Bernhardt, Ehrhardt and Schreiber Elected Captains of U.S. Men's National Team

SPARKS, Md. — Three-time U.S. Men’s National Team member Jesse Bernhardt, reigning world championship MVP Michael Ehrhardt and 2018 gold medal game hero Tom Schreiber have been elected to serve as captains for the United States in the upcoming 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship in San Diego

The three veterans were voted captains by their teammates during the U.S. team’s final training camp last week in Durham, N.C.

“Those are the three that I would have chosen for variety of reasons. They are incredibly intelligent, no one can question their character on or off the field and these are as good of men and representatives of our sport that you can find,” head coach John Danowski said. “These are three terrific choices among 23 guys who all could have been captains in their own right.”

Playing in his third world championship event, Bernhardt anchors a defense that allowed just 5.29 goals per game during the U.S. team’s seven-game run to its 10th gold medal in 2018. An 11-year pro and four-time all-star, Bernhardt, 32, currently competes for the Chrome of the Premier Lacrosse League and is the defensive coordinator at his alma mater, Maryland.

A four-time PLL LSM of the Year with the Whipsnakes, Ehrhardt ascended to stardom at the 2018 FIL World Championship in Netanya, Israel, where the long-stick midfielder became the first defender to earn MVP honors since Hall of Famer Dave Pietramala in 1990. The 31-year-old is a five-time pro all-star out of Maryland and has been a threat on both sides of the ball throughout his career. He has amassed 363 ground balls, 92 caused turnovers and 84 points in 100 games played.

Widely regarded as one of the best offensive players in the world, Schreiber secured his place in U.S. team lore by scoring the game-winning goal with 0.2 seconds left in regulation to beat Canada 9-8 in the 2018 world championship final. A two-time Major League Lacrosse MVP and three-time PLL Midfielder of the Year with the Archers, “Captain America” also plays a starring role in the National Lacrosse League. The Princeton product was the 2017 NLL Rookie of the Year with the Toronto Rock and has 357 points in 68 career games to go with 354 points in 98 career MLL/PLL games.

The 2023 World Lacrosse Men’s Championship starts Wednesday with the U.S. taking on Canada (10 p.m. ET/7 p.m. PT, ESPN2) at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, followed by opening ceremonies.

The U.S. Men’s National Team trains and plays using best-in-class products from Nike Lacrosse (apparel and footwear), DJO (sports bracing) and game-changing, high-performance equipment from Cascade Maverik and Warrior.

In addition to these partners, Gatorade, MedStar Health, National Center for Safety Initiatives and Stryker are official sponsors of the U.S. National Teams. Team training is also aided by products from Athletic Republic.

Funding for the national team also comes from generous donors to the USA Lacrosse Foundation. Help support the team on the journey to San Diego.

ABOUT USA LACROSSE

USA Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is the governing body of men’s and women’s lacrosse in the United States, leads the U.S. National Teams Program and establishes universal standards. With more than 400,000 members across the country, USA Lacrosse unites the community of players, coaches, officials, parents, and program leaders. Working together, we inspire participation, enrich the athlete experience, and support the growth of the sport.