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Madison Ahern brings Cohasset connection to Team USA's chase for gold at The World Games

jason snow, the patriot ledger
·5 min read

There were thousands of Division 1 college players to choose from.

The Team USA women's lacrosse team could only cast 12 for the upcoming World Games: 10 midfielders and two goalies.

And bringing Cohasset native Madison Ahern aboard was an easy choice. Surreal, right?

“It’s kind of crazy when you say it like that,” said Ahern with a chuckle.

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Even with the sheer numbers at her disadvantage, it's no surprise that Ahern's talent jumped off the page for the star senior attack from the University of Notre Dame to make the cut. She has certainly come a long way from her local roots at Notre Dame Academy.

Ahern will play her first game in red, white and blue on Tuesday as Team USA kicks off pool play against Australia. To follow, Team USA faces Japan on Wednesday and the Czech Republic on Thursday. The World Games are based in Birmingham, Alabama and run until July 17. It can be streamed on Olympics.com.

Cohasset's Madison Ahern, of the University of Notre Dame, will play for Team USA in The World Games this week.
Cohasset's Madison Ahern, of the University of Notre Dame, will play for Team USA in The World Games this week.

“It’s a pretty surreal experience to finally make it here. Like, I can’t believe I’m in Alabama right now,” Ahern said. “I’m really excited. It should be a lot of fun.”

What adds some of the fun is how the rules change from what Ahern is accustomed to. In The World Games, the field shrinks (from the typical 110x60 to 70x36) and is played 6-on-6, rather than the traditional 11-on-11. All players essentially function like a midfielder (defensive specialists and pure attacks are often phased out of this rendition) and substitution patterns are similar to those you would see in ice hockey.

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That's not a worry for Ahern. She played midfielder at NDA before switching positions to reinforce the Fighting Irish's attack in college.

"I think being able to play midfield in high school and last summer (at Team USA training camps) really helped me on my defending and riding skills this season," Ahern said. "I think that was a big focus of mine because I hadn't really played defense in a while so last summer I had to get back into it. I think it definitely translated to the ride this year when I was playing at Notre Dame."

FLASHBACK:: A look back at Madison Ahern's freshman season

In the team selection phase, Team USA hosted a series of four training camps, which started around this time last year. After each one, some players were let go, while others were retained until the final team was assembled among the the last ones standing. Ahern played for the U-19 team in high school and was one of the final cuts for a spot on the U.S. World Cup team.

Cohasset's Madison Ahern, of the University of Notre Dame, will play for Team USA in The World Games this week.
Cohasset's Madison Ahern, of the University of Notre Dame, will play for Team USA in The World Games this week.

Playing in The World Games this week is like making up for lost time.

“It’s unbelievable to represent my country,” Ahern said. “I was the last person who didn’t make the final roster so I didn’t play in the World Cup, but I was there literally until the day (before) it started. I’ve played in a bunch of training events with the U.S. for two full years and went to a couple of the older team’s tryouts. I haven’t played a legit game for the U.S. yet; I think it’s going to be a surreal moment for me to start the game.”

Team USA is out to contend for its second gold medal since 2017.

More: Together, this trio's family connection chases NDA lacrosse title for first and only time

“I’m not really that nervous,” said Ahern. “I’m super excited to play with all of my teammates. We all play against each other on various teams in college, mostly in the ACC (NCAA's Atlantic Coast Conference), so we see each other a lot on opposing ends and now we finally get to put all of our talents together and create something really special.”

It will be a gauntlet of new experiences for Ahern, as the team of all U.S. collegiate players oppose teams with more of a grasp on the new iteration of the sport. To boot, other countries' rosters also have players of ranging in ages and, thus, experience.

Cohasset's Madison Ahern, of the University of Notre Dame, will play for Team USA in The World Games this week.
Cohasset's Madison Ahern, of the University of Notre Dame, will play for Team USA in The World Games this week.

“I think it’s really exciting that we can kind of prove ourselves against the best of the best, of all ages, on the other countries,” Ahern said.

Ahern is coming off a junior season at Notre Dame in which she totaled 57 goals and 20 assists and was named an All-American by Inside Lacrosse.

In her senior season at NDA in 2019, Ahern became the program's all-time leader in goals (435) and points (631), while sending 117 goals to the back of the net and clinching a state title. At the time, it was the Cougars' second since 2013. She was also a three-time All-American.

Now, the stakes are raised. And she's more than ready to contribute against some of the world's best. Ahern has been in Birmingham the last several days gearing up for what's to come.

“We all have to put in the work on our own. To see everyone here proving themselves in practice, playing well and being well-conditioned, it just shows how self-motivated everybody is," Ahern said. "Nobody wants to let each other down so we’re all working when no one’s watching.”

This article originally appeared on The Patriot Ledger: Cohasset's Madison Ahern brings local flavor Team USA's gold pursuit