U.S. U-16 BNT, U-17 MNT holding concurrent training camp

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CHICAGO (Via U.S. Soccer) – The U.S. Under-16 Boys’ National Team and the U.S. Under-17 Men’s National Team will hold concurrent training camps at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., from June 2-10.

U.S. U-16 BNT head coach Shaun Tsakiris will lead both age groups during the camp as U-17 MNT head coach John Hackworth continues his duties across the pond, serving as an assistant coach for the U.S. Senior Men’s National Team. Tsakiris has named 30 players for his U-16 age group, 29 born in 2003 and forward Dantouma Toure born in 2004, while Hackworth named 29 players to the U-17 roster, all born in 2002.

The U-17s, whose preparation continues for the 2019 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Peru, are gathering for the fifth time since the team first assembled to kick off the 2018-19 cycle at December’s 2017 Nike International Friendlies. There, the group found themselves tested by England and Netherlands, before drawing tournament champions Brazil 1-1. After January’s Men’s Youth National Team Summit, the U-17 MNT made its way to the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center for a domestic camp in late February. Most recently, the squad twice defeated India (1-0, 1-0) and Norway (2-0, 1-0) to take home the 2018 Sportchain Cup in Spain.

+READ: Roster set for U.S. U-18 Men’s National Team camp in Kansas City

The U-16 BNT gathers for the fourth time since its 2018-19 programming began, when the unit was part of the Men’s YNT Summit. After the Summit, the BNT held a domestic camp at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center in Carson, Calif. in March before traveling to Italy for the 15th Torneo delle Nazioni in April. There, the U.S. took home third place after impressive wins against Italy (1-0), Macedonia (2-0), Croatia (2-0) and Japan (2-0).

This group of U-16 players moved up from the U-14 level last year and will spend two years as the U-16 BNT before moving on to the U-18s. These players are all age-eligible for the 2019 U-17 World Cup, which has an age cut-off of players born on or after January 1, 2002, but will eventually be the core age group for the team that will attempt to qualify for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup.

+READ: Soccer Wire Q&A | Going deep on coaching ed with USSF’s Tschan, Russell

U.S. U-17 Men’s National Team Roster by Position

GOALKEEPERS (5): Aaron Cervantes (Pateadores; Chino Hills, Calif.), Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Chicago, Ill.), *Chituru Odunze (Vancouver Whitecaps FC; Calgary, Canada), Marzuq Puckerin (FC Greater Boston Bolts; Cambridge, Mass.), *Ethan Wady (Chelsea FC; Surrey, United Kingdom)

DEFENDERS (9): Axel Alejandre (FC United; Chicago, Ill.), Michael Barragan (Atlas FC; Guadalajara, Mexico), *Erik Centeno (Sacramento Republic FC; Stockton, Calif.), Amir Daley (New York Red Bulls; Elmont, N.Y.), Tayvon Gray (New York City FC; Bronx, N.Y.), Owen Guske (Portland Timbers; Saint Johns, Fla.), Kobe Hernandez (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Mason Judge (Chargers Soccer Club, Tampa, Fla.), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls; Chatham, N.J.)

MIDFIELDERS (8): *Simon Carlson (United Futbol Academy; Norcross, Ga.), Luis Flores (Shattuck- Saint Mary’s; Half Moon Bay, Calif.), Gilbert Fuentes (San Jose Earthquakes; Tracy, Calif.), Jack Imperato (De Anza Force; San Jose, Calif.), *Harrison Robledo (New York City FC; Greenwich, Conn.), Adam Saldana (Real So Cal; Panorama City, Calif.), Ray Serrano (Seattle Sounders FC; Graham, Wash.), Peter Stroud (New York Red Bulls; Chester, N.J.)

FORWARDS (7): Andres Jasson (New York City FC; Greenwich, Conn.), Diego Lopez (Atlanta United FC; Chino, Calif.), Alfonso Ocampo Chavez (Seattle Sounders FC; Fresno, Calif.), Joshua Pynadath (AFC Ajax; Amsterdam, Netherlands), Benjamin Redzic (FC Dallas; Carrollton, Texas), *David Rodriguez (FC Dallas; Irving, Texas), *Griffin Yow (DC United; Clifton, N.J.)

