Major League Lacrosse, the premier outdoor lacrosse League, announced today that it will hold the 2014 All-Star Game at Harvard Stadium in Boston on Thursday, June 26. This marks the fifth time the All-Star Game is held in Boston and fourth at Harvard Stadium.
Next year, the MLL All Stars will host US Lacrosse and Team USA as they prepare for the 2014 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championships, hosted by US Lacrosse in Denver, Colo., starting July 10.
“We are delighted to host Team USA for the 2014 MLL All-Star Game,” said MLL Commissioner David Gross. “The last two times we used this format we had some amazing games featuring some of the top players in the World.”
US Lacrosse recently announced the 52-man training roster that will be trimmed down to the 23 players participating in the World Championships. Of the 52 athletes, 50 are MLL players including the 2010 All-Star Game MVP Brendan Mundorf, three time World Championship participant Matt Striebel and 2013 MLL Rookie of the Year Rob Pannell. With the talent pool available, the 2014 All-Star Game will truly be the battle of the best lacrosse players in the world today.
“It’s the last thing we’re going to do before the World Championships, so we are really looking forward to playing the best players in the MLL,” said Team USA Head Coach Richie Meade. “The All-Star Game is going to be a very exciting event, and will really help us prepare for Denver.”
This is the third time the All-Star Game serves as a tune up match for Team USA. In 2006, the MLL All-Stars dropped an 18-10 decision to Team USA at Nickerson Field in Boston, while in the last World Championship cycle, in 2010, Team USA edged the All-Stars 13-12 at Harvard Stadium.
Harvard Stadium is the centerpiece of Harvard’s athletic facilities and has stood as a Boston landmark for more than a century. The stadium was constructed in 1903 and hosted its first game on November 14 of that year. It was the world’s first massive reinforced concrete structure and the first major permanent arena for American college athletics. With a seating capacity of 30,898, Harvard Stadium is praised for its outstanding sightlines. The Stadium was upgraded in 2006 when a Field Turf playing surface and permanent lighting were added.
Individual tickets for the 2014 MLL All-Star Game will go on sale October 1 by calling the Boston Cannons office at 617-746-9933. Cannons fans who purchase 2014 Season Tickets will have the All-Star Game ticket built in their package.
For more information about the 2014 MLL All-Star Game visit majorleaguelacrosse.com
