Aug. 18, 2008

Washington, D.C. - Current Georgetown University assistant coach Michi Ellers and junior standout Ashby Kaestner (Trappe, Md./Saints Peter and Paul) have been chosen as two of 49 players that will represent the U.S. women's lacrosse national teams in 2008-09. The announcement came after three days of tryouts concluded at UMBC.

The player pool will be divided into Elite and Developmental teams following US Lacrosse's Stars and Stripes weekend Oct. 10-13, 2008.

All players are eligible to represent Team USA at the 2009 IFWLA World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic, with the final 18-player Elite team roster expected to be announced following the US Lacrosse Champions Challenge in January, 2009.

Ellers, now in her third year as a member of the Elite team, was part of the squad that traveled to the Prague Cup this past June. The Americans dominated their way through the tournament against Czech Republic, England, Germany, Scotland and Wales. The USA Elite team won the women's final match against England Hope,13-1 and allowed just one goal throughout the tournament.

Ellers, a Hoya tri-captain in 2004 is a two-time first team All-American and BIG EAST Defensive Player of the Year (2003, 2004). She was one of five finalists for the Tewaaraton Trophy as a senior in 2004 after helping the team to the NCAA Championship Game in 2001 and 2002.

Kaestner earns a spot on the USA team for the first time after becoming just the second GU player to be named an IWLCA All-American as a sophomore following the 2008 campaign (Coco Stanwick in 2005). Kaestner earned IWLCA Regional All-American accolades and All-BIG EAST First Team. She led team in goals (52), points (65), free-position goals (9), draws (47) and caused turnovers (33). Kaestner scored at least three goals in nine different games and ranked 30th in the country with 2.7 goals per game.

Georgetown head coach Ricky Fried is in his second season as an assistant coach for the Elite Team.