Two Hofstra University alums, Chris Panos and John Orsen, have been named to the 33-man 2007 U.S. Indoor Lacrosse National Team roster for the World Indoor Lacrosse Championships to be held May 14-20, at the Halifax Metro Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Eight nations will compete in the 2007 Championship - USA, Canada, Australia, England, Ireland, Czech Republic, Scotland, and the Iroquois Nationals.

Panos, a forward on the National Lacrosse League's Chicago Shamrox and a member of the Hofstra Class of 1996, was a four-year letterman for the Pride from 1993 through 1996 and tallied 52 goals and 29 assists during his 45-game career in Hempstead. As a senior, he tallied 24 goals and 12 assists and helped lead the Pride to the North Atlantic Conference title and the NCAA Division I Championship Tournament. He was a second team all-conference pick as a senior. "Chris is a proven scorer in the NLL," U.S. National Indoor Coach Tom Ryan said. "He has worked hard over the years to learn the game and refine his skills and is proud to be a part of this team."

Orson, a defenseman for the New York Titans of the NLL and a 2006 graduate of Hofstra, played in 55 games during his four-year Pride career. He was an All-CAA first team pick and an honorable mention All-American last year as the Pride captured the conference title and advanced to the NCAA Tournament quarterfinals. In 2005, he tallied a career-best eight goals and two assists. Orsen tallied 15 goals and six assists during his Hofstra career as a defensive middie. "John is a tremendous athlete who is becoming a better box player every time he steps on the floor," Ryan said. "He is becoming a force in indoor lacrosse."

Other notables on the U.S. roster include forwards Casey Powell (Titans/Rattlers), Ryan Boyle (Titans/Barrage) and Dan Marohl (Wings/Riptide), transition players Chris Schiller (K-Hawks/Rattlers), Jon Christmas (Wings/Cannons) and Scott Stapleford (LumberJax), defensemen Regy Thorpe (K-Hawks), Shawn Nadelen (Wings/Bayhawks) and Jamie Hanford (Mammoth), and goaltenders Erik Miller (Titans) and Dwight Maetche (LumberJax).

"After a four month selection process, we are satisfied that the team we have assembled is both deserving of the honor, as well as committed to representing the United States in Halifax." said Tom Ryan, Head Coach of the U.S. National Team. "Indoor lacrosse has come a long way in the US over the past decade. I am confident that this group will do everything we can to make our friends and families proud."

The U.S. roster will be divided into a 23-man active roster and a 10-player reserve list shortly before the tournament. Thirty of the 33 players on the United States roster are currently on a National Lacrosse League roster. The NLL Championship Game will take place the weekend of May 12th, with the World Indoor Lacrosse Championship commencing on May 14th.

For more information, please visit www.usindoorlacrosse.org.