UTICA, New York – Jamaica and the US Virgin Islands (USVI) are poised to make the Caribbean proud as they represent the region at the 6th Men’s World Lacrosse Box Championship, scheduled from September 20-29 in Utica, New York.
This fast-paced indoor version of lacrosse will showcase the talents of more than 600 athletes across 28 teams, divided into seven pools, as they compete for international supremacy. Both Jamaica and the USVI will bring their unique skills to the tournament in hopes of making a mark on the global stage.
Jamaica’s men have been placed in Pool D, where they will face off against seventh-ranked Czech Republic, Scotland, and newcomers Chinese Taipei. As Jamaica makes its first-ever appearance in the World Lacrosse Box Championship, the team will be looking to transfer their experience from the field game, where they have climbed into the world’s top 10 rankings, to the box arena.
Packed with seasoned talent
Under the guidance of Darryl Gibson, an assistant coach for the Albany Firewolves in the National Lacrosse League (NLL), Jamaica’s roster is packed with seasoned talent. Eight players from the squad that reached the quarter-finals at the Men’s Lacrosse Championship in San Diego will play in Utica, along with four veterans from the 2018 championship in Israel. Four others gained invaluable experience playing in the 2022 Junior Men’s Championship in Limerick.
The Jamaicans’ roster boasts significant collegiate experience, especially in defense. Goran Murray, Antoine Campbell, Tony Diallo, and Shane Lumsden formed the backbone of Jamaica’s defense in San Diego and will be key to the team’s success in Utica. Offensively, the team will look to dynamic forwards like Isaac Newland, Andrew Knox, and Bryan Depass to lead the charge, while goalies Jacob Thompson and Kiereek McLeod will be essential between the posts. One player to watch is Marcus Minichello, a versatile transition player with previous NLL experience with both the Philadelphia Wings and the Buffalo Bandits.
Meanwhile, the US Virgin Islands will be making their debut in any world lacrosse discipline, competing in Pool F against the eighth-ranked Netherlands, Austria, and Italy. Their inclusion in the tournament is a milestone for the Caribbean nation, marking their first steps onto the global lacrosse stage. Though relatively new to the world lacrosse scene, having joined World Lacrosse in 2020, the USVI has worked diligently to develop their program and is eager to compete at this elite level.
A prolific goalscorer
The team previously took part in field lacrosse qualification for the 2023 Men’s Championship in Medellin, Colombia, as well as the PALA Sixes Cup held in Jamaica in December 2023. They also participated in the 2023 LAXNAI box lacrosse event. The USVI team for Utica includes 10 players from their PALA Sixes Cup squad, with key contributors like Gavin Jones, expected to be a prolific goalscorer, and Ryan Cochran, a skilled playmaker.
In goal, the USVI will rely on the talents of Kev Reder and Patrick Crosby, while forward Nick McEvoy, who played field lacrosse at Penn State from 2017 to 2020, is expected to be a critical offensive force. Defensively, experienced players like Tyler Peworchik and Blake Runkle will provide a solid backline.
For both Jamaica and the USVI, the Men’s World Lacrosse Box Championship represents a thrilling opportunity to compete against the world’s best and showcase Caribbean talent on a global stage.
