SPARKS, Md. — The U.S. Men’s Box National Team will continue preparation for the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships by competing in the North American Invitational (LAXNAI), which runs from Sept. 28 through October 1 in Utica, N.Y.
This is the sixth edition of the North American Invitational, and the event will feature Men’s, Women’s, U18 and U15 divisions. The men’s division is expected to have approximately 30 teams competing. This is the second time the U.S. men will participate in the event. The U.S. sent two men’s teams to LAXNAI in 2018 and the teams placed second and third.
The U.S. men will once again send two teams to the event and it will cap a busy stretch in Utica, the home of the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships. The U.S. men’s and women’s box teams will both hold training camps in Utica the weekend of Sept. 23-24.
The U.S. men have won five straight bronze medals at the world championship while this is the first time that the World Lacrosse will conduct a women’s box championship.
For U.S. men’s head coach Regy Thorpe, the training camp and North American Invitational will be a key evaluation period. The expansion of the National Lacrosse League, coupled with more box opportunities in the United States and more U.S. players playing box in Canada, will provide Thorpe and his staff with one of the deepest player pools in U.S. national team history.
“Training camp is one thing, but seeing guys under fire is a whole different thing,” said Thorpe, the head coach for the 2019 U.S. box team and a former national team player as well. “We had a good experience getting ready for 2019 at the tournament and we’re looking forward to playing some good competition.”
The U.S. men’s team is expected to compete from Sept. 29-30. For more information about the North American Invitational, please visit https://laxnai.com/
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.
