Three Statesmen Up for Roster Spots at 2010 Lacrosse World Championships

Courtesy of Hobart Sports Information

Two current Hobart lacrosse players and one former Statesman are on the short lists to compete in the 2010 FIL World Lacrosse Championships. Junior goalie Evan Kirk is on the 30-man roster for Team Canada, while junior attackman Mike White and attackman Tyler Hill '09 are among 40 players on the Iroquois National Team roster.

Hill and White will be in the unique position of playing against their current and former teammates. The pair will suit up for the Iroquois National Team in tomorrow's (Oct. 23) exhibition game against Hobart. The opening faceoff at McCooey Field is scheduled for 7:30 p.m.

This will be the first time the Statesmen and Iroquois National Team have met, but Hobart has a long history of contests against Native American teams, having squared off against squads identified in Hobart's archives as the Akron Indians, Carlisle Indian Industrial School, Cattaraugus, Onondaga Indians, and Seneca Indians.

The Statesmen first played a Native American squad in 1903, battling the Seneca Indians to a 3-3 tie. Hobart's last exhibition against a Native American team was in 1952, when the Statesmen defeated the Seneca Indians 19-6.

White has played in 15 games for Hobart, scoring five goals and assisting on three more. In two seasons, Hill played in 11 games, recording a goal and an assist. He played for Le Moyne during its 2006 National Championship run and suited up for Onondaga Community College during its NJCAA National Championship season in 2007.

White previously played for the Iroquois National Team at the 2008 U19 World Championships, winning a bronze medal.

On Wednesday, Team Canada announced that Kirk was one of 30 players selected from an original pool of 56 still in consideration for one of 23 roster spots. According to the official press release, "...general manager Johnny Mouradian and head coach David Huntley and his staff will take their time before arriving at the 23-man roster that will represent Canada at the world field lacrosse championship...."

"It means a lot to have the chance to play for Team Canada," Kirk says. "To be able to play with the best players in the world, like John Grant, Jr., Mark Steenhuis, Brodie Merrill, and, one of my idols growing up, fellow goalie Chris Sanderson ... I grew up watching him and it would be an honor to be able to play with him."

Kirk has played in five games over the past two seasons, stopping 12 of the 13 shots he's faced for a 1.75 GAA and a .923 save percentage.

The 2010 FIL World Lacrosse Championships will be held in Manchester, England, from July 15-24.