Jill Byers 2.0: Irish Star a Fresh Face for U.S.
by Matt DaSilva | Lacrosse Magazine Online Staff
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Former Notre Dame standout Jillian Byers has her eye on the ball, and on 2013, as a member of the U.S. women's national team. © John Strohsacker/LaxPhotos.com |
Jillian Byers, one of the most prolific scorers in NCAA
women’s lacrosse history, could not help but take pleasure in
dismantling her former team.
“I’m not going to lie. I was real nervous and kind of
nostalgic,” Byers said after netting three goals and three
assists in the U.S. team’s 23-7 victory Jan. 30 over Notre
Dame at Champion Challenge in Orlando, Fla. “There was a
little smack talk. I’ve played against that defense for the
last four years. It was fun.”
“Our competitive natures came out,” echoed Irish
midfielder Shaylyn Blaney, a former U.S. U-19 team standout.
“It was fun.”
Fun was a unifying element for Team USA when it reclaimed the gold
medal at the 2009 FIL World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic. Whether
it was Amber Falcone’s tone-deaf renditions in the locker
room, Sarah Albrecht's video blogging or Kristen Kjellman’s
touchdown dance in the parking lot, revelry followed the Americans
at every turn of their redemptive journey.
Byers was not a member of that U.S. World Cup team. She was busy
setting career scoring and draw control records in South Bend. A
four-time All-American, Byers’ 262 goals rank fourth all-time
in NCAA history. Her 336 points rank 10th.
A two-time member of the U.S. Developmental team, Byers bumped up
to play for the Elite squad at Champion Challenge -- a key step in
Team USA head coach Ricky Fried’s plan to ultimately merge
the teams into one standing, 40-player U.S. women’s national
team.
The change will go into effect for the 2010-11 season, starting
with the first round of tryouts at the US Lacrosse Women’s
Division National Tournament.
“We want to try to bring back a team atmosphere,”
Fried said. “It kind of developed into two separate entities.
We want to bring back the mentality of a program, and pride in
playing for your country no matter where you land.”
Byers took advantage of the opportunity, scoring three goals in
each of the U.S. Elite team’s victories at Champion Challenge
over Notre Dame and Duke. With World Cup participants Katie Chrest,
Michele DeJuliis and Regina Oliver retiring on top, Byers is one of
the fresh faces Team USA boasts with its eye already on 2013.
“Everybody’s really supportive of it,” she said
of the U.S. teams’ unification. “There a lot of new
faces. When you lose people like Katie Chrest, DJ ,and Regina
Oliver, there are tough shoes to fill. But with the attitude and
coaching staff we have, in four years, we hope to do that.”
