Apuzzo, Kent, McCool, Waters Named U.S. Women's National Team Captains

Sam Apuzzo, Kenzie Kent, Marie McCool and Caylee Waters were voted captains by their teammates for the 2026 U.S. Women’s National Team. The team is in the middle of a four-day training camp in Sparks, Md., ahead of this summer’s World Lacrosse Women’s Championship in Japan.

McCool is used to being on the national stage as one of the veteran players of this team, but being a captain of the group is something she will never take for granted.

“It’s an incredible honor,” said McCool, who has previously won World Lacrosse field championships in 2017 and 2022. “I’ve been able to learn from so many different leaders throughout my career and they’ve paved the way for me.”

Head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein, a world champion as a player herself, believes that experience will really anchor this group come competition time.

“Marie brings a lot of experience,” Walker-Weinstein said. “She knows how the World Cup works, the feel of it, the expectations, and the priorities.”

Kent couldn’t have predicted her teammates would choose her as a captain of this team, but she’s ready regardless.

“I never really thought I would be in this position,” Kent said. “I just feel very honored.”

Kent was a gold medalist with the U.S. sixes team at The World Games in 2025, but this will be her first World Lacrosse championship on the field after serving as an alternate for the team in 2022.

“This is her moment,” Walker-Weinstein said. “I’m so happy for Kenzie. She does a lot of quiet leadership that is so important for teams to become cohesive.”

Waters had a visceral reaction to the news.

“Having any position on this team is just so rewarding and then to be told you’re a captain… I’ve got some goosebumps,” she said.

A goalie who won a world championship in 2022, Waters looks forward to embracing the leadership role, especially because she has played alongside her USA teammates throughout her lacrosse career.

“Caylee cares,” Walker-Weinstein said. “She cares deeply about her teammates. She cares very deeply about how they feel. She brings this soul to the team that I think is so critical.”

Apuzzo is grateful to be a captain under Walker-Weinstein, who was her college coach at Boston College and now her co-worker with Apuzzo serving as an assistant coach on Walker-Weinstein’s BC staff. She can’t wait to bring her Eagle pride overseas.

“To even be on this team and be coached by Acacia another time is a dream come true,” said Apuzzo, who was a member of the 2022 U.S. gold medal team. “Hopefully I’ll steer the captain ship well.”

“Sammie has this competitive juice about her that I think makes people want to follow her,” Walker-Weinstein said.

With the four captains officially named, it’s go time for the U.S. team, which heads to Los Angeles on July 18 for a staging camp before it opens world championship play on July 25 against Ireland in Tokyo.