Teams to watch at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships

The 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships are set to run from 20-29 September in Utica, New York featuring 133 games across both the men’s and women’s championships. Games will be played at the Utica University Nexus Center, which features three fields, as well as the Adirondack Bank Center which will host both the opening night and the medal matches.

This event is usually held every four years, however the last iteration of the competition took place in 2019 as Canada won its fifth straight gold medal on the men’s side. In fact, since the first tournament in 2003, Canada has won all five gold medals and is undefeated in all games. The Haudenosaunee Nationals finished second in all five World Lacrosse Box Championships and the United States took home bronze in all five.

It is important to note that the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships will now feature women’s teams for the first time.

The top eight finishers in pool play on the men’s side will advance directly to the playoffs. Teams that finish group play ranked ninth through 16th will compete in a play-in round to determine the remaining four spots in the playoffs, which begin on 25 September.

On the women's side of the competition, 10 teams will compete in pool play. The top three teams in each of the two pools will advance to the playoffs, while the four remaining teams will face off in a play-in round for the remaining two playoff spots.

The quarterfinals, semifinals and medal rounds for both championships will take place over a three-day span from 26-29. September The bronze medal matches are scheduled for Saturday, 28 September and the gold medal matches will take place on Sunday, 29 September.

Here are five teams to watch as the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships rapidly approaches.

Teams to watch: Canada men’s

Based on their performances at the 2019 World Lacrosse Box Championships, all four teams in men’s group A will automatically advance to the playoffs, including defending champions Canada. Their prowess has been well documented, winning gold in each of the five iterations of the World Lacrosse Box Championships, and this group is the favorite to repeat once again.

Dhane Smith, Dillon Ward, Challen Rogers, Graeme Hossack and Shayne Jackson are all returning from the 2019 championship-winning team. The Canadians have also added new talent with the likes of Jeff Teat, Josh Byrne, Ian Mackay, and Latrell Harris making their World Lacrosse Box Championships debuts. Byrne specifically was most recently named the Most Valuable Player of the 2023-24 season in the National Lacrosse League.

Teams to watch: Haudenosaunee men’s

Formerly known as the Iroquois Nationals, the Haudenosaunee nationals have been runners-up in all five World Lacrosse Box Championships and are looking to finally get over the hump in 2024. Randy Staats and Cody Jamieson were both pivotal members of the 2019 team while both Tehoka Nanticoke and Brendan Bomberry will bring over valuable NLL experience. Eli McLaughlin and Travis Longboat also provide an important combination of skill and experience.

“We are proud to bring together a team of 23 well-rounded lacrosse players who embodied leadership with a hungry young presence that is ready to make its mark on the world,” said Haudenosaunee general manager Landon Miller. “These athletes represent our nations with honour and dignity, and every one of them has shown a willingness to do whatever it takes for the team and each other. We can’t wait to get started. This journey is just the beginning.”

Teams to watch: United States men’s

The United States enters the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships with five players from the bronze-medal winning team in 2019, looking to finally move into the championship game. Joe Resetarits and Joel White are each making their third appearance in the championships, providing valuable experience for the Americans.

Resetarits recently set the record for the most career points scored by a U.S. player in the NLL. Danny Logan, a defenseman who was named to the All-NLL rookie team in 2023, will also be joining the squad in Utica.

“We couldn’t be more excited about the prospects for this group,” said head coach Regy Thorpe. “The U.S. player pool has grown every year and that made for some really difficult decisions, especially for those last few roster spots. We’ve had great teams in the past, but haven’t had the depth position wise. This year, especially in the defensive and transition areas of the field, it was really deep and competitive. We love this group of guys.”

Teams to watch: Haudenosaunee women’s

The Haudenosaunee women’s team had a rigorous and calculated process to select its roster, whittling down an initial tryout group of 120 players down to just 26. Since this final roster was selected, the team has practiced nearly everyday over the last nine months to build chemistry and hone the players’ skills.

Fawn Porter, Timmia Bomberry and Tallis Tarbell are all expected to play a pivotal role in the tournament. Overall, six players have previous world championship experience including Joni Squire-Hill who competed for the Haudenosaunee in field lacrosse in 2009 in Prague and Stacy Smith, who also competed in field lacrosse in 2013 in Oshawa.

"We have progressed over the past nine months. I've seen tremendous improvement," general manager Jeff Powless said."I [have to] put this team in the best position possible.”

Teams to watch: Netherlands women’s

The Netherlands women’s team is an experienced group, bringing 18 players to Utica who suited up for She-Box in Prague earlier in 2024. Manon Loos, Delaney Keen and Kimberly Vuurboom headline the Dutch attack while Kim Hahn and Darya Saed have proven to be reliable in net.

​​Riley Black and Natalie van der Velde are both under 18 years old but possess immense talent and could make an impact at the 2024 World Lacrosse Box Championships.