BURLINGTON, Vt. - University of Vermont head women's lacrosse coach Jen Johnson will lead the Irish National Women's Lacrosse Team into the 2009 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Cup June 17-27 in Prague, Czech Republic.

Johnson was one of 18 players named to the 2009 Women's National Team for Ireland after more than 70 candidates participated in selection camps both in the United States and Ireland throughout 2008. The 2009 FIL World Cup will be the first time the Irish Women's Team will compete at the highest level the sport of women's lacrosse has to offer.

Ireland is one of 16 teams competing for the World Cup title, which is held every four years. Ireland begins pool play facing South Korea on June 18 and takes on the Netherlands on June 19. All games from the 2009 FIL World Cup will be broadcast live on the Internet at http://www.videosport.cz.

Johnson, who recently completed her fifth year on the Catamount sidelines in 2009, is making her fourth World Cup appearance. She played for the Canadian U19 National Team in the U19 World Cup in 1995 and was a member of the senior national team for the 2001 and 2005 World Cups. She was named to the All-World Team after leading Canada to a fourth place finish at the 2005 IFWLA (now FIL) World Cup. Johnson finished the tournament ranked among the leaders in points (20), assists (8), draw controls (18), and led all players in ground balls (28) and caused turnovers (11).

A three-time All-American at Penn State, Johnson led the Catamounts to one of their most successful seasons in school history in 2009. Vermont returned to the America East Women's Lacrosse Championship for the second straight season and fifth time overall. UVM finished the year with a record of 9-8 overall, the team's first winning season since 1994, and the Catamounts tied the school record for most wins in a season (9).

In the nine years before Johnson arrived at UVM the Catamounts totaled five league wins. Since she took over the program in 2005, Vermont has totaled 12 conference victories in five seasons and has increased its win total each year. Johnson, the 2008 America East Coach of the Year, ranks second at UVM among the all-time winningest coaches in the program's history.

2009-06-10