And then there were 18.

What started in August with 105 U.S. World Cup hopefuls — all of them boasting incredible credentials as collegiate and professional women’s lacrosse players — dwindled down to 36 and then 25 before the decisive Team USA Spring Premiere in Bradenton, Fla.

Following a 20-19 win over Florida that was too close for comfort and a more palatable 22-5 victory over Notre Dame, U.S. coach Ricky Fried and his staff chose 18 players that will compete for the two-time defending champion Team USA at the FIL Women’s World Cup, July 12-22 in Guildford, England.

For Fried, an assistant on the 2009 team and the head coach in 2013, this does not get easier.

“Of the three World Cups I’ve been a part of, this was the most difficult process because of the wealth of talent in the player pool,” Fried said.

The U.S. also will carry a 15-player roster to compete in the 2017 World Games in Wroclaw, Poland. That event, which will mark lacrosse’s debut as a member of the International World Games Association, starts four days after the World Cup ends. A strong showing for the sport would only help in its quest for IOC recognition.

“Everybody talks about being the first to do something,” Fried said. “These are going to be the pioneers if we’re fortunate enough to get into the Olympics one day.”

Team USA, Australia, Canada, Great Britain, Japan and Poland will compete in a 10-on-10 format at Olawka Stadium. 

The U.S. contingent will include seven players from the 2013 team that won gold at the World Cup in Oshawa, Canada. Two also were members of the 2009 world champion U.S. team.

Canada, considered to be the top contender to dethrone Team USA, also named its 18-player World Cup roster. 

And much like the Canadian U19 women’s team that upset Team USA in 2015, most of the 18 players chosen to the Canadian senior women’s team have been or will be trained in the NCAA ranks.

“Putting the right combination of players together for the U19 world championship in 2015 played a big part in Canada pulling off one of the biggest upsets in women’s lacrosse history,” Team Canada chairman Dean French said.

The U.S. is a seven-time World Cup champion with an all-time record of 52-6-1.