The 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships are set for September 20-29 in Utica, New York with 28 teams competing in the men’s box championship, split into seven pools. Eight teams advance directly to the playoffs after pool play and teams seeded 9-16 will compete in a play-in round.
The full schedule for the championship can be found here.
Pool C: Finland, Greece, Japan, Switzerland
Pool C features two teams making their debut in the men’s box championship in Greece and Japan, a Switzerland team making its third appearance and a Finland squad with two consecutive top-ten finishes.
Both Greece and Japan are bringing impressive first-time squads to Utica which will make this pool one of the most entertaining to watch over the first few days of action.
Switzerland finished 17th in the 2019 edition of the championship in Canada, while Finland posted an impressive sixth place finish, claiming wins over Australia, Czechia and Austria in the process.
Tickets for all games of the box championships are available here.
Switzerland recorded wins over Hong Kong and Mexico in Langley in 2019 and in Hannover at the 2022 European Box Lacrosse Championship, the team finished in sixth with wins over Austria, the Netherlands and Sweden.
Switzerland also competed with most of its players in its Utica squad at the E-Box invitational in Prague this year, where it defeated Hong Kong and Scotland, and lost narrowly to Belgium.
In Prague, Matthew Trautman and Patrick Brunner led the goalscoring, with key playmaking from Brandon Kunick and Maximilien Suter. Goalkeeper Sven Baeriswyl also will play in Utica.
Defender Stefan Zweifel is one of the most experienced players in the championship with appearances in both of Switzerland’s past box championships and four field championships dating back to 2010. Overall, seven players return from 2019 with four players also playing in 2015.
Finland will have high expectations for another top ten finish with a veteran squad, featuring 14 players with previous box championship experience under their belt.
Finland finished in fourth in Hannover, falling to Czechia in the bronze medal match. In 2024, Finland played three close one-goal matches in Prague against England, Ireland and Czechia, with over 15 players from the E-Box campaign included in the squad for Utica.
Roope Jokela is a prolific goalscorer and should see strong attacking support from Jarno Aaltonen, Altti Hyytiainen and Jimi Wiren, as well as Brett Kujala, who graduated from Bowdoin and was an All-American honorable mention in field lacrosse in 2017.
Goalkeeper Lauri Uusitalo last played in the box championship in 2018, but has four field lacrosse championship appearances from 2006 to 2018.
Finland also might get a boost in defense and transition with newcomer Eric Hofmann, who is a high school senior in Stevensville, Maryland.
Japan will be bringing back nine players from its fifth-place campaign in field lacrosse in San Diego in 2023, and seven players from the sixes team that claimed bronze at The World Games in 2022 in Birmingham.
Field lacrosse fans will be familiar with high-flying forwards Hiroki Kanaya and Shinya Tateishi, who was named to the World Team in San Diego. Dai Sato leads a group of strong defensemen and goalkeeper Soyu Tokumasu has sixes experience.
Rei Yamamoto will also help the defensive group and performed well for Japan in field lacrosse at the men’s U21 championship in 2022 in Limerick.
While Greece is bringing a relatively untested team in international box competition, many of its players have varying levels of collegiate field lacrosse experience, from club to Division III to Division I.
Goalkeeper Evan Constantopoulos was a standout performer in OJLL box lacrosse and signed with the Buffalo Bandits this pas July after being drafted in the 2023 NLL entry draft.
Jonathan Spiropoulos is a defenseman with field lacrosse experience at Boston University and Ethan Hughes is coming off his first year of field lacrosse at Sacred Heart University.
Agyris Dinoris and Nick Ioannou will be some of the players expected to lead the forward group.
Games to Watch
Saturday, September 21: Greece vs. Japan, 1:45 p.m., Utica University Nexus Center 2
Both teams will play their first games at a box championship against each other with plenty of talent in the arena looking to adapt to the new discipline as quick as possible. It will be a key measuring stick game for both teams right out of the gate.
Monday, September 23: Switzerland vs. Greece, 10 a.m., Adirondack Bank Center
Switzerland will have two games under its belt against Finland and Japan already and will have a strong closing test against Greece. It should be compelling matchup of ELF teams that could have playoff implications on the final day of pool play.
Monday, September 23: Japan vs. Finland, 2:30 p.m., Utica University Nexus Center 1
Despite Japan’s top-five level in field lacrosse, its box prowess remains a mystery until the games kick off in Utica. It will have two games before facing Finland, who finished sixth in the last edition. This match will be a highly intriguing showdown between a proven Finland team and an eager to impress Japan side.
Tickets for all games of the box championships are available here.
