US Lacrosse Names 2012 U.S. Men's U19 Team

from press release

Matt Florence, a rising senior at Kent Denver (Colo.) High School was one of 23 players named to the 2012 U.S. U19 team. © John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com

BALTIMORE – After the four-day U.S. men’s national under-19 team tryouts at University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC), July 7-10, US Lacrosse released the 23-man roster that will train to compete in the 2012 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) U19 Men’s World Championships in Turku, Finland.

“I think that the competitiveness and level of talent at the tryouts was a gauntlet that the players who made the team had to survive and show their absolute best,” Tim Flynn, head coach of the U.S. men’s U19 team said. “Because of that, the team assembled is one that is tough, diverse and talented.”

"The seven sessions over the four days of tryouts were absolutely inspiring,” Nathaniel Badder, US Lacrosse Director of National Teams said. “We brought in a truly national pool of players, coaches, and evaluators, and the competition on the field was off the charts. And, through a fair and efficient process, picked a team that we believe is capable of defending the gold medal at the 2012 FIL U19 World Championship in Finland next summer."

The following 2012 U.S. men’s U19 team was chosen from the 123 tryout candidates by a player selection committee, which included 20 coaches from 15 different states as well as Flynn and assistant coaches Jack Crawford, Tom Duquette and Tom Rotanz:

Pos. - Name, High School, Hometown, College
A - Connor Buczek, St. Xavier High School '11, Amelia, Ohio, Cornell '15
A - Daniel Eipp, Groton Dunstable '10, Groton, Mass., Harvard '14
A - Matthew Kavanagh, Chaminade High School '11, Rockville Centre, N.Y., Notre Dame '15
A - Kyle Keenan, Smithtown West High School '11, Smithtown, N.Y., Duke '15
A - Joseph Leonard, Hicksville High School '11, Hicksville, N.Y., St. John's '15
M - Brent Armstrong, St. Stephens and St. Agnes '12, Falls Church, Va.
M - Tyler Barbarich, Bridgewater-Raritan High School '11, Martinsville, N.J., Delaware '15
M - Matthew Florence, Kent Denver High School '12, Greenwood Village, Colo.
M - Stephen Kelly, Calvert Hall '13, Lutherville, Md.
M - Sean Mahon, Chaminade High School '11, Garden City, N.Y., Harvard '15
M - Steven Pontrello, St. Augustine Prep '12, Marlton, N.J.
M - Charles Raffa, St. Anthony's High School '11, Syosset, N.Y., Maryland '15
M - Michael Tagliaferri, San Roman Valley High School '12, Danville, Calif.
M - Ryan Tucker, Gilman '11, Towson, Md., Virginia '15
M - Robert Zoppo, Calvert Hall '10, Baltimore, Md., Towson '14
D -  Ralph D'Agostino, Immaculata High School '11, Califon, N.J., Syracuse '15
D - Gregory Danseglio, St. Anthony's High School '11, Islip Terrace, N.Y., Virginia '15
D - Robert Enright, Massapequa High School '11, Massapequa, N.Y., Johns Hopkins '15
D - Luke Howard, Landon School '11, Potomac, Md., Ohio State '15
D - Stephen Jahelka, Garden City High School '11, Garden City, N.Y., Harvard '15
D - Tanner Ottenbreit, Regis Jesuit High School '11, Aurora, Colo., Virginia '15
G - Zachary Oliveri, Connequot High School '11, Ronkonkoma, N.Y., Massachusetts '15
G - Kyle Turri, West Islip High School '11, West Islip, N.Y., Duke '15

The team boasts one of the most geographically diverse rosters in U.S. men’s national team history, with players from eight states, including two from Colorado and one from California. 

Two players have direct ties to the U.S. national team program. Midfielder Ryan Tucker’s father, John, was a three-time world champion (1986, 1990 and 1994) on the U.S. men’s senior team and also served as an assistant coach for the 2003 U.S U19 team that won a gold medal. Goalie Kyle Turri’s older brother, Justin, was a member of the 2008 U.S. U19 team that won the world championship.

Twenty-one officials also participated in the tryouts to earn a spot to officiate in the world championship. Selected to work at the world championship were:

Peter Buchanan (Centreville, Va.)
Chris Clark (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Mike Hyland (Huntingtown, Md.)

Five alternates were also named. In order, they are:

Charles Baber (Westminster, Md.)
Tim McCaffrey (Amherst, N.H.)
Jason Yates (Henderson, Nev.)
James Reilly (Dover, N.H.)
Pete Weaver (Southbury, Conn.)

The 2012 FIL U19 World Championship will take place in Turku, Finland, where Team USA will look to defend its title from 2008, when it won gold at the quadrennial event, beating Canada 19-12 in Coquitlam, British Columbia.

US Lacrosse is the national governing body for men’s and women’s lacrosse, and is the parent organization of the U.S. men’s and women’s lacrosse teams.  Warrior is the exclusive equipment and apparel sponsor of the U.S. men’s national team, and both Marriott and Nationwide also sponsor U.S. National Teams program.

About US Lacrosse
US Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is the national governing body for men’s and women’s lacrosse. US Lacrosse is the parent organization of the U.S. men’s and women’s national teams program. US Lacrosse has nearly 350,000 members in 63 regional chapters around the country. Through responsive and effective leadership, US Lacrosse strives to provide programs and services to inspire participation while protecting the integrity of the game. To learn more about US Lacrosse, please visit www.uslacrosse.org.