*Indicates first time call-up to U-17 MNT during 2018-2019 player cycle

U.S. U-16 Boys’ National Team Roster by Position

GOALKEEPERS (5): *Mitchell Budler (Shattuck-Saint Mary’s; Lincoln, Neb.), *Andrew Cordes (Colorado Rapids; Denver, Colo.), Eliot Jones (New England Revolution; New Britain, Conn.), Gavin Krenecki (Sacramento Republic FC; Fair Oaks, Calif.)

DEFENDERS (10): Adrian Aguilar (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Mauricio Cuevas (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), *Mitchell Ferguson (Sporting Kansas City; Glen Carbon, Ill.), *Michael Lenis (Sporting Kansas City; Weston, Fla.), *Yahir Lopez (Phoenix Rising FC; Chandler, Ariz.), *Kayden Pierre (Sporting Kansas City; Rochester Hills, Mich.), *Mario Sanchez (Proyecto Elite; El Paso, Texas), Anton Sorenson (Crew SC Academy Wolves; Ann Arbor, Mich.), Kobey Stoup (Atlanta United FC; Montgomery, Ala.), Casey Walls (San Jose Earthquakes; Mill Valley, Calif.)

MIDFIELDERS (8): *Paxten Aaronson (Philadelphia Union; Medford, N.J.), Javier Casas Jr. (Chicago Fire; Addison, Ill.), Daniel Leyva (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, Wash.), Jack McGlynn (BW Gottschee; Middle Village, N.Y.), Selmir Miscic (Philadelphia Union; Royersford, Pa.) *Moses Nyemen (D.C. United; Riverdale, Md.), *Nicolas Pereira (Weston FC; Doral, Fla.), Edwin Villarreal (FC Dallas; El Paso, Texas)

FORWARDS (8): Patrick Bohui (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Penn.); Andres Cardenas (Weston FC; Doral, Fla.), *Brian Gutierrez (Chicago Fire; Burbank, Ill.), Alex Monis (Chicago Fire; Naperville, Ill.), *Francesco Pagano (Empire United; Manlius, N.Y.), *Ivan Pino (Tuzos Soccer Club; Phoenix, Ariz.), Dante Sealy (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Dantouma Toure (PDA; Trenton, N.J.)

*Indicates first time call-up to U-16 BNT during 2018-2019 player cycle

Development Academy Ties:

• 54 of 59 players have ties to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy.
• Three players have received Conference Player of the Year honors: George Bello (East U-15/16, 2017), Griffin Dorsey (Central U-15/16, 2016) and Trey Muse (West U-17/18, 2017).
• At the end of the 2016-2017 Academy season, three of the U-17 MNT players called up were named an Academy Best XI selection to their respective conferences at the U-15/16 level: Axel Alejandre (Central), Mason Judge (East) and Damian Las (Central).
• U-17’s Gilbert Fuentes is the only MLS professional called up. The midfielder signed a Homegrown contract with San Jose Earthquakes in January.
• The Development Academy clubs with the largest representation of players called into the combined camp are Chicago Fire and FC Dallas with eight players each.
• A total of 36 players from the two USA rosters represent Academy or Professional clubs from Major League Soccer.

Roster Notes:

• Thirteen U-16 and seven U-17 players are making debuts with their respective player pools.
• Seven U-17 players called up were part of the CONCACAF U-15 Championship in August 2017: Axel Alejandre, Gilbert Fuentes, Mason Judge, Damian Las, Alfonso Ocampo Chavez, Adam Saldana and Peter Stroud.
• The seven Concacaf U-15 Championship players are joined by Diego Lopez and Ray Serrano as the nine players from the final 2017 Nike International Friendlies roster.
• Three U-17 players are currently playing for international clubs: Michael Baragan (Atlas FC), Joshua Pynadath (AFC Ajax) and Ethan Wady (Chelsea F.C.).