Jan. 23, 2007
BALTIMORE -- The two-time defending national champion Northwestern Wildcats will face the US National Elite and Developmental teams in two exhibition games on Sunday, Jan. 28, at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista, Fla.
The games are part of US Lacrosse's second annual Champions Challenge Weekend. In addition to Northwestern, the University of Massachusetts, headed by former Wildcat assistant coach Alexis Venechanos, will participate.
Last season, Northwestern became the third team in NCAA history to win two straight women's lacrosse national championships and the first team in the school's history to win consecutive NCAA titles. They defeated Dartmouth in the championship game, 7-4, and return last year's Tewaaraton Trophy recipient, senior Kristen Kjellman.
This year's team will face some familiar faces when they head to Florida. Former Wildcats Sarah Albrecht and assistant coaches Lindsey Munday and Acacia Walker are members of the U.S. Elite Team. Though Kjellman also is on the Elite Team roster and sophomore Meredith Frank on the Developmental Team, both will play for the Wildcats in the Champions Challenge.
The Wildcats defeated the U.S. National Team, 19-13, last year in the inaugural Champions Challenge.
In addition to the games, members of the U.S. Elite and Developmental teams will conduct two players' clinics on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. One clinic is geared for girls in grades 4 through 8 and the second is for girls in grades 9 through 12.
Additionally, a US Lacrosse Coaches Education Program Level 1 Instructional Clinic will be held on Saturday Jan. 27, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. for women's lacrosse coaches. Registration will include a ticket to Sunday's games.
Admission for the day is $16.
US Lacrosse, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, is the national governing body for men and women's lacrosse. To learn more about the organization, please visit www.uslacrosse.org.
9 a.m. -- University of Massachusetts vs. U.S. National Elite Team
9 a.m. -- Northwestern University vs. U.S. National Developmental Team
11 a.m. -- University of Massachusetts vs. U.S. National Developmental Team
12:30 p.m. -- Northwestern University vs. U.S. National Elite Team
2:30 p.m. -- University of Central Florida vs. University of Florida (WDIA)
US Lacrosse contributed to this story