Roxbury boys lacrosse coach Kristen Masullo to play goal for Italy at World Cup
Kristen Masullo has to learn the Italian national anthem. That might be her biggest challenge heading into the World Lacrosse Women's World Championship this week.
On the field, Masullo yells in a mix of English and Italian. Though born and raised in New Jersey, Masullo is the goalie for the Italian national team. She's trying to direct Italian defenders in a game designed by Native Americans, using language that isn't quite clear to anyone.
Perhaps it's fitting for Masullo, 30, who came to lacrosse late – and didn't dare try to continue to play after college.
Masullo grew up playing soccer, basketball and softball in Berkeley Heights. She was a soccer goalie, and had tried lacrosse in eighth grade. Before her junior year at Governor Livingston, the lacrosse team needed a goalie. Masullo's mother filled out two health physical forms, one for softball "because it's all I'd ever known," and one for lacrosse.
She handed in the lacrosse form.
"Wouldn't it be funny if you switched to lacrosse and got a scholarship for it? We laughed," said Masullo, a physical education and health teacher at Roxbury High School.
Masullo had never played club lacrosse, and sent out game tapes on a whim. But she got a scholarship offer from NCAA Division I Liberty University. She graduated as the Flames' all-time saves leader (675) after starting 69 of 71 games. Masullo ranked in the top five in total saves among D-1 goalkeepers as a freshman and sophomore.
Masullo earned an exercise science major with a psychology minor. She coached at Lafayette College and Quinnipiac, then returned home and was coaching soccer, basketball and lacrosse at Hillsborough High School, coaching club lacrosse, and working at two gyms – until the COVID pandemic gave her a chance to "be present in the moment."
Changing direction
Masullo had heard about the Italian national team at LaxCon five or six years ago. But even though she was still coaching college players, Masullo didn't think she could play again.
"With the hype of the World Cup coming up, Team USA stuff had popped up on a couple of my friends' newsfeeds," she said. "The Italy thing was in the back of my head. Is that my chance? What if? I sent in for Team Italy."
Assistant coach Lindsey Colferai was so interested she called Masullo while driving on I-95 to see if she wanted to fly to Italy for a summer training camp.
Masullo has dedicated much of her vacation time to the Italian national team for the past couple of years. Italy hosted the European Lacrosse Federation Championships in March, mostly during Roxbury's Spring Break.
NJAC:Boys lacrosse postseason honors
NJIGLL:Girls lacrosse postseason honors
Back at home, Masullo coaches the freshman and sophomore Roxbury boys, and works with all the male goalies. Sometimes after practice the guys will shoot on her, a faster ball on a single plane.
"You've got to want to make it work. ... She's done that tenfold," Colferai said. "She gives 150-plus percent of herself to these girls. She's a coach on the field. She understands the level and brings everybody up. She brings the energy. She's super competitive. That's what you want when you're a brand new sport."
Though Masullo's grandparents are from Naples, she is one of three players on the World Cup roster without an Italian passport. The other 15 roster spots are held by Italians or dual nationals.
Growing the Italian game at home
The Italian players are scheduled to meet in New York City on June 24, before taking the train to Baltimore and moving into dorms at Towson University. They'll practice for three days, leading up to the World Cup Opening Ceremony on June 29.
Team Italy, which is ranked No. 11, begins play on June 30 against No. 10 Czech Republic. Pool play continues against Sweden, Mexico and Colombia – four games in as many days.
The top two teams in each pool advance to the winners' bracket of the two-week tournament.
Masullo estimated she'd played against nine of the 30 World Cup teams. She hopes to represent Italy in the Olympics in 2026.
But along the way, growing the game is the key. Girls sports are not as popular in Italy, and soccer is king.
"I'm part of Italy's history," Masullo said. "I'm building a foundation for generations to come. I've always had a dream to play on a bigger scale. It would be a cool platform to help people and grow something. It's just a matter of what the opportunities are going to look like. The sport's given me so much. The least I can do is give back in any way I can."
This article originally appeared on Morristown Daily Record: Roxbury NJ boys lacrosse coach to play for Italy at women's World Cup
