June 9, 2009
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. - Five former or future Penn State women's lacrosse players will take part, either as a participant or a coach, in the 2009 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Cup, scheduled for June 17-27 in Prague, the Czech Republic. Nittany Lions Michele DeJuliis (United States), Jessi Lieb (United States), Katie Guy (Canada), Patty Kloidt (Canada), and Jen Johnson (Ireland) will vie for the coveted title of world champion.
All games at the 2009 FIL World Cup, which will feature match-ups between 16 teams from around the world, will be played at the SK Slavia Praha Sport Centre, one of the largest athletic facilities in the historic capital city. Australia is the defending World Cup title winner, ending the United States' four-year championship run in 2005 in Annapolis, Md.
Michele DeJuliis, a 1998 Penn State grad, is one of the greatest players in the storied history of Nittany Lion women's lacrosse. A two-time US Lacrosse All-American and three-time Brine/IWLCA All-American, she ranks prominently in several career statistical categories, including seventh in points (203), eighth in goals (142), and 10th in assists (tie, 61). DeJuliis was inducted into the Greater Baltimore Chapter of the US Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 2008. An alternate on the 2005 World Cup team, DeJuliis is the senior member of the 2009 squad.
Jen Johnson |
Jessi Lieb, who will serve as an alternate for Team USA, wrapped up a brilliant collegiate career in 2008, earning First Team All-ALC honors and First Team IWLCA All-West/Midwest Region accolades for the third consecutive year. The superstar midfielder led Penn State in goals (27), assists (9), points (36), free position goals (10), and ground balls (36) in her senior season. Lieb, a three-time Tewaaraton Trophy Preseason Watch List selection, totaled 107 goals, 34 assists, and 141 points in 63 career games.
A member of the 2010 Penn State recruiting class, Katie Guy has fashioned an impressive lacrosse resume over the course of her young career. Competing for the Oshawa Lady Blue Knights Lacrosse Club, the Whitby, Ontario native helped the U15 Rep team capture three gold medals and one silver at Provincial Championships. After graduating to the U19 squad, Guy won Provincials and a title at the Ontario Summer Games. She spent the summer of 2008 not just playing for the U19 Canadian Team but starting. At 16 years of age, she was the team's youngest player. Ironically, Guy's first contest for Team Canada at the 2009 FIL World Cup will be against defending champion Australia, a squad coached by Sue Sofarnos, mother of Hayley Sofarnos, another 2010 Nittany Lion recruit.
Patty Kloidt, a four-year varsity letter winner and a 1994 all-region selection at Penn State, will serve as an assistant coach for Team Canada. Currently the head women's lacrosse coach at Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y., she led the Continentals to a Division III national championship in 2008. In seven seasons at Hamilton, she has compiled a .738 winning percentage and eight of Kloidt's players have earned a total of nine All-America honors. The 2008 IWLCA Division III Coach of the Year also coached three straight Liberty League Players of the Year (2006-08).
Jen Johnson, a four-year letterwinner (1996-99) for the Nittany Lion lacrosse team, will play for Ireland after representing Canada in past international competitions. Penn State's leading scorer in 1998 (73 points) and 1999 (70 points), Johnson is ranked 10th in points (200) and goals (tie, 136) and eighth in assists (64) all-time.