Etrasco makes U.S. National Training Team

U.S. Lacrosse announced on Tuesday afternoon that senior Danielle Etrasco of the Boston University women’s lacrosse team was one of 25 players named to the U.S. Women’s National Training Team roster. The team is comprised of members of the 38-player 2012–14 U.S. Women’s National Team.

BU coach Liz Robertshaw praised Etrasco’s opportunistic attitude.

“She worked hard to get this,” Robertshaw said. “It doesn’t have much to do with me. It’s the opportunity she was given here at BU … she’s taken advantage of that opportunity.”

The recently announced squad will train with Team USA as it prepares for the July 2013 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Cup in Oshawa, Ontario. It will also represent Team USA at the Champion Challenge event in January, during which it will play exhibition games against Northwestern University, the defending NCAA Champion, and Syracuse University, the NCAA runner-up.

The National Training Team roster was chosen after a round of training camp was held by the U.S. Women’s National Team on the campus of the University of Maryland–Baltimore County from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2. The training weekend focused primarily on situational drills and small-sided and full-field scrimmages.

Etrasco is the first BU women’s lacrosse player to make it to this stage in the Team USA selection process. The honor came in large part due to her career year for the Terriers in 2012. The attack was named an Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association All-American, as she totaled a career-high 58 goals and 80 points.

However Robertshaw said Etrasco is not satisfied yet.

“She has her sights set on the U.S. national team,” Robertshaw said. “It has been a goal of hers and it was something we talked about even in the recruiting process. We had goals she had coming into BU and this was one of them.

“It’s always about working to that next one to see if she can represent her country in the world cup.”