The United States recently announced its 22-person roster for the World Lacrosse Women’s U20 World Championship, taking place this August in Hong Kong, China. It will be the most experienced roster the U.S. has ever fielded for this competition.
Prior to 2019, USA Lacrosse had an internal policy that did not allow collegiate players to participate in the former U19 world championship.
The 2019 Women’s U19 World Championship was the first event that the United States allowed collegiate players on its roster and that team defeated Canada in the championship game, 13-3.
The policy switch, combined with the age limit in the event increasing by a year, has resulted in a roster led by current collegiate stars.
The 22 young women selected for this United States roster come with talented accolades. There are eight athletes who played in the 2024 NCAA women’s championship game, as well as IWLCA All-Americans Shea Dolce (Boston College), Emma LoPinto (Boston College) and Madison Taylor (Northwestern University).
LoPinto is a rising senior who has compiled 273 points in her first three years of collegiate lacrosse. Taylor was a finalist this year for the Tewaaraton Award, given to the best player in the country, after helping lead Northwestern to the NCAA championship game for the second straight season. All-American goalkeeper Dolce made the key save that helped Boston College win this year’s title.
All of that college action will be beneficial, but the international stage will be a brand-new experience.
LoPinto is now the oldest member of the team.
“I’ve never really been the oldest at some of these things so it’s cool to have that experience,” said LoPinto.
Taylor is excited about the opportunity to represent the United States in a world championship.
“It’s my first time ever playing for Team USA and I’m just excited,” Taylor said.” I think this is an opportunity of a lifetime, so I’m just grateful for it, and trying not to take it for granted by just enjoying every day.”
LoPinto and Taylor can attest to the fact that all athletes want to be able to represent the country they come from, but that is especially true for Brigid Duffy. Duffy is a dual-sport athlete, playing on both the lacrosse and soccer team at the U.S. Military Academy (West Point).
“People joke how I play for America’s team at West Point, but this truly is America’s team, so it would be an honor on a whole new level,” said Duffy.
Their coach, Kelly Amonte Hiller, knows what it means to represent the country. She played on the U.S. team that won world championships in 1997 and 2001, and then played on the 2005 U.S. team that lost to Australia in the gold medal game. That feeling, combined with seeing the U.S. U19 team lose to Canada in 2015, drove her to get back involved with the U.S. program.
“It is just so fun to have this opportunity,” Amonte Hiller said. “I don’t take it lightly. I really want to help these players embody what it means to represent the United States in lacrosse and just be great role models that can persevere through anything. I want them to really inspire people to play this beautiful game.”
It will mark a return to Asia for Amonte Hiller; the 1997 championship was in Tokyo.
“I think that the experience that I had in Japan was just truly incredible, like no other,” said Amonte Hiller. “The fan support was amazing and how they just rallied behind the championships. I’m hopeful that it will be similar in Hong Kong, and it will be a cool experience to be in a city like that and be able to experience a totally different culture.”
She’s not alone. LoPinto is looking forward to bonding with her USA teammates, but also embracing the opportunity that international lacrosse provides.
“Getting the chance to be with 22 girls and creating those friendships,” LoPinto said of what she’s most looking forward to. “But also meeting players from other countries. I think that’s something really special.”
Duffy is excited to witness lacrosse on a global stage with the first World Lacrosse championship taking place in Asia since the 2002 men’s championship in Australia.
“It’s kind of mind-blowing thinking about how lacrosse expanded this far,” Duffy said. “It’s going to be so cool that lacrosse is bringing that influence all the way to Hong Kong.”
The full roster for the United States can be found at the Women’s U20 Roster Tracker here.
