HAIFA, ISRAEL — Haifa LC declared their franchise players for the 2016 Israel Premier Lacrosse League season, protecting midfielders Yochanan Katz and Jacob Silberlicht, as well as defenseman Jack Kane.
Katz has been a staple for the Israel men’s national team since the blue-and-white’s debut at the 2012 European Lacrosse Championships. The 34-year-old midfielder was a team captain at Colorado State University in 2002 and 2003 and helped lead the team to two national titles. Since relocating to Jerusalem, Katz rejuvenated his lacrosse career and will be competing in his third major Champinship event this summer in Budapest.
Silberlicht is a graduate of Hobart who immigrated to Israel in January of 2014 and has been a leader for Team Israel in both the field and box game. Following his appearance in the 2014 World Championships in Denver, Silberlicht drafted into the Israel Defense Forces and later joined an elite paratrooper unit. He was granted leave to participate in the 2015 World Indoor Championships in Syracuse, and Haifa LC is hopeful that the 24-year-old will be permitted time to help them get back to the IPLL Championship Game this summer.
Kane, a four-year starter and team captain in his senior year at Lower Merion High School near Philadelphia, earned All-Central League and All-Main Line honors before enrolling in Lafayette but did not see action there. The 20-year-old defenseman transferred to Miami where he appeared in six games for the Hurricanes. He is expected to make a two-year commitment to the Israel Defense Forces before returning to his studies.
Haifa LC also announced that Jeff Schwartz, who served as Associate Head Coach for the team in 2015, would return as Head Coach for the upcoming IPLL season. Haifa opens their 2016 season on June 26th at Be’er Sheba LC.