LA 2028 Way-Too-Early Olympic Team Predictions

[timber18888]

Let's do this because why not

[LaxDadMax]

I'll Play

Assuming roster of 12 with only keeper being carried. Also assuming a bias for 2-way players given the format.

Feel free to rip me to shreds

Taylor Moreno
Sammy White
Belle Smith
Sam Apuzzo
Madison Taylor
Abby Bosco
Ellie Masera
Kori Edmondson
Mckenna Davis
Jill Smith
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Chloe Humphrey

[njbill]

This is taking “way too early” to a new level.

[Kleizaster]

First of all, i hope team USA doesn't send a college heavy team like the U20s while the rest of the world fields their best players. Although alot of those players will be all Americans for their respective schools, they won't be the best that USA has to offer. The way the sport is growing internationally, in 2028 there will be more than enough good veteran players on most international teams that won't have an issue handling a young team USA. Alot of those players are already playing high level lacrosse in the US currently. In the olympics where your sport is debuting, you want to put your best foot forward and have the best that your country has to offer.

Now 2028 is still a long way out, there will be great players that emerge that are off the radar right now but i'll give it my best shot.

Locks
Apuzzo-A
McCool-M
Mastroianni-M
Moreno-G
North-A
Trenchard-D
Scane-A
Ohlmiller-A


Probable
Smith-M
Wurzburger-A
Samantha White-D
Ward-A
Tyrrell-A
Ashley Humphrey-A
LoPinto-A
Bosco-D
Detwiler-D


Too early to tell but will probably be the best player in the world in 2028

Chloe Humphrey

[njbill]

One key event, perhaps the most important one, between now and 2028 is the 2026 World Cup. Who makes that team? Does the US win? Who retires afterwards?

[Lax101]

Not sure that you are factoring age into the equation. In 5 years, McCool and Appuzzo will be 31 or 32 years old. Even Mastriani will be close to 30 but she might still be playing. Also dont think you take more than 2 true defenders. Sixes is more of a two way player game.

[timber18888]

I'll Play

Assuming roster of 12 with only keeper being carried. Also assuming a bias for 2-way players given the format.

Feel free to rip me to shreds

Taylor Moreno
Sammy White
Belle Smith
Sam Apuzzo
Madison Taylor
Abby Bosco
Ellie Masera
Kori Edmondson
Mckenna Davis
Jill Smith
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Chloe Humphrey

I think Scane is versatile enough to do sixes. She took draws as a freshman and ranked fifth on Northwestern in caused turnovers last year

[watcherinthewoods]

2028 is 5 years away. The opportunity to train/practice at a high level, consistently, for many names on this list over that time span is few and far between. Maybe if they are an assistant coach on a top 25 D1 team, but outside of that, I don't think it is reasonable to expect that many of these players will be in the mix. Unless politics take over the process, which at US Lax has been known to happen.

[DMac]

This is about as nuts as it gets, picking a 2028 sixes team in 2023.
North can play anywhere but I don't see her as having the speed,
and maybe not the endurance, to excel at this game. Apuzzo and
McCool? Thirty year old women still have the time, focus, and
commitment? As good as they are, I don't see that. This is a whole
different game, there are liable to be players who are on nobody's
radar who excel at this game. There's virtually no D, there is no draw,
and as in box I don't think handedness (being able to go both ways) is
as big a deal in this version. Some of the qualities that make one good
in field very well might not much matter in sixes. They got rid of
three quarters of the game in order to squeeze it in the Olympics, it's
very different.
Maddy Baxter is good at this game. Tall, fast, endurance, and she's developed
a much wider variety of shots and is much more aggressive in going to the cage
in this game. You could see that in last year's SU season, playing on Canada's
Gold Medal winning team made her a better field player offensively. She won't
be thirty years old in 2028 either.
Edit: Now that I think about it she'd probably play for Canada anyway, so scratch
her from the far-fetched predictions of Team USA.

[LaxDadMax]

2028 is 5 years away. The opportunity to train/practice at a high level, consistently, for many names on this list over that time span is few and far between. Maybe if they are an assistant coach on a top 25 D1 team, but outside of that, I don't think it is reasonable to expect that many of these players will be in the mix. Unless politics take over the process, which at US Lax has been known to happen.

While it is almost 5 years away, remember with Olympics the player pool will need to be announced in mid to late 2026 so all of the athletes can start participating in year round drug testing protocol. this means whoever the coach is will need to announce 30-40 players at this time and the olympic roster will be limited to this group

so its really 3 years, not 5=

[Brownlax]

I'll Play

Assuming roster of 12 with only keeper being carried. Also assuming a bias for 2-way players given the format.

Feel free to rip me to shreds

Taylor Moreno
Sammy White
Belle Smith
Sam Apuzzo
Madison Taylor
Abby Bosco
Ellie Masera
Kori Edmondson
Mckenna Davis
Jill Smith
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Chloe Humphrey

Brooklyn Walker Welch is Canadian

[Kleizaster]

Brooklyn Walker Welch is indeed canadian. Canada has alot of talent in the pipeline and will be a dangerous team in 5 years.

As for players like McCool, Ohmiller, Auppozo, etc. I think it's very possible for them to still be elite players by then. This is the olympics, it's a huge deal for these players as many have advocated heavily for adding the sport to the olympics. I think given the chance they'd jump at the opportunity, especially if some of the younger players aren't good enough to surpass them.

Even if they play a lesser role, having them on the team is important

[hmmm]

Brooklyn Walker Welch is indeed canadian. Canada has alot of talent in the pipeline and will be a dangerous team in 5 years.

