CHICAGO (Jan. 12, 2009) – U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Thomas Rongen has named 19 players who will travel to Trinidad & Tobago from Jan. 18-24 as part of preparation for the CONCACAF Under-20 Championship in March.
The CONCACAF U-20 Championship will be held in Macoya, Trinidad and Bacolet, Tobago from March 6-15. Rongen’s squad will learn their schedule and opponents for the eight-team event in a draw held on Thursday, Jan. 15 at CONCACAF headquarters in New York City. The U.S. will acclimate to both islands while staying and training in facilities in and around both host cities during their upcoming trip.
A combination of professional, collegiate and youth players will travel to Trinidad on Jan. 18 and scrimmage the T&T Under-17 MNT before moving on to the island of Tobago. The team will continue training in Tobago through Jan. 24.
University of Maryland forward Casey Townsend is fresh off of leading his team to the national championship in 2008, while defender Connor Lade helped St. John’s reach the College Cup Final Four. Perennial powerhouse Indiana University sends a pair of underclassmen to T&T in Richard Balchan and Will Bruin. UNLV’s Danny Cruz will be joining the squad just days after learning his professional fate in the 2009 MLS SuperDraft, which will be held on Jan. 15.
Defenders Kyle Davies and Jared Jeffrey are the only European-based players that will be traveling to the Caribbean for the trip. FC Dallas’ pair of consistent call-ups, Brek Shea and Anthony Wallace, round out the professional contingent.
U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (2): Sean Johnson (Lilburn, Ga.; University of Central Florida), Brian Perk (Rancho Santa Margarita; UCLA)
DEFENDERS (6): Kyle Davis (Danville, Calif.; Southampton FC), Connor Lade (Convent Station, N.J.; St. John’s University), Kofi Opare (Niagara Falls, Ontario; St. Catharine’s Concord), Chris Taylor (Edmond, Okla.; University of Tulsa), Anthony Wallace (St. Petersburg, Fla.; FC Dallas), Marcus Watson (Rancho Cucamonga, Calif.; Los Angeles Galaxy Academy)
MIDFIELDERS (7): Richard Balchan (Carmel, Ind.; Indiana University), Tony Cascio (Gilbert, Ariz.; University of Connecticut), Danny Cruz (Glendale, Ariz.; UNLV), Dilly Duka (Montville, N.J.; Rutgers University), Jared Jeffrey (Richardson, Texas; Club Brugge), Aaron Maund (Dorchester, Mass.; Notre Dame), Brek Shea (College Station, Texas; FC Dallas)
FORWARDS (4): Will Bruin (Carmel, Ind.; Indiana University), Felix Garcia (Laredo, Texas; Laredo Heat), Tony Taylor (Jacksonville, Fla.; Jacksonville University), Casey Townsend (Traverse City, Mich.; University of Maryland)