The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame announces the addition of nine new inductees as the Class of 2018, following approval by US Lacrosse’s Board of Directors. The newest members will be officially inducted in a ceremony on Saturday, September 29, at The Grand Lodge in Hunt Valley, Md.
The 2018 inductees are: Kevin Cassese, Leigh Buck Friedman, A.J. Haugen, Alex Kahoe, Phyllis Kilgour, David Morrow, Ryan Powell, Denise Wescott, and Tami Worley.
Tickets for the 2018 National Lacrosse Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, sponsored by RPS Bollinger and the Markel Insurance Company, will be available to the public for purchase beginning August 1. Tickets will be sold online at uslacrosse.org/HOF.
The National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, a program of US Lacrosse, was established in 1957 to honor men and women who by their deeds as players, coaches, officials and/or contributors, and by the example of their lives, personify the great contribution of lacrosse to our way of life. Over 400 lacrosse greats are honored in the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, which is located alongside the National Lacrosse Museum at the US Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Maryland.
Bios for this year’s inductees are below:
Kevin Cassese
Cassese will be inducted as a truly great player. He enjoyed an All-American career at Duke University, earning first team honors as a midfielder in 2002 and 2003 and second team accolades in 2001. He was also selected as the recipient of the Donald MacLaughlin Award as the national midfielder of the year in 2002. Cassese earned All-ACC honors three times (2001, 2002, 2003) and was named the ACC Player of the Year in 2001 after leading Duke to the first of two straight league championships. He was a Tewaaraton Trophy finalist in 2002 and 2003. Cassese was a member of the 2002, 2006 and 2010 U.S. Men’s National Teams, winning the gold medal twice and also serving as captain for the 2010 squad. Cassese enjoyed a seven-year professional career in Major League Lacrosse, earning all-star honors in 2005 & 2006. He was selected as the MLL’s All-Star game MVP in 2006. A native of Port Jefferson Station, N.Y., Cassese was inducted into the US Lacrosse Long Island Metro Chapter’s Hall of Fame in 2013.
A.J. Haugen
Haugen will be inducted as a truly great player. He was a three-time first team All-American midfielder at Johns Hopkins (1998, 1999, 2000) and selected to the NCAA’s All-Tournament Team in 2000. He also played in the North-South All-Star Game that season. Haugen finished his career with 85 goals, 23 assists, and 108 points, ranking third in school history in career goals among midfielders. Haugen played on two U.S. National Teams, earning All-World honors as a member of the 1996 gold-medal winning U19 team. He was also a member of the 2006 U.S. Team that claimed silver. Haugen enjoyed a six-year professional career in Major League Lacrosse, earning all-star honors each season. He also played on two championship teams, winning the title with the Long Island Lizards in 2001 and 2003. A product of Bethpage, N.Y., Haugen was inducted into the US Lacrosse Long Island Metro Chapter’s Hall of Fame in 2012 and the Johns Hopkins Athletic Hall of Fame in 2013.