As for players like McCool, Ohmiller, Auppozo, etc. I think it's very possible for them to still be elite players by then. This is the olympics, it's a huge deal for these players as many have advocated heavily for adding the sport to the olympics. I think given the chance they'd jump at the opportunity, especially if some of the younger players aren't good enough to surpass them.

Even if they play a lesser role, having them on the team is important

The main reason behind sixes in the Olympics is that it reduces roster size to 12 players. 2 of them will be goalies. Not sure how much room there will be for 30+ year old players.

[Madlax59]

Brooklyn Walker Welch is indeed canadian. Canada has alot of talent in the pipeline and will be a dangerous team in 5 years.

As for players like McCool, Ohmiller, Auppozo, etc. I think it's very possible for them to still be elite players by then. This is the olympics, it's a huge deal for these players as many have advocated heavily for adding the sport to the olympics. I think given the chance they'd jump at the opportunity, especially if some of the younger players aren't good enough to surpass them.

Even if they play a lesser role, having them on the team is important

The main reason behind sixes in the Olympics is that it reduces roster size to 12 players. 2 of them will be goalies. Not sure how much room there will be for 30+ year old players.

The only sure thing is North
Don’t forget other players who may put their hat in the ring….it’s not exclusive to Worlds or Sixes players ….

[LaxDadMax]

I'll Play

Assuming roster of 12 with only keeper being carried. Also assuming a bias for 2-way players given the format.

Feel free to rip me to shreds

Taylor Moreno
Sammy White
Belle Smith
Sam Apuzzo
Madison Taylor
Abby Bosco
Ellie Masera
Kori Edmondson
Mckenna Davis
Jill Smith
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Chloe Humphrey

Brooklyn Walker Welch is Canadian

Touche. My bad.

[LaxDadMax]

I'll Play

Assuming roster of 12 with only keeper being carried. Also assuming a bias for 2-way players given the format.

Feel free to rip me to shreds

Taylor Moreno
Sammy White
Belle Smith
Sam Apuzzo
Madison Taylor
Abby Bosco
Ellie Masera
Kori Edmondson
Mckenna Davis
Jill Smith
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Chloe Humphrey

I think Scane is versatile enough to do sixes. She took draws as a freshman and ranked fifth on Northwestern in caused turnovers last year

I didn't include her because of some interview she's given saying she has goals in life beyond just being a lacrosse player. Kinda assumed she'd be retired by then.

[LaxDadMax]

Brooklyn Walker Welch is indeed canadian. Canada has alot of talent in the pipeline and will be a dangerous team in 5 years.

As for players like McCool, Ohmiller, Auppozo, etc. I think it's very possible for them to still be elite players by then. This is the olympics, it's a huge deal for these players as many have advocated heavily for adding the sport to the olympics. I think given the chance they'd jump at the opportunity, especially if some of the younger players aren't good enough to surpass them.

Even if they play a lesser role, having them on the team is important

The main reason behind sixes in the Olympics is that it reduces roster size to 12 players. 2 of them will be goalies. Not sure how much room there will be for 30+ year old players.

The only sure thing is North
Don’t forget other players who may put their hat in the ring….it’s not exclusive to Worlds or Sixes players ….

Disagree about North being a sure thing. Doesn't really fit the type of player for sixes. If I had to pick one "sure thing" for the US team, it would be likely be Samantha White. Young, plays fast, can play multiple positions

[timber18888]

This is about as nuts as it gets, picking a 2028 sixes team in 2023.
North can play anywhere but I don't see her as having the speed,
and maybe not the endurance, to excel at this game. Apuzzo and
McCool? Thirty year old women still have the time, focus, and
commitment? As good as they are, I don't see that. This is a whole
different game, there are liable to be players who are on nobody's
radar who excel at this game. There's virtually no D, there is no draw,
and as in box I don't think handedness (being able to go both ways) is
as big a deal in this version. Some of the qualities that make one good
in field very well might not much matter in sixes. They got rid of
three quarters of the game in order to squeeze it in the Olympics, it's
very different.
Maddy Baxter is good at this game. Tall, fast, endurance, and she's developed
a much wider variety of shots and is much more aggressive in going to the cage
in this game. You could see that in last year's SU season, playing on Canada's
Gold Medal winning team made her a better field player offensively. She won't
be thirty years old in 2028 either.
Edit: Now that I think about it she'd probably play for Canada anyway, so scratch
her from the far-fetched predictions of Team USA.

Hey, who's stopping us from having a bit of fun?

[timber18888]

I'll Play

Assuming roster of 12 with only keeper being carried. Also assuming a bias for 2-way players given the format.

Feel free to rip me to shreds

Taylor Moreno
Sammy White
Belle Smith
Sam Apuzzo
Madison Taylor
Abby Bosco
Ellie Masera
Kori Edmondson
Mckenna Davis
Jill Smith
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Chloe Humphrey

I think Scane is versatile enough to do sixes. She took draws as a freshman and ranked fifth on Northwestern in caused turnovers last year

I didn't include her because of some interview she's given saying she has goals in life beyond just being a lacrosse player. Kinda assumed she'd be retired by then.

Yeah, but she said that before she knew she'd have an Olympic opportunity on the line which I don't think anyone, especially a player of her caliber, would pass up on

[njbill]

First of all, kudos to timber for starting this thread. Totally wild, crazy speculation about things way in the future is what we posters do best. And, yes, it’s fun. So why not?

But, and I say this with all due respect to youse guys who have weighed in on who will or won’t be on the team, nobody has the foggiest idea at this point.

In terms of the current stars who will be “old” in 2028, I would note that Grandma Dobie continues to play for Canada. Lots of women well into their 30s still play international basketball and soccer.

Also, I think the chance to win a gold medal will attract a lot of players to try out. Wouldn’t surprise me if some who normally would retire after the 2026 World Cup hang on for the Olympics.

Carry on.