won the award in 2001, and current Syracuse attackman Michael Powell, who helped the Orangemen to the 2002 NCAA championship, won this year.

"Chapter-wise, this will be a coming-out party for us. We’ve had lacrosse out here for 10-12 years, but it will be a real boost for the San Diego Chapter," said Matt Holman, president of the San Diego Chapter of US Lacrosse. "For lacrosse in Southern California, this will be the best game played here to date, and we’re very excited."

The Southern California Paclax.com All-Stars include former local collegiate players Lawrence Barber and Steve Johnson of San Diego State, Dax Harrison of Whittier and Dallas Hartley of Sonoma State.

US Lacrosse, a 501(c) 3 nonprofit organization, is the national governing body of men's and women's lacrosse.

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2002 US Men's Team
Exhibition Schedule

5/26 - U.S. 14, New Jersey Pride 10, at Bridgewater Raritan H.S. (N.J.)

6/1 - U.S. 20, Capital All-Stars 6, at Georgetown Prep, Bethesda, Md.

6/15 - U.S. 20, Hudson Valley All-Stars 5, at Mahopac H.S. (N.Y.), 6 p.m.

6/22 - U.S. 11, Philadelphia All-Stars 8, at Haverford School (Pa.), 3 p.m.

6/25 - Northern California All-Stars
at Kezar Stadium, San Francisco, Calif., 5:30 p.m., Directions to Kezar

6/27 - Southern California All-Stars
at La Jolla H.S. (Calif.)

Directions to games

Related Links

• 2002 U.S. Men's Team

• 2002 ILF World Championship

• New Jersey Pride

• Major League Lacrosse