Aug. 2, 2010
WASHINGTON - Recent graduate Ashby Kaestner (Trappe, Md./Saints Peter and Paul) earned a spot on the 2010-11 U.S. Lacrosse Women's National Team over the weekend. Kaestner was named to the 36-member squad after attending a two-day tryout in Baltimore, Md. Kaestner was a three-time All-America honoree at Georgetown after leading the Hoyas to the program's first BIG EAST Championship this past season.
Kaestner was a member of the U.S. Developmental Squad in 2008-09, but a late-season injury her junior year forced her to miss national competition last summer. She now joins a an elite list of seven Hoyas who have gone on to play for the national team including current assistant coach Michi Ellers who won a gold medal last summer at the Federation of International Lacrosse World Cup.
Joining Kaestner as part of the U.S. Lacrosse National Team is Georgetown Head Coach Ricky Fried who is in his first season as the head coach of the U.S. National Team. He was an assistant for the past three summers and is the first-ever male to coach the women's national team.
"This was the most competitive tryout I've ever been a part of," said Fried. "We think that this is the best team of 36 players for the style and tempo we want to play. This group will comprise the core of the team which will defend the gold medal in 2013."
In addition to quadrennial world cup play, the U.S. team program competes on an annual basis with tryouts held each summer. Among the annual activities are participation in the US Lacrosse Champion Challenge each January, the US Lacrosse Stars & Stripes Weekend each October and a series of U.S. National Team Clinics at various locations around the country to teach youth and high school players about the sport and the national team program.
Kaestner was a Third Team All-American this season after a well-rounded career for the Hoyas. Kaestner was second on the team in scoring with 49 points on 37 goals and 12 assists. She also led the squad in draw controls with 48 and ranked fourth in caused turnovers with 20. The co-captain scored five goals three times this year and scored the game winner in overtime against Loyola (Md.) during the regular season. Kaestner was a First Team All-BIG EAST selection and named to the BIG EAST All-Tournament Team. She was a three-time Regional and National All-America honoree.
