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 D: Czechia, Jamaica, Scotland, Chinese Taipei
Pool D features one of the longstanding powers in European men’s box lacrosse in Czechia and and an open group after the Czechs with Scotland vying with Jamaica and Chinese Taipei, two teams making their debuts in the event.
While Scotland finished in the top-five in the event in the first two editions of the championship, it finished in 16th in 2019. Jamaica’s men’s field program has rapidly improved into the top ten of the world rankings.
Czechia has posted a top-ten finish in all previous six editions of the men’s box championship with a seventh place finish in 2019.
Tickets for all games of the box championships are available here.
Chinese Taipei will be making its first appearance in the men’s box championship. While the program did not compete in the 2023 men’s field championship in San Diego, five players that represented the men’s U21 team in Limerick in 2022 will be suiting up in Utica.
In the lead-up to this championship, Chinese Taipei competed in box lacrosse at E-Box in Prague in April before a group of field lacrosse players competed at the Heritage Cup in May in Pennsylvania in the USA.
A core contingent of 15 players that played in Prague will compete for Chinese Taipei at this world championship. Goalkeeper Chun-Chi Tseng impressed at E-Box, while Bo-An Chen and Bo-Yi Wu led the attacking output.
Chinese Taipei will also count on forwards Bailey Wood, Tanner Wallen and Dennis Jack Burns, who have varying levels of collegiate field lacrosse experience in the United States.
Jamaica is looking to bring its experienced field lacrosse core of players into the box lacrosse arena and adapt quickly in its first ever appearance in the championship. The team will be coached by Darryl Gibson, who is an assistant coach in the NLL for the Albany Firewolves.
Eight players from the the team that advanced to the quarterfinals at the men’s championship in San Diego will play in Utica with four players having competed in 2018 in Netanya in Israel. Four players also played for Jamaica in Limerick in 2022 in the junior men’s championship.
Overall, the roster is full of collegiate experience at every position. Goran Murray, Antoine Campbell, Tony Diallo and Shane Lumsden helped anchor Jamaica’s strong defense in San Diego.
Isaac Newland should be a dynamic forward, along with Andrew Knox and Bryan Depass. In goal, Jamaica will count on Jacob Thompson as well as Kiereek Mcleod.
Marcus Minichello will be one of the stars to watch in transition with previous NLL experience with the Philadelphia Wings and the Buffalo Bandits.
Scotland returns an experienced box lacrosse team to Utica, with ten players set for their second box championship after playing in 2019 in Langley. Three additional players have experience at World Lacrosse field championships.
Scotland finished in seventh place at the European Box Lacrosse Championship in 2022 in Hannover, Germany, with wins over Ireland, Belgium and Sweden.
Scotland also has competed yearly in the E-Box Invitational, and took home wins in 2024 against Italy and the Netherlands while also playing Poland to a narrow defeat. Fifteen players from that team will compete in Utica.
In Prague, Thom Gilbrook led the offensive production, with strong showings from Johny Shaw and Trevor Jackson.
Craig Mcfeeters will lead Scotland’s goalkeepers alongside Josh Gamble, who has experience in the Ontario Jr. B Lacrosse League.
Chris Willox, who represented Scotland in San Diego, will be a key player in transition. Forward Luke Laskiewicz is also an accomplished box forward who was named the MVP of the 2020 Arena Lacrosse League for the Oshawa Outlaws
Czechia is bringing of the most experienced rosters to the championship in September with 12 players with past world championship experience, and five players with appearances multiple championships. Czechia is also home to the National Box Lacrosse League (NBLL).
Tomas Knotek and Jiri Loskot both finished in the top five in points over the course of the last NBLL season, both recording over six points per game.
Victor Blaha and Josef Slavik will be in net for the Czechs, and Blaha posted the third best save percentage in the NBLL in 2024.
Forward Pavel Dosly is one of the most experienced players in lacrosse, with appearances in all five box championships dating back to 2003, and seven field lacrosse championships dating back to 1998. Dosly still ranked in the top ten in points in the 2024 season of the NBLL.
Chet Koneczny is an experienced all-around player, as is Skoky Skokan.
The Czech Republic went 4-0 at the E-Box Invitational in April, with wins over Germany, England and Finland. Lukas Kucera impressed as one of the bright young stars on the team with ten points.
Games to Watch
Saturday, September 21: Scotland vs. Chinese Taipei, 9:30 a.m., Utica University Nexus Center 3
Chinese Taipei will make its debut in men’s box lacrosse in the opening game on the second day of the championship. It will face a Scotland team with a developed box lacrosse program that will want to set its playoff campaign off on the right foot.
Sunday, September 22: Scotland vs. Jamaica, 4:45 p.m., Utica University Nexus Center 2
Jamaica’s debut in the championship comes a day earlier against Czechia, and while it could make a shock opening statement, it will still need a win against Scotland in both team’s second matchup of the pool. This will be one of the most fascinating matchups between a box newcomer and a solid European team with plenty of playoff implications in Pool D.
Monday, September 23: Czechia vs. Scotland, 5:30 p.m., Utica University Nexus Center 1
Czechia is the favorite in the pool, and its third and final matchup against a familiar ELF side will both have playoff implications and be a good barometer of Czechia’s intentions for a deep playoff run in Utica.
