Men's Lacrosse Represented at World Lacrosse Championships
Jun 19 | Men's Lacrosse
Six players, two coaches with RU ties involved with teams for event starting June 21 in San Diego
SAN DIEGO - The 2023 World Lacrosse Championship will take place beginning June 21, hosted in San Diego. Six players with RU ties will compete in the event for five different nations, as well as two coaches.
Team Italy: Bobby Russo, Christian Trasolini
Russo, a 2023 team captain, was a starting defenseman for the past three seasons and was the 2022 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner. The Bridgewater, N.J. native started 46 of his 58 games 'On the Banks', with 107 ground balls and 42 caused turnovers, along with five goals and seven assists.
Trasolini played at Rutgers from 2014 to 2018. He played in 58 games, starting 51 at attack or midfield. The New Hyde Park, N.Y. native scored 74 goals and had 22 assists for a 96-point career. He was a preseason All-Conference selection and Big Ten Preseason Honoree in 2017.
Team England: Christian Scarpello
Scarpello played short-stick defensive midfield at Rutgers from 2015 to 2018 and is now a professional lacrosse player in the PLL with the Waterdogs. At RU, the Madison, N.J. native played in 60 games, and had 121 ground balls, 42 caused turnovers, 13 goals and 24 assists. Scarpello has played in 17 pro games with the Waterdogs and was a member of last season's championship squad.
Team Philippines: Jonathan Dugenio
Dugenio spent the last three seasons as RU's top faceoff specialist. The Bridgewater, N.J. native took 893 faceoffs over his RU career, winning 425 of them. He also collected an even 200 ground balls and caused 11 turnovers, while showing his offensive skills with five goals and 12 assists.
Team Australia: Mitch Baker
Baker came to RU from Melbourne, Australia to compete on attack for the squad last season. He scored his first collegiate goal against St. John's and majored in Applied Psychology.
Team Korea: Andrew Kim
Kim came to RU via Wayne, N.J. and Don Bosco Prep, playing across 2021 to 2023. He played in 18 games at RU in the midfield, highlighted by a goal in a victory over Michigan in 2021 and an assist to set up a goal by his brother Justin in last season's opener.
Team Ireland: Peter Dolan, Assistant Coach
Dolan returns to the coaching staff of Team Ireland, previously serving on their staff for the U-21 World Championships last summer. Dolan has been on the Rutgers' coaching staff since January of 2021, working with the team's specialists.
Team USA: John Danowski, Head Coach
Danowski played at Rutgers from 1973 to 1976, and was part of three NCAA Tournament teams. He led RU in assists in three separate seasons, and is currently second all-time at RU in assists (120). He also holds the RU record for points in a game (14, 1974 vs. Penn State). He has been a Division I head coach since 1986, first at Hofstra and currently at Duke.
The championship will feature the top 30 men's national teams in the world. The event will include five days of pool play, followed by playoffs comprising a first round, quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games. All 107 games of the world championship will be carried on ESPN platforms in the U.S, across ESPN+, ESPNU and ESPN2.
ESPN2 will carry both semifinals on June 29 (5 and 8 p.m. PT), as well as the title game on July 1 (4 p.m. PT). ESPNU coverage will include a quarterfinal on June 28 (7 p.m. PT) and the bronze medal game on July 1 (1 p.m. PT).
Team USA plays its first game on Wednesday June 21, a 7 pm tilt against Canada. Baker's Australia squad faces Scarpello and Team England in the tema's opener on the 22nd at 7 pm. The Phillippines (Dugenio) play Israel Friday at 1 pm in the team's first game. Italy, featuring Russo and Trasolini, open against Hong Kong Thursday at 4 pm. Korea (Kim) faces Ireland (Dolan) in their opener Friday at 10 am.
Team Italy: Bobby Russo, Christian Trasolini
Russo, a 2023 team captain, was a starting defenseman for the past three seasons and was the 2022 Big Ten Outstanding Sportsmanship Award winner. The Bridgewater, N.J. native started 46 of his 58 games 'On the Banks', with 107 ground balls and 42 caused turnovers, along with five goals and seven assists.
Trasolini played at Rutgers from 2014 to 2018. He played in 58 games, starting 51 at attack or midfield. The New Hyde Park, N.Y. native scored 74 goals and had 22 assists for a 96-point career. He was a preseason All-Conference selection and Big Ten Preseason Honoree in 2017.
Team England: Christian Scarpello
Scarpello played short-stick defensive midfield at Rutgers from 2015 to 2018 and is now a professional lacrosse player in the PLL with the Waterdogs. At RU, the Madison, N.J. native played in 60 games, and had 121 ground balls, 42 caused turnovers, 13 goals and 24 assists. Scarpello has played in 17 pro games with the Waterdogs and was a member of last season's championship squad.
Team Philippines: Jonathan Dugenio
Dugenio spent the last three seasons as RU's top faceoff specialist. The Bridgewater, N.J. native took 893 faceoffs over his RU career, winning 425 of them. He also collected an even 200 ground balls and caused 11 turnovers, while showing his offensive skills with five goals and 12 assists.
Team Australia: Mitch Baker
Baker came to RU from Melbourne, Australia to compete on attack for the squad last season. He scored his first collegiate goal against St. John's and majored in Applied Psychology.
Team Korea: Andrew Kim
Kim came to RU via Wayne, N.J. and Don Bosco Prep, playing across 2021 to 2023. He played in 18 games at RU in the midfield, highlighted by a goal in a victory over Michigan in 2021 and an assist to set up a goal by his brother Justin in last season's opener.
Team Ireland: Peter Dolan, Assistant Coach
Dolan returns to the coaching staff of Team Ireland, previously serving on their staff for the U-21 World Championships last summer. Dolan has been on the Rutgers' coaching staff since January of 2021, working with the team's specialists.
Team USA: John Danowski, Head Coach
Danowski played at Rutgers from 1973 to 1976, and was part of three NCAA Tournament teams. He led RU in assists in three separate seasons, and is currently second all-time at RU in assists (120). He also holds the RU record for points in a game (14, 1974 vs. Penn State). He has been a Division I head coach since 1986, first at Hofstra and currently at Duke.
The championship will feature the top 30 men's national teams in the world. The event will include five days of pool play, followed by playoffs comprising a first round, quarterfinals, semifinals and medal games. All 107 games of the world championship will be carried on ESPN platforms in the U.S, across ESPN+, ESPNU and ESPN2.
ESPN2 will carry both semifinals on June 29 (5 and 8 p.m. PT), as well as the title game on July 1 (4 p.m. PT). ESPNU coverage will include a quarterfinal on June 28 (7 p.m. PT) and the bronze medal game on July 1 (1 p.m. PT).
Team USA plays its first game on Wednesday June 21, a 7 pm tilt against Canada. Baker's Australia squad faces Scarpello and Team England in the tema's opener on the 22nd at 7 pm. The Phillippines (Dugenio) play Israel Friday at 1 pm in the team's first game. Italy, featuring Russo and Trasolini, open against Hong Kong Thursday at 4 pm. Korea (Kim) faces Ireland (Dolan) in their opener Friday at 10 am.
Players Mentioned
Attack
/ Men's Lacrosse
Faceoff
/ Men's Lacrosse
Midfield
/ Men's Lacrosse
Defense
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