PLYMOUTH, N.H. - The Plymouth State University women's lacrosse program was well represented in the recently-completed 2009 Women's Lacrosse World Cup in Prague, Czech Republic.           

Two former PSU coaches and the newly named Panther coach were all on hand, participating in the world-class games.  Former Panther coaches Wynne Lobel and Abby Burbank served as coaches for the Denmark National Team, and new coach Kristin Blanchette was a player on the Irish National Team.           

Lobel served as PSU's women's lacrosse coach four seasons from 2001-04, preceded by Burbank in 1999 and 2000, while Blanchette was named head coach at PSU earlier this month. Lobel, currently the head coach at Pacific University in Oregon, was the head coach for Denmark in this year's World Cup, with Burbank, now the head coach at Skidmore College in New York, serving as her assistant.  It was Burbank, in fact, that recommended that Lobel be the head coach.            

"(Abby) was not able to be there for first days of training, so the federation was looking for a coach who could not only do the job, but also go with the flow," Lobel said.  "They needed someone who could not only conduct practices, but also stay with some of the women in Copenhagen."           

This is the second time that Lobel has had the opportunity to work with lacrosse players in international competition.  In 2004, she was an assistant coach for a select team of U.S. youth who played at the Prague Cup.            

Both the Prague Cup and the Women's Lacrosse World Cup took place during the same time frame, which made the Czech capitol the place to be for the sport.  "Lacrosse is not an Olympic sport, so people aspire to play at the Lacrosse World Cup," Lobel said.  "This is their top competition.  And with both the Prague Cup and the World Cup going on, it's a pretty big event for lacrosse."            

A total of 16 countries took part in the Women's Lacrosse World Cup.  The United States captured the championship, with Australia winning the silver and Canada the bronze.  Team Ireland took fifth place in the tournament and Denmark finished 15^th.

For more information, visit http://www.lacrosseworldcup2009.com/