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Mundorf Marks Territory, This Time for Team USA

by Matt DaSilva | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff

Team USA attackman Brendan Mundorf, pictured in an October exhibition against Army, has more global domination in mind -- this time as a representative of his own country. © John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com

Brendan Mundorf never really knew his father. What little he did was that he was from Australia and, given the loose filial ties needed to qualify to play lacrosse internationally, Mundorf was eligible for Team Australia in the 2006 International Lacrosse Federation (FIL) World Championships.
 
With his surfer lax-do and slick moves on the crease, Mundorf fit right in with the Aussies. He had only recently graduated from UMBC and, after failing to qualify for the U.S. team, figured he’d hop Down Under for a three-day tryout. He made the Australian team, started on attack and nearly led them to an upset of Team USA in the world championship semifinals in London, Ontario.

“I didn’t know if I’d ever get the opportunity to play in the world games, and figured I might as well take this chance while I’ve got it,” said Mundorf, whose parents separated before he was born. “It was a great group of guys and we gave the U.S. a pretty good game. That only made me a better player.”

Mundorf ranked third among all scorers at those world championships, with 24 goals and eight assists in eight games, only behind Canadian stars Jeff Zywicki and John Grant Jr. The experience served as a springboard for what’s now a flourishing career in the professional lacrosse ranks.

Four years later, Mundorf has another opportunity at global domination. Only this time, he’s rocking red, white and blue.

One of 23 players who in November were named to the U.S. men’s team, Mundorf will play alongside Ryan Boyle, Ned Crotty, Ryan Powell, Mike Leveille and Drew Westervelt in July at the 2010 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championships in Manchester, England.

It’s a deeply talented and dynamic attack unit.

Mundorf was the world's No. 3 scorer at the 2006 games as a member of Team Australia. © John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com

“I told the Australian guys what I was planning to do, and they understood,” Mundorf said of his decision to turn coat. “The experience of having played in the World Games before is going to be helpful. It’s a lot of games in a short time. You’ve got to be able to recover after every game.”

Playing professionally for the Denver Outlaws (MLL) and former New York Titans (NLL) has helped train Mundorf for such an endeavor. Currently living in Denver and working in the Outlaws’ front office, Mundorf has taken the NLL season off to prepare for the summer.

With both the Outlaws and Team USA, Mundorf will see a familiar face on the opposite wing in Westervelt. The two were All-Americans together at UMBC and are MLL All-Stars now with the Outlaws. That kind of chemistry can only help.

“Brendan does a lot of the hard work for me,” Westervelt said. “He does all the dodging, and I get to work off of him. He likes that quarterback role and I like my role. It’s a luxury for me now with the U.S. team that I’ve played with Brendan.”

It’s unlikely the Australians will feel the same way in Manchester.