SPARKS, Md. – Two former University at Albany men's lacrosse players, Blaze Riorden and TD Ierlan, have been named to the Team USA roster for the 2023 World Championships in San Diego.
 
Riorden and Ierlan are two of 23 members on the final roster.  The World Championships will take place June 21 through July 1, 2023, and be contested among 30 teams.  Team USA is the top overall seed and reigning world champion.
 
Riorden graduated UAlbany in 2016 as the men's lacrosse program's all-time leader in saves.  He presided in goal over UAlbany's first 16-win season in 2015, the team's second-straight advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals.  Riorden was drafted 51st overall by the Rochester Rattlers in the 2016 Major League Lacrosse Draft, and currently plays for Chaos LC in the Premier Lacrosse League and the Philadelphia Wings of the National Lacrosse League.  In 2021, Riorden was named Goalkeeper of the Year, MVP and Championship Game MVP for the PLL-champion Chaos.
 
Ierlan was the Great Danes' faceoff specialist during their second 16-win season, in 2018, during which the program advanced to its first-ever NCAA Semifinal.  That season, he set single-season NCAA Division I records with 359 faceoff wins, 254 ground balls, and a .791 faceoff win percentage.  A former top overall pick in the 2020 MLL Draft to the New York Lizards, Ierlan currently plays for Redwoods LC in the PLL and the Toronto Rock in the NLL.
 
Riorden and Ierlan are the only two Great Danes in program history to earn America East Defensive Player of the Year honors.
 
San Diego State University and the University of San Diego will host each of the games in the tournament, with the former hosting the opening and closing ceremonies, semifinals, and medal games at the newly-opened Snapdragon Stadium.