JMU Pair Earns Spots on USA Lacrosse U20 Training Team

SPARKS, Md. – Following a three-day tryout at the USA Lacrosse headquarters, James Madison lacrosse rising sophomore Maddie Epke and incoming freshman Ava Bleckley have been selected to the 2024 U.S. Women's U20 Training Team, USA Lacrosse announced on Sunday.

The pair was selected among 42 lacrosse athletes to compete at a training camp in August and in the USA Lacrosse fall classic in October. A final roster will be selected for the 2024 World Lacrosse Women's U20 Championship in Hong Kong, China in the summer of 2024.

Epke wrapped up her freshman season in 2023 with 17 goals and 28 assists from the attack position, contributing 72 draw controls along with 14 ground balls and seven caused turnovers. She was the VaSID Rookie of the Year and an American Athletic Conference Second Team selection. She entered JMU as a USA Lacrosse All-American in high school.

Bleckley is familiar with national competition, having competed with the national team as a member of the USA Select U18 Team. At Archbishop John Carroll High School in Pennsylvania, she won the PIAA 2A State Championship in 2023 and has also been named a USA Lacrosse All-American.

The U.S. Women's U20 Training Team will be coached by Kelly Amonte Hiller of Northwestern.

The U.S. has won five of seven tournaments dating back to 1995, finishing runner-up in the other two. Next summer's Championship will be the first held at the U20 level, with the previous seven held as U19 competitions.

Calendar

Players Mentioned

Maddie Epke

JMU Footer

Scoreboard

Calendar

James Madison University | Official Athletics Site