SAN JOSE, Calif. – The San Jose Earthquakes announced today that three members of the club’s youth academy – forward Arda Bulut, defender Christopher Grey and midfielder Andrew Paoli – have been called to the U.S. U-18 National Team domestic camp in Lakewood Ranch, Florida from January 17-23. In addition, defender Jean-Julien Foe Nuphaus was among 32 players named to the 2016 Spring Semester of the U.S. U-17 Residency Program in Bradenton, Florida. All four players currently compete for the Quakes U-16 Academy.
“Being called into the U-18 U.S. National Team camp for Arda, Andrew and CJ is a great honor and means they have been identified as some of the most promising young players in the nation,” said Quakes Academy head coach Paul Holocher. “The U.S. scouts in Florida appreciated how the boys looked to play, building-up from the back and with a strong positional and possession game. This takes players who have not only excellent individual technical qualities, but also good tactical and team qualities. We are very happy for them to have been called in and to get this opportunity."
Forward Arda Bulut (9/30/99) has tallied 14 goals in 16 matches this season, most among all players in the Quakes Academy, while midfielder Andrew Paoli (1/6/99) and defender Christoper Grey (9/17/99) have each appeared in 15 matches.
U-18 Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (4): James Fetterly (Texas Rush; The Woodlands, Texas), Eric Lopez (LA Galaxy; Westminster, Calif.), Alec Smir (North Carolina Fusion; Greensboro, N.C.), Seth Steibel (St. Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri; O’Fallon, Mo.)
DEFENDERS (11): Jose Alfaro Jr. (Monarcas Morelia; West Chicago, Ill.), Corey Anton (FC Kaiserslautern; Wollstein, Germany), McKay Eves (RSL Arizona; Casa Grande, Ariz.), Christopher Grey (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Harold Hanson (FC Golden State; Ontario, Calif.), Mark McKenzie (Philadelphia Union; Bear, Del.), Alessandro Milesi (Shattuck-St. Mary’s; Fairbault, Minn.), Matthew Real (Philadelphia Union; Drexel Hill. Pa.), Samual Rogers (Seattle Sounders; Seattle, Wash.), Callum Stretch (Aston Villa FC; Encino, Calif.), Carson Vom Steeg (Real So Cal; Santa Barbara, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (12): Faris Abdi (IMG Academy; West Bradenton, Calif.), Alberto Alvarenga (Real So Cal; Canoga Park, Calif.), Omir Fernandez (New York Red Bulls; Bronx, N.Y.), Anthony Fontana (Philadelphia Union; Newark, Del.), Andrew Paoli (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Emanuel Perez (Capital Area Railhawks Academy; Garner, N.C..), Nicholas Pergjini (Troyes AC; DIGAS, France), Stirling Russell (Seattle Sounders; Bellevue, Wash.), Kazuyoshi Shigenobu (New York Red Bulls; Ridgewood, N.J.), Gregory Tracey (Colorado Rapids, Arvada, Colo.), Erik Virgen (RSL Arizona; Tucson, Ariz.), Hanif Wright (Unattached; Los Angeles, Calif.)
FORWARDS (9):Arda Bulut (San Jose Earthquakes; Los Gatos, Calif.), Joshua Burnett (Players Development Academy; Glen Ridge, N.J.), Rhys de Sota (Real Colorado; Foxfield, Colo.), Damen Marcu (Real Colorado; Arvada, Colo.), Leonardo Marquez-Ramirez (Club Leon; Vasilia, Calif.), Justin McMaster (Philadelphia Union, King of Prussia, Pa.), Cody Sundquist (ACF Fiorentina; Lincoln, Calif.), Kei Tomozawa (Seattle Sounders; Bellevue, Wash.), Alex Vedamanikam (RSL Arizona; Casa Grande, Ariz.)
Foe Nuphaus has previously played for the U.S. U-14s and U-15s. He has appeared in nine matches for the Quakes Academy this season.
“It is a great honor for JJ to be called into the U-17 Residency program,” said Holocher. “He is one of essentially nine defenders brought in from throughout the nation to take part in the program. JJ has the qualities and skills of a central midfielder, so he adapted really easily when we played him as a center back. He is very versatile and can play practically any position on the field well. He has been in the Earthquakes Academy since he was 10 years old and has become a big part of the Quakes family. We will be excited when he gets his name called for the U.S. at the U-17 level this coming year.”
U-17 Roster by Position:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Alexander Budnik (Sockers FC; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Justin Garces (Kendall FC; Miami, Fla.), Quantrell Jones (Baltimore Celtic; Baltimore, Md.), Hunter Pinho (PDA; Cranford, N.J.)
DEFENDERS (9): Carlos Asensio (Roswell, Ga.; Georgia United), Michael Edwards (Woodbridge, Va.; D.C. United), Tyler Freitas (North Attleboro, Mass; New England Revolution), Jean-Julian Foe Nuphaus (San Jose, Calif.; San Jose Earthquakes), Christopher Gloster (Montclair, N.J.; New York Red Bulls), Benjamin Huynh (Seattle Sounders; Everett, Wash.), Ian Murphy (Redlands, Calif.; FC Golden State), Tyler Shaver (Riverside, Conn.; Beachside Soccer Club), Chandler Vaughn (D.C. United; Woodbridge, Va.)
MIDFIELDERS (11): George Acosta (Weston FC; Hollywood, Fla.), Patrick Ajdukiewicz (Sockers FC; Barrington, Ill.), Isaac Angking (Providence, R.I.; New England Revolution), Christopher Durkin (D.C. United; Glen Allen, Va.), Blaine Ferri (Solar Chelsea SC; Southlake, Texas), Christopher Goslin (Georgia United; Locust Grove, Ga.), Ben Lederman (Barcelona, Spain; IMG Academy), James Sands (New York Soccer Club; Rye, N.Y.), Arturo Vasquez (FC Golden State; Mira Loma, Calif.), Adrian Villegas (Portland Timbers; Hood River, Ore.), Akil Watts (Fort Wayne, Ind.; IMG Academy)
FORWARDS (8): Ayomide Akinola (Toronto FC; Brampton, Ont.), Andrew Carleton (Georgia United; Powder Springs, Ga.), Zyen Jones (Clarkston, Ga.; Georgia United), Niccolo Lemoine (Livermore, Calif.; De Anza Force), Alejandro Pereira (Oveido, Fla.; Orlando City FC), William Sands (Rye, N.Y.; New York Soccer Club), Joshua Sargent (Scott Gallagher Missouri; O’Fallen, Mo.), Tonny Temple (IMG Academy; Millville, Pa.)
About the U-17 Residency Program
The U.S. players live on campus at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, and train in the morning under the guidance of the U.S. U-17 MNT coaching staff. In the afternoon, the players attend classes. While in the full-time residency program, the U.S. not only trains daily, but also has access to the IMG Academy facilities. The team regularly uses IMG’s state-of-the-art strength-training facilities, as well as some of the nation’s best sports psychologists who work at the Academy. The IMG Academies include top-of-the-line soccer equipment, Bermuda grass fields, renovated student housing and dining facilities. Since its inception, approximately 400 players have been through the full-time Residency Program, and more than 100 players have moved on to Major League Soccer and other professional leagues. The first full-time U.S. Soccer Residency Program began on Jan. 17, 1999, when U.S. Soccer collected 20 of the country’s elite youth players to train year-round.
