SAN JOSE, Calif. – Five members of the San Jose Earthquakes’ First Team and Academy are among 153 players that have been named to rosters for the U.S. U-16, U-17, U-18, U-19 and U-20 Youth National Teams for the first-ever U.S. Soccer Men’s YNT Summit Camp, running from Jan. 2-11 in Lakewood Ranch, Florida.
First Team defender Jacob Akanyirige (U-18) and Academy players Jean-Julien Foe Nuphaus (U-19), Gilbert Fuentes (U-17), Casey Walls (U-16) and Diego Luna (U-16) have been called to their respective national teams for the upcoming camp.
Akanyirige, 15, is the youngest member of the Quakes’ First Team roster and his selection to the U-18 National Team marks his first-ever international call-up. Having been born on Dec. 31, 2001, Akanyirige is the youngest member of the 2001 international cycle. He signed a Homegrown Player contract with the Earthquakes on Dec. 15 and is the youngest-ever player in club history.
Foe