UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Former Penn State women's lacrosse player and 2018 graduate Katie O'Donnell and the program's director of operations, Katie Haus, have been selected to tryout for the 2021 U.S. National Team. They are two of the 50 athletes selected to tryout to represent the U.S. in the 2021 World Lacrosse Women's World Championship. The championship will be held on July 7-17, 2021 at Towson University. The U.S. team tryouts will take place at the U.S. Lacrosse headquarters in Sparks, Maryland on December 4-6.
O'Donnell had an outstanding career as a Nittany Lion from 2015-18. The 2018 Big Ten Midfielder of the Year ranks sixth all-time at Penn State with 227 points and fourth with 203 goals. She tallied 61 goals and six assists as a senior in 2018, earning First Team IWLCA All-America honors as well as IWLCA First Team All-Region, All-Big ten and All-Big Ten Tournament Team. O'Donnell recorded 65 goals and six assists in 2017, claiming Second Team IWLCA All-America and First Team IWLCA All-Region honors. O'Donnell concluded her career as a three-time All-Big Ten selection and two-time IWLCA Honor Roll member. She led the Nittany Lions to four straight NCAA Tournament appearances, including National Semifinal appearances in 2016 and 2017. O'Donnell also led Penn State to a Big Ten Tournament Title in 2015. She was selected fourth overall in the 2018 WPLL Draft by the New England Command after graduating with a degree in advertising/public relations. She is currently an assistant coach at Lehigh University.
Haus joined the Nittany Lion coaching staff in 2017-18 as a volunteer assistant before moving into her current role as the program's director of operations. She has been a member of the U.S. National Team since 2010 and competed in the 2013 and 2017 World Lacrosse Championships. As a standout at Maryland, Haus was a two-time Tewaaraton Award winner (2012, 2013) and led the Terrapins to three National Championship appearances and a National Title in 2010. She was a three-time IWLCA Midfielder of the Year.
The Nittany Lions, led by Head Coach Missy Doherty, went 5-2 in 2020 before the season was stopped due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Follow along with the team on our social media pages on Facebook (PennStateWomensLacrosse) and Twitter/Instagram (@pennstatewlax).
2018 graduate Katie O'Donnell