"Duel in Denver" Website

Canadian Lacrosse Association 

Team Canada Lacrosse Blog's Release

OTTAWA, Ont. (8/31/2012) -- Already a two-time MAAC LSM of the Year, senior Jordan Houtby is starting to get recognized nationally as he was selected to play for Team Canada in the "Duel in Denver" against Team USA next week.

“I like to thank Coach (Randy) Mearns for giving me this opportunity,” said Houtby. “He has seen me play for three years now (against Canisius) and he wanted to get some younger guys on the team and experience in playing in national events. It is going to be totally different playing with older guys who are professionals, but I am excited for this chance.”

The contest is scheduled for Saturday, September 8, at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo., with game time set for 9 p.m. (EST).

Houtby has been at the forefront of the attacking Titan defense finishing in the top 6 in the nation in caused turnovers in all three of his collegiate seasons, including back-to-back years where he was second in the country tallying 2.53 in 2012 and 3.25 in 2011. In his career, he has amassed 214 groundballs and 123 caused turnovers. 

He recently finished up summer play in the Minto Cup – a tournament held to crown a champion in Canadian Junior A lacrosse – with the Whitby Warriors and had a goal and an assist in four games.

The "Duel in Denver" is a rematch of the 2010 Federation of International Lacrosse (FIL) World Championship gold-medal game, in which Team USA defeated Canada, 12-10, in Manchester, England, and it serves as a prelude to the 2014 FIL World Championships, which will be hosted by US Lacrosse in Denver. The U.S. and Canada have met in the championship game in the last four FIL World Championships.

"This game is a great opportunity for the people of Denver to experience the excitement of international lacrosse, as the two best teams in the world face off against each other for the first time outside of a world championship in nearly 25 years," said Bill Schoonmaker, chief operating officer of US Lacrosse.

The event will feature many of the top U.S. and Canadian players from the 2010 FIL World Championship and will also serve as a launch point for the selection of the training team that will eventually comprise the 2014 U.S. men's national team.

Houtby will join a star-studded line-up for Team Canada with the likes of John Grant Jr., Mark Matthews, Jordan McBride, Brodie Merrill and Jeremy Noble. Grant and McBride are teammates on the Colorado Mammoth, while Matthews plays for the Denver Outlaws. Noble is one of the top players in the NCAA at the University of Denver, and Merrill has had a decorated career in professional lacrosse earning Defensive Player of the Year in the National Lacrosse League and Major League Lacrosse.

For more information on the event, click here.