Give More: What It Takes to Make the U.S. Men's U20 National Team

TOWSON, Md. — Shawn Nadelen ended the practice with a simple but powerful message for the 27 healthy players still vying for spots on the U.S. Men’s U20 National Team that will travel to South Korea later this summer.

“You’re giving max effort,” he said, pleased with the level of exertion displayed for two hours in 86-degree heat at Towson. “Continue to give more. That’s what the game deserves and that’s what this opportunity to earn your spot on this team requires.”

It’s hard to imagine Thomas Gravino (Maryland) giving much more than he did Tuesday afternoon. In one stretch of six-on-six play, the short-stick defensive midfielder soaked a skip pass with his back, broke his second handle of training camp, blunted a dodge and sprinted 20 yards from the back pipe to the restraining line to thwart a second attempt on the same possession.

“Maybe I’m a little too strong,” Gravino joked after discarding his second shaft in as many days.

These are the types of sacrifices that get noticed in this setting. With no shot clock yet in international field lacrosse, d-middies absorb endless abuse. They’re isolated repeatedly, responsible for redirecting 200-plus pound men from their desired path to goal.

A 100-point scorer and the Greater Rochester Player of the Year his senior year at Victor (N.Y) High School, Gravino volunteered for the role during U.S. team tryouts last year. At the behest of assistant coach Anthony Gilardi, he took the wing position on faceoffs. The kid had a motor that stood out even among the best athletes in the country.

Gravino credited his experience in the USA Lacrosse National Team Development Program for preparing him for the U20 tryout, knowing flexibility can go a long way on a short roster. He played midfield for the USA Select U18 team in the 2022 Brogden Cup.

“Coming together with a group of guys that you haven’t played with for years on end and being able to adapt to your new teammates, that really helps going through it,” said Gravino, one of eight players in camp with NTDP experience. “Some of those guys are now on this team.”

It’s a common refrain for people who participate in the U.S. National Teams Program in any capacity. In attempting to prove you’re one of the best, you get better.

Schmeisser Award winner Shawn Lyght (Notre Dame), for example, said he learned how to play defense with his stick in his weak hand. All-American goalie Anderson Moore (Georgetown) said he learned to exercise caution and discipline in the clearing game.

Gravino? He learned he was a d-middie, a message that must have made its way to College Park because that’s where Maryland defensive coordinator Jesse Bernhardt — a three-time U.S. Men’s National Team defenseman — directed him at the start of his sophomore year.

“I don’t know if one of our coaches saw or they called or whatever, but in our first fall ball practice, Jesse Bernhardt was like, ‘Gravino, you’re with the defense today,’” said Gravino, who did not play as a freshman. “That was pretty cool.”

Look at his high school highlights, and it’s no wonder that’s where Gravino wound up. Most show him emerging from a scrum on the defensive end with the ball in his stick, barreling up the field and triggering a goal with a pass or shot. Billed as a jack-of-all-trades recruit, he now exclusively plies his trade on the Terps’ deep rope unit that also features Eric Kolar and George Stamos.

Defensive midfielders will be at a premium when Nadelen and company name the final 22-man roster later this week. Gravino hopes he’s in the mix. But even if he’s not, he’s already better for the training team experience.

3 GOALIES FOR 2 SPOTS

As the first five-star recruit from Alabama, Moore learned long ago not to compare himself to other goalies or resent their accomplishments. That’s why you could hear the two-time All-American loudly supporting Kasey Heath (Lehigh) and Patrick Jameison (Duke) during their reps Tuesday.

All three goalies — of which two will be selected — exceled as sophomores this spring. Heath ranked ninth in Division I in saves per game (12.93), Moore ranked seventh in goals against average (9.01) and Jameison earned All-ACC honors.

“They make it easy to cheer them on,” Moore said. “You feed off the other guys’ energy when you play. Your initial reaction is to compare yourself if they’re playing well. Instead, I like to flip that to juicing them up and then that helps me get into it, turning it into a win-win situation.”

Asked what he admires about the other two goalies in camp, Moore lauded Heath’s athleticism as a former two-time all-state running back and Jameison’s uncommon ability to wait for the last possible moment to move before making a save.

If Moore makes the team, he would be the first player (male or female) from Alabama to play for the United States in a world championship. Midfielder Jack Jasinski (Ohio State) was on the 2016 U.S. U19 training team.

“He made it a lot further than most of us thought he would. He was a hell of a player,” Moore said of Jasinski, who went on to play professionally. “Being a part of that process now, it’s kind of cool looking back. I looked up to him. Pretty full circle.”

THE LONG RED LINE

Two weeks after leading Cornell to its first NCAA championship in nearly 50 years, Connor Buczek is back to work as an assistant coach for the U.S. U20 team. But he’s not the only one at camp with ties to the Big Red.

Midfielder AJ Nikolik and defenseman Michael Marshall both play for Buczek at Cornell. Attackman Rowyn Nurry is an incoming freshman. Assistant coach Ryan McClay was a four-time All-American defenseman for the Big Red.

They’re all riding the wave.

“We had an unbelievable class of senior leaders who showed up every single day,” said Marshall, a notably vocal member of the U.S. team's defensive unit. “It didn’t matter if it was a lift or a practice, they worked their asses off. They got on us as freshmen and sophomores and pushed the standard every day.

“It made me want to go harder and really impacted me when I got here. My goal for every one of these sessions is to be the hardest worker and loudest person on the defense, to do everything I can to make plays for my team.”

NOTABLE

• Of 32 players invited to training camp, five were scratches due to internships or injuries. Nadelen has made it clear that a full body of work will be in consideration as the coaching staff whittles the roster to 22. The U.S. dipped back into the player pool and invited a handful of local college players to boost numbers for a full-field scrimmage Tuesday night.

• One player notably absent from camp is midfielder Anthony Raio. That’s because he’s still in season. The all-time leading scorer in Suffolk County history has led Half Hollow Hills (N.Y.) to the New York Class A state semifinals. The Thunderbirds play Corning-Painted Post (N.Y.) on Wednesday.

• Training camp started with on-field performance testing Monday. A pair of Notre Dame players aced the beep test, where athletes must complete a 20-meter shuttle run between audible cues that increase in frequency as individuals drop out. Lyght finished second to midfielder Kyle Bergen.

• The final training camp is July 23-26 in Ithaca, N.Y.  The World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship is Aug. 15-24 in Seogwipo, South Korea on Jeju Island. The United States opens pool play against Canada on Aug. 16.