Orange Try To Help U.S. Recapture Gold

Much like the 2008 U.S. Olympic basketball “Redeem Team,” the 2010 U.S. Senior Men's Lacrosse Team has been charged with reasserting its dominance on the international stage. Four years ago, Canada knocked off the U.S. in the gold-medal game to break Team USA's stranglehold on the world championship. The Americans entered the 2006 event having won the last six world titles before being defeated by a Gary Gait-led Canadian squad, 15-10.

Team USA's shot at redemption begins July 16 on the first full day of competition at the 2010 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championship in Manchester, England. The U.S. will face stiff competition in the championship's Blue Division, which features the top lacrosse-playing nations in the world. The Americans are joined in the event's premier division by medal contenders England, the Iroquois, Canada, Japan and Australia.

To help lead the U.S. back to the gold medal, Team USA head coach Mike Pressler has enlisted the help of some former Orange greats. Four-time All-Americans Mike Leveille '08 and Ryan Powell '00 were named to the 23-man U.S. roster in November. In addition, Matt Abbott '09, a first-team All-American as a senior, and one of the heroes of the 2009 NCAA title game, was picked as one of the squad's four alternates in May.

A rising junior at Syracuse in the summer of 2006, Leveille watched the gold-medal loss to Canada on television and was disappointed that the U.S. didn't win it all. But that feeling of disappointment has turned into a source of motivation as the Americans prepare for Manchester. The fact that Canada got the better of the U.S. the last time around isn't lost on Leveille or his teammates.

“Everyone is very aware that we aren't the reigning champions,” said Leveille.

Pressler named Powell and former Duke standout Kevin Cassese team captains on July 8. Later that day, Powell rewarded the coach's faith in him when he scored the game-winner in a 13-12 decision against the Major League Lacrosse (MLL) All-Stars in the U.S.'s final scrimmage.

In addition to those in uniform, another familiar face to Orange fans will be on the U.S. sideline – current Syracuse assistant athletic trainer Troy Gerlt. He steps into the role of athletic trainer for the U.S squad after serving in that same capacity for the 2008 world champion U.S. Men's Under-19 National Team.

Gerlt became involved in the U.S. program when he received the opportunity to work the 2006 try-outs at Towson. After that, he was appointed the athletic trainer for the 2008 U-19 squad and now has a chance to win another gold medal, this time with the senior national team.

Gerlt's stiffest challenge will be preparing the players for the grueling round-robin portion of the tournament. The team will play five games in five days, beginning Friday versus Australia, prior to the medal round.

“There are so many games back-to-back. Managing smaller injuries to make sure they don't turn into bigger issues is imperative,” said Gerlt.

With so many Orange connections on Team USA, the world championship has the feeling of a Syracuse homecoming weekend. But even though the group shares the bond that is Syracuse Lacrosse, Leveille believes it's their distinct playing styles that will help make the difference in Manchester.

“We're all honored to share this experience together and to have fun together as 'Cuse alumni,” said Leveille. “We each have different abilities that we bring to the team, which will contribute to our success.”

The U.S. side isn't the only one with Syracuse ties. Rising senior Jeremy Thompson and former Orange standouts Cody Jamieson, Sid Smith and Brett Bucktooth are scheduled to compete for the Iroquois Nationals. However, the team has yet to leave for Manchester and is endanger of missing its first game. Their travel has been delayed due to an ongoing dispute over their passports.

The Iroquois are scheduled to play the English tomorrow in the tournament's opening contest.

Thompson, Jamieson, Smith and Bucktooth helped lead the Iroquois to a fourth-place finish in 2006.

For information on the 2010 FIL World Championship, visit the official Web site at www.2010worldlacrosse.com

Syracuse University Athletics

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