Information from University at Albany, University of Vermont, University of New Hampshire and Stony Brook University athletic media relations was used in this story.
CAMBRIDGE, Mass.-- Six women's lacrosse players with America East connections took to the international stage last week at the 2009 FIL Women's Lacrosse World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic. University at Albany head coach Lindsey Hart, Albany alum Brittany Scott ('08) and University of Vermont alum Vanessa Cox ('05) won bronze medals with Team Canada on Saturday, June 27.
Vermont head coach Jen Johnson, University of New Hampshire alum Kristin Blanchette ('06) and Stony Brook University standout Kaitlin Leggio ('09) all competed with Team Ireland, which finished fifth overall out of 16 teams.
Hart served as the captain for the Canadians. Hart broke her collarbone while diving for a ground ball in Canada’s 12-10 semifinal loss to Australia.Team Canada members wore number 3s (Hart’s jersey number) drawn onto their legs to honor her while playing the bronze-medal match. In her fourth season, Hart guided the UAlbany program to its first winning season since the 2000 campaign. The Great Danes made their third consecutive America East Conference postseason appearance. Hart, the most prolific scorer in Ohio University history, has previously played in the FIL World Cup in 2001 and 2005.
Scott, a midfielder for the Canadians, recently completed her first season as a graduate assistant on Hart’s coaching staff. She started 55 of 61 games played as a member of UAlbany’s lacrosse program. She served as captain in 2008 and totaled 47 goals and 20 assists as a midfielder during her career.
Johnson, playing in her fourth World Cup, handed out a team-high 16
assists for the Irish team. Her best game of the tournament was a three
goal, three assist performance to propel Ireland past Japan, 15-13, and
into the fifth/sixth-place game. Johnson added two goals and an assist in a 12-7 victory over Wales to
secure fifth place.
Cox, who was making her second World Cup appearance, played in all
seven games for the Canadian squad. Team Canada earned a 14-9 win over
England to capture the bronze medal. Cox recently completed her second season as the head women's lacrosse
coach at MIT. She was named the 2008 The New England Women's and Men's
Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) Coach of the Year, marking the first award in
the MIT's history.
Blanchette was a senior tri-captain of the 2006 New Hampshire team and was an America East All-Conference First
Team and All-Championship Team selection that year. She finished third on Team Ireland with 27 points in seven games, including 14 goals
Leggio, a former America East Rookie and Player of the Year, finished her career as a Seawolf in 2009 before going on to play with Team Ireland. The midfielder scored 14 goals over the course of the tournament and was fourth on the team with 23 points.
Stony Brook head coach Allison Comito, the 2007 America East Coach of the Year, also served as an assistant coach for Team Ireland at the World Cup.