ASHKELON, ISRAEL — The Israel women’s national team has named Hannah Deoul, Kim Dubansky, Sarah Meisenberg and Amanda Tuck as captains ahead of the upcoming ELF European Lacrosse Championships, held at Sportovní Centrum in Nymburk, Czech Republic, from August 6-15.
Dubansky, who served as an assistant coach at McDonogh School for three national championship seasons before moving over to Bryn Mawr, has split time between Israel and the U.S. since she first took part in youth lacrosse outreach programs across the Jewish State three years ago. The Baltimore native wore the blue-and-white at both the 2012 European Lacrosse Festival in Netherlands and the 2013 FIL World Cup in Canada; she was Israel’s captain and leading scorer with 22 goals in the latter. Dubansky was a high school All-American at McDonogh School before playing for Johns Hopkins University. She will serve as head coach to Israel’s entry in the U-19 International Festival of Lacrosse.
Deoul, who made Aliyah to Ashkelon in October of 2014, was a four-year starting defender at Middlebury College. As a senior captain, she garnered impressive accolades for her defensive career such as First-Team All American and First-Team All-NESCAC. Amidst training for the European Lacrosse Championships, Deoul has been named head coach for the Israel women’s national team which will be competing in the 2015 FIL Women’s U-19 World Cup.
Meisenberg, who has been a member of the Israel women’s national team at both the 2012 European Lacrosse Festival in Netherlands and the 2013 FIL World Cup in Canada, has split time between Israel and the U.S. for the last three years. She has been a major contributor to the team’s success since its’ inception, scoring three goals and nine assists and appearing in all eight matches at the World Cup.
Tuck, who made Aliyah to Ashkelon in September of 2014, played four years as a midfielder at Marist College. As a senior captain, she finished third on her team in scoring and had an impressive overall collegiate career with 77 goals and 14 assists, earning All-MAAC and MAAC All-Academic honors. Tuck also serves as an assistant coach for the Israel women’s national team which will be competing in the 2015 FIL Women’s U-19 World Cup.
The team’s roster is composed of entirely Israel-based players, per National Association policy for European competition, as well as in accordance with the rules and regulations of the European Lacrosse Federation (ELF).
The Jewish State’s women are ranked 8th in the world — but are unranked in Europe — as 2015 marks Israel’s debut in a women’s European Championship event, which is now held quadrennially. Israel joins 16 other countries who are vying for a Gold Medal in the small city located on the outskirts of Prague.