ALBANY, N.Y. – University at Albany men's lacrosse head coach Scott Marr will headline a contingent of seven current and former Great Danes representing the Haudenosaunee Nationals at the 2023 World Championships this summer in San Diego.
 
Marr will once again serve as an assistant coach on the Haudenosaunee Nationals, previously doing so for the 2018 World Championship in Israel.  Marr will work on a staff with Vince Longboat and Chris Doctor under head coach Lars Tiffany.
 
In addition to Marr, six current and former players were selected to the World Championship roster.  The attack will feature Lyle Thompson, Jakob Patterson, and Tehoka Nanticoke, while Ron John and Jake Piseno will bolster the Haudenosaunee Nationals' defense.  Finally, Jack VanValkenburgh earned one of the goalkeeper spots on the roster.
 
Thompson, one of the greatest men's lacrosse players in history, played for UAlbany from 2012-15.  He is the only men's back-to-back winner of the Tewaaraton Award in the sport's history.  Thompson graduated holding NCAA records with 400 career points and 225 career assists, after setting the single-season points record, 128, as a junior.  Thompson was drafted first overall by the Florida Launch of the MLL and by the Georgia Swarm of the NLL.  Thompson still plays for the Swarm, and now plays for the Cannons LC of the PLL following their merger with the MLL.  Thompson will be making his third field World Championships appearance for the Haudenosaunee Nationals.  The 2023 roster also features two of Thompson's brothers, Jeremy and Jerome, on midfield and defense, respectively.
 
Patterson played for UAlbany from 2017-21, earning America East Offensive Player of the Year honors in 2019.  In 66 career appearances for the Great Danes, Patterson scored 111 goals and added 94 assists.  Patterson was selected 71st overall in the 2020 NLL Draft by the San Diego Seals, and previously represented the Haudenosaunee Nationals during the 2021 Super Sixes Tournament with Thompson, Nanticoke, John, and VanValkenburgh.
 
Nanticoke played for UAlbany from 2018-21.  The former #1 overall recruit finished his career with 109 goals and 61 assists, including 50 goals in his first season in 2018, resulting in All-America honors from Inside Lacrosse and the USILA.  Nanticoke was drafted third overall in the 2021 NLL Draft by the Buffalo Bandits.
 
John played for UAlbany from 2017-21, scoring 29 goals and adding 25 assists.  John was selected 18th overall in the 2020 NLL Draft by the Colorado Mammoth, and previously represented the U-19 Haudenosaunee Nationals at the 2016 World Games, and the Senior team at the 2022 World Games, among other tournaments.
 
Piseno is one of two active Great Danes to have earned a spot on this year's roster.  Piseno, now a senior, has anchored UAlbany's defense since his arrival in 2020.  He has won 152 ground balls in his career and forced 58 turnovers, while scoring seven goals and adding seven assists from the long-stick midfield position.  Piseno was a member of the 2022 U21 World Championship in Ireland last summer.
 
VanValkenburgh joins Piseno as the only other active Great Danes' player to have made this summer's roster.  Like Piseno, VanValkenburgh played for the Haudenosaunee Nationals at the 2022 U21 World Championship.  VanValkenburgh has started each of the last two games in goal for UAlbany, and earned his first career victory in 2022 against UMass Lowell on April 2.
 
The Haudenosaunee Nationals will make their eight World Championships appearance this summer, and have won the bronze medal in each of the two previous tournament in 2018 in Israel and in 2014 in the United States.
 
The 2023 World Championship will feature 30 teams and run from June 21 – July 1.  Marr and the six players join other former Great Danes Blaze Riorden and TD Ierlan, who were named to the Team USA roster in December.