SPARKS, Md. – Navy men’s lacrosse co-captain Jackson Bonitz, a standout defenseman and two-time All-American, has secured his place on the 23-player U.S. Men’s National Team roster. The team is set to compete against archrival Canada and NCAA semifinalist Penn State at the USA Lacrosse Fall Classic scheduled for October 13-15 at the USA Lacrosse headquarters in Sparks, Maryland. Bonitz, who hails from Shrewsbury, Pennsylvania, is the sole current college player to make the U.S. roster.
As a two-time All-American with accolades from USILA, Inside Lacrosse, and USA Lacrosse Magazine in 2022 and 2023, Bonitz has established himself as a force to be reckoned with on the lacrosse field. The senior defenseman has been a key figure in the Navy team, holding the position of a three-year starter at close defense. His impressive performance played a pivotal role in Navy’s 2023 campaign, where they ranked 11th nationally and secured the second position in the Patriot League for scoring defense with an average of 10.44 goals per game. The Mids impressively held seven opponents to single-digit scores, including four of their last seven games against Holy Cross, Boston University, Lafayette, and Bucknell.
Bonitz’s impact extended to causing turnovers, where he led the Mids with 22, tying him for the eighth position on Navy’s single-season takeaways list. Remarkably, he is just the seventh Navy player to achieve 20 or more caused turnovers in a single season. His total of 50 caused turnovers in his career places him fifth on the all-time list, trailing the record holder, Matt Rees (2014-17), by 34.
In a significant achievement last August, Bonitz made history as the first Navy player to compete as a member of the U.S. Men’s Lacrosse Under 21 Team since its establishment in 1988. His contributions were invaluable as he played a pivotal role in leading the U.S. to a gold medal at the 2022 U21 World Lacrosse Championship held in Limerick, Ireland. Bonitz was instrumental in anchoring a defensive unit that held six of its seven opponents to five or fewer goals while making his presence felt on the scoring end with goals against Australia and Haudenosaunee.
The U.S. National Team roster boasts several other accomplished players, including six members from the 2023 U.S. Men’s National Training Team, such as Grant Ament, Justin Anderson, Jack Hannah, Asher Nolting, Mike Sisselberger, and Logan Wisnauskas. Additionally, Cole Kirst, the co-captain of the 2022 U.S. Men’s U21 National Team, is among the selected players. Notably, the Kirst family’s presence will be strong, with three of the four Kirst brothers, Cole, Colin, and Connor, gracing the U.S. roster.
Several players on the roster come with prior national team experience. Mac O’Keefe, a part of the 2016 U.S. Men’s U19 National Team, and Jackson Bonitz, who was part of the 2022 U.S. Men’s U21 National Team, add to the team’s wealth of talent and experience. Jared Conners, who participated in the 2021 USA Lacrosse Fall Classic, also brings his expertise to the roster.
The USA Lacrosse Fall Classic promises an exciting three-day event. It will feature not only the U.S. and Canadian men’s senior teams but also the women’s U20 teams, with the reigning NCAA women’s champion, Northwestern, in attendance. NCAA men’s semifinalist Penn State will also compete, adding to the anticipation. The event will encompass a wide range of teams, including the USA Select U16 and U18 boys’ and girls’ teams, as well as high school-aged teams representing the Haudenosaunee Nation and Ontario.
Tickets for this exhilarating lacrosse event are currently available for purchase, providing an opportunity for lacrosse enthusiasts to witness top-tier talent in action. The USA Lacrosse Fall Classic promises high-quality competition and showcases some of the best lacrosse talent, including Navy’s own Jackson Bonitz, as they don the U.S. colors in this prestigious event.
2023 USA Lacrosse Fall Classic Roster
Name / Position / Pro Team(s) / College
Gavin Adler / D / Atlas / Cornell ’23
Grant Ament / A / Archers / Penn State ’20
Justin Anderson / M / Chrome / North Carolina ’21
Jackson Bonitz / D / — / Navy ’24
Matt Campbell / M / Cannons / Villanova ’23
Jared Conners / LSM / Archers / Virginia ’21
Matt DeLuca / G / Waterdogs / Delaware ’20
Bubba Fairman / SSDM / Cannons / Maryland ’22
Zach Geddes / SSDM / Chaos, Colorado / Georgetown ’22
Jack Hannah / M / Waterdogs, Las Vegas / Denver ’22
Connor Kirst / M / Whipsnakes,Las Vegas / Villanova ’20, Rutgers ’21
Cole Kirst / M / Redwoods,Halifax / Lehigh ’22, Syracuse ’23
Colin Kirst / G / Cannons, Las Vegas / Lehigh ’20, Rutgers ’22
Petey LaSalla / FO / Whipsnakes, New York / Virginia ’23
Connor Maher / SSDM / Archers / North Carolina ’23
Brett Makar / D / Atlas / Maryland ’23
Asher Nolting / A / Cannons / High Point ’22
Mac O’Keefe / A / Archers, San Diego / Penn State ’21
Ethan Rall / LSM / Cannons / Rutgers ’23
Mike Sisselberger / FO / Archers / Lehigh ’23
Colin Squires / D / Whipsnakes / Denver ’21
Matt Whitcher / SSDM / Waterdogs / York ’18
Logan Wisnauskas / A / Chrome/Colorado / Maryland ’22
