Tim Soudan named USA Head Coach, Casey Powell selected as team captain
(September 10, 2012)… Another Cup is coming to Rochester, NY with the arrival of the Bowhunter Cup. The International Exhibition between the Iroquois Nationals and the USA squad will take place on Saturday, October 13th at 8:00 p.m.

Press Conference Photo Gallery (By Larry Palumbo)

The Third Annual Bowhunter Cup will take place at The Blue Cross Arena, which is the home of the 2012 National Lacrosse League Champion Rochester Knighthawks. The team is owned by Curt Styres who has committed himself to growing the game of lacrosse beyond his home community of Six Nations on the Grand River Territory. He has established himself as a builder and a supporter of lacrosse throughout Canada and the United States. 

The Bowhunter Cup, which is awarded to the winner of the game between the United States and the Iroquois Nationals, is named for his sons, Wake:Riat Bowhunter and Rato:Rats Bowhunter. 

“It’s very exciting for the Bowhunter Cup to be held in Rochester, especially at the home of the defending NLL Champions! The Iroquois will surely have a Knighthawks’ flavor to it as I am sure the American team will as well,” said Bowhunter Cup USA General Manager and Knighthawks Hall of Famer Regy Thorpe. “The best fans in the league will get to see a game that certainly has been a spirited affair for the past two years. I know the American team is excited to compete for the trophy and I know the Iroquois won't give it up without a fight. So much pride is on the line and it will be a great night of the celebration of the game. It’s great to see Curt bring the game to Rochester for the fans to come out and see some the best players in the world compete.”

Tickets are currently on sale and can be purchased at all Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com, at The Blue Cross Arena Box Office or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Individual tickets range in price from $18 to $30, while group seats are $13 to $22. Knighthawks and Buffalo Bandits season ticket holders will receive special individual pricing.

Knighthawks Hall of Famer Tim Soudan has been named the head coach for the American team. Knighthawks Scout Brian Hobart and former Knighthawks defenseman Chris Schiller have been named the assistant coaches.

Knighthawks expected to play for the Iroquois include Cody Jamieson, Sid Smith, Alex "Kedoh” Hill and Johnny Powless. Goalie Mike Thompson will start in goal in his final career game. The American team will also have a Rochester flavor with Joe Walters, Casey Powell and Joel White confirmed to play in the game. The game is especially meaningful for Walters, who not only plays for the Knighthawks but hails from Rochester. He will get to play in front of his hometown fans in his third appearance in the Bowhunter Cup.

“The annual Bowhunter Cup has been one of my favorite events. It is an honor to wear the red, white and blue and represent my country against the Iroquois Nationals,” he said. “With the game being in Rochester this year, it will be a cherry on top playing in front of the home crowd fans.”

The Iroquois Nationals recently announced they will host the 2015 FIL World Indoor Lacrosse Championship at Tsha’Hon’nonyen’dakhwa’ Onondaga Nation Arena near Syracuse and First Niagara Center in Buffalo in September of 2015. With the Bowhunter Cup set for Rochester this October it provides a training ground for the next stars of the 2015 World Championships. Gewas Schindler, general manager of the Iroquois Nationals, was excited to have the game played in Rochester.

“It is a blessing to work with the World Champions of the National Lacrosse League. The Rochester Knighthawks are an excellent organization, and to partner up with them for the 2012 Bowhunter Cup is very exciting,” said Schindler. “The Iroquois Nationals World team will get a chance to prepare for the 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championships, which will be hosted by the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (Iroquois Nationals). We look forward to an exciting game, between two highly talented teams with stacked rosters. We are very fortunate to have so many Native Iroquois Rochester Knighthawks players on our roster. I would like to thank Curt Styres and the Knighthawk staff for making this possible.”

The Iroquois Nationals are 4-1 all-time against the United States in indoor competition. In last year’s Bowhunter Cup, the Iroquois Nationals edged Team USA 14-13 at Oneida Indian Nation’s Turning Stone Resort Casino at the Event Center. The win evened the series at one win apiece. In the inaugural Bowhunter Cup in 2010, USA earned its first ever win over the Iroquois Nationals, a 13-11 victory, at the War Memorial at Oncenter in Syracuse.

While the US squad in this year’s game is not officially the U.S. National Team – US Lacrosse, the national governing body of the sport in the United States does not manage American box lacrosse teams due to its organizational focus on the field game – Thorpe feels his team is best to ever participate in a Bowhunter.

“It’s going to be a great game,” added Thorpe.  “The fans of Rochester will see some of the top names in the game like Powell, Max Seibald, Brett Queener and Walters.”

The game will be televised live on Time Warner Cable SportsNet with Knighthawks broadcaster Craig Rybczynski doing the play-by-play and former NLL and Iroquois Nationals star Neal Powless providing the color commentary.