SPARKS, Md. — USA Lacrosse has announced that Regy Thorpe and Ginny Capicchioni will serve as the head coaches for the U.S. men’s and women’s box national teams, respectively, that will represent the United States in the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships.
Thorpe is returning for his second stint as the head coach for the U.S. men’s box team while Capicchioni will become the coach of the first U.S. women’s box team ever. Next year’s championships, at a site and date to be announced, marks the first time that World Lacrosse has sponsored a women’s box championship.
Leading the first U.S. women’s box team will be familiar turf for Capicchioni, a pioneer among women’s athletes. In 2003, she became the first female to play in the National Lacrosse League, playing for the New Jersey Storm. In 2011, she played for the U.S. men’s team in the world championship, making 28 saves while allowing just two goals while playing in parts of two games.
“I played men’s box for 14 years and it has had a very significant impact on my life,” Capicchioni said. “This is the first time it is available to women at the top level in our country. I am very excited to see the impact that this game will have on our players, as well as those who watch them play.”
Capicchioni was a three-time Northeast Conference Goaltender of the Year at Sacred Heart and played box lacrosse in Canada in addition to her stint in the NLL and with the U.S. team. She has coached women’s lacrosse at the collegiate level at a variety of schools, including Rutgers, Penn, Michigan and Louisville most recently. She will use her diverse playing and coaching background as the U.S. builds the program from the ground up.
“We will have tryouts starting this spring and have just begun the recruiting process now,” Capicchioni said. “Because of the nature of box, players must be effective in multiple areas of the game and normally have a specialty in at least one area. However, aside from skill, all great box players possess an uncommon will to succeed. So, we will be targeting players with both of these qualities.”
Thorpe, a former U.S. men’s box player, led the U.S. to a bronze medal at the 2019 world championship as head coach. It was the fifth straight bronze medal for the U.S. team in the event dating back to 2003. The U.S. carried a 6-5 lead heading into the fourth quarter of its semifinal game against the Haudenosaunee in 2019, before falling 9-7.
“We were so close to making that gold medal game in 2019 and now our player pool is one of the largest we’ve ever had,” Thorpe said. “The competition for roster spots is going to be very competitive and the expectations are high for this group. We want to compete for a gold medal.”
Thorpe, an assistant women’s lacrosse coach at Florida, was inducted into the National Lacrosse League Hall of Fame in 2021. He spent 15 years playing for the Rochester Knighthawks, winning league championships in 1997 and 2007. He was a captain for the 2007 U.S. men’s box team that won a bronze medal. An All-American player at Syracuse, Thorpe also played in Major League Lacrosse and has coached at the professional and international levels in both men’s and women’s lacrosse. His U.S. experience also includes serving as a coach for the U.S. women’s Sixes team that won a silver medal at The World Games 2022.
The U.S. box teams train and play using best-in-class products from Nike Lacrosse (apparel and footwear), DJO (sports bracing) and game-changing, high-performance equipment from Warrior.
In addition to these partners, Gatorade, MedStar Health, National Center for Safety Initiatives and Stryker are official sponsors of the U.S. national team program. Team training is also aided by products from Athletic Republic.
About USA Lacrosse
USA Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation, is a Recognized Sports Organization of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee. As the governing body of men’s and women’s lacrosse in the United States, USA Lacrosse 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.
