This weekend, six teams will converge in California for Spring Premiere – the U.S. senior and under-19 women’s teams, England, Japan, Fresno State and Stanford.
“This will be a true test,” said U.S. U19 coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. “It should be fun.”
Games will be played on Johnson and Ueland Fields throughout the weekend, as well as in Cagan Stadium on Saturday. Here’s what to watch for.
QUICK LINKS:
Buy Tickets
U.S. U19 Women Roster
U.S. Senior Women Roster
Watch USA-England
Watch USA-Stanford
SCHEDULE
FRIDAY, JAN. 25
12 p.m. – England vs. Japan – Johnson Field
3 p.m. – Fresno State vs. Japan – Johnson Field
6 p.m. – Fresno State vs. England – Johnson Field
SATURDAY, JAN. 26
9 a.m. – Team USA Clinic for Players – Johnson Field ($)
11 a.m. – U.S. U19 vs. Japan – Ueland Field
12 p.m. – U.S. vs. England – Cagan Stadium*
2:30 p.m. – U.S. U19 vs. England – Cagan Stadium*
5 p.m. – U.S./U.S. U19 vs. Stanford – Cagan Stadium^
SUNDAY, JAN. 27
8:30 a.m. – U.S./Japan Combined Practice – Ueland Field
8:30 a.m. – U.S. U19 Blue-White Scrimmage – Johnson Field
* Streamed on LSN
^ Streamed on Pac-12 Plus
($) Separate registration fee
BACK FOR USA
Kerrigan Miller is coming back to the U.S. ranks after winning a silver medal with the 2015 U.S. U19 team. This is her first competition with Team USA since then. Fellow former U19 players also include Sam Apuzzo, an alternate for the 2015 U.S. U19 team and the 2018 Tewaraaton winner out of Boston College, as well as former Syracuse star Kayla Treanor, who won gold with the U.S. senior team in 2017 and U19 team in 2011. Katrina Dowd, the current North Carolina associate head coach, former Northwestern national champion and 2013 U.S. gold medalist, is also returning to the red, white and blue after serving as an assistant for Canada at the 2017 World Cup.
CALIFORNIA CONNECTIONS
Several members of the U.S. teams have strong ties to the Golden State. Defender Kristen Carr is a Stanford assistant under former U.S. assistant Amy Bokker. Goalie Liz Hogan formerly coached at Stanford and now lives in California. Midfielder Kerrigan Miller is a current junior at USC and goalie Gussie Johns graduated from USC this past year. On the U.S. U19 team, two players hail from California – Brianne Gross (Oakridge ’18) and Charlie Rudy (Novato ’18), and Michaela McMahon's older sisters, both play in California — Isabella at USC and Daniella at Stanford.
CROSS-COUNTRY
The U.S. U19 team features players from 11 different states – New York (11), Maryland (5), Massachusetts (4), Pennsylvania (4), California (2), Michigan (2), Texas (2), Connecticut (1), Florida (1), Rhode Island (1) and Utah (1). While New York may be a traditional hotbed for the sport, Kari Buonanno of Rhode Island hopes to become just the second player from Rhode Island to make the final roster. The only player from the state to make it was Emily Fenwick in 1995.
#USAWLAX attackman, @kylieohlmiller talks all things #SpringPremiere with @LaxSportsNet and how she can’t wait to be on the West Coast with @USAWLAX.
— US Lacrosse (@USLacrosse) January 22, 2019
Catch Kylie in action and get your tickets today: https://t.co/wzCCOx2NDR pic.twitter.com/KcSvIOYQdA
CURRENT COLLEGIANS
Of the 34-player training roster for the U.S. U19 team, 21 are currently underclassmen in college. Three are college sophomores – Shannon Boyle (Hofstra), Alexandra Murphy (UMass) and Allison Palermo (Northwestern). Eighteen are college freshmen – Megan Carney (Syracuse), Sarah Cooper (Syracuse), Amanda Cramer (Northwestern), Katie Detwiler (Loyola), Madison Doucette (Northwestern), Brianne Gross (Vanderbilt), Rachel Hall (Oregon), Elle Hansen (Northwestern), Elizabeth Hillman (North Carolina), Kimber Hower (North Carolina), Emma Jacques (Northwestern), Madeleine Jenner (Duke), Michaela McMahon (Penn), Brooklyn Neumen (North Carolina), Olivia Rubin (Duke), Charlie Rudy (Colorado), Isabelle Scane (Northwestern) and Greta Stahl (Northwestern).
On the U.S. senior team, eight are current college players. Boston College seniors Sam Apuzzo and Dempsey Arsenault, Stony Brook senior Mackenzie Burns and junior Ally Kennedy, James Madison redshirt sophomore Molly Dougherty, Maryland senior Jen Giles, USC junior Kerrigan Miller and North Carolina sophomore Emma Trenchard are all suiting up for Team USA.
PRO STARS
Of the 26 players for the U.S. senior team, 18 have gone pro in the WPLL or UWLX. The New England Command won the inaugural WPLL championship with a down-to-the-wire 12-11 victory over the Baltimore Brave in July, while the Philadelphia Force toppled the Boston Storm 13-7 for its first UWLX title in August. Members of the championship teams include Becca Block (Command), Megan Douty (Command), Katie O'Donnell (Command), Molly Hendrick (Force), Emily Garrity Parros (Force) and Michelle Tumolo (Force).
U19 AIMING FOR COVETED 18 SPOTS
In August, the U.S. under-19 women’s national team will compete in the FIL Women’s U19 World Championship in Peterborough, Canada. The team reconvenes for the first time since Fall Classic in October with cuts looming before the summer. The 34 players on the U19 training team will be vying for 18 spots on the final roster.
MEET TEAM USA
US Lacrosse will offer a clinic for players on Saturday with the U.S. senior women’s national team, autograph sessions with both senior and U19 teams and an opportunity to meet the U19 team at a fundraising dinner to support their journey this summer. Learn more at uslacrosse.org/springpremiere.
One more day, @USLacrosse! @USAWLax | #GoStanford pic.twitter.com/jtKNaf5Dxs
— Stanford Lacrosse (@StanfordWLax) January 24, 2019