Sep 3, 2013
Team USA Trims Roster to 52 Following Tryout
BALTIMORE - Penn State men's lacrosse will have four alumni of the program compete for spots on the 2014 U.S. world championship lacrosse team following an initial tryout.
Drew Adams, Greg Gurenlian, Matthew Mackrides and Chris Schiller are apart of 52 players who will compete for the final 23 spots. The original tryout pool consisted of 94 during a three-day trial at Goucher College this past weekend. Penn State head coach Jeff Tambroni is also serving as an assistant to U.S. head man Richie Meade.
Penn State has the fourth-most representatives with four following Maryland (9), Johns Hopkins (7) and Syracuse (5). Immediately behind Penn State are Duke (3) and Cornell (3).
Upcoming for the quartet of former Nittany Lions will be a series of fall and winter events. Two training weekends will be held in October and December before two tournaments: U.S. Lacrosse Convention in Philadelphia (Jan. 10-12) and the Champion Challenge (Jan. 24-26) hosted by the ESPN Wide World of Sports in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
For Schiller, he's looking to reprise his role from 2010 where he helped the Americans to gold at the world championship, while the other three former Lions are in search of their first national team spots. Mackrides, who missed part of the tryout with an injury, is contending with a loaded midfield that features standouts Paul Rabil, Max Seibald and Matt Striebel among others.
Adams, the MLL's Goalie of the Year in 2011 and 2012, is one of four goalies fighting for their first U.S. team spot. Gurenlian is in a similar situation as one of four face-off specialists all looking for the first national team honor.
The United States hosts the 2014 FIL World Championship July 10-19 in Denver, Colo. The American squad will compete for its 10th world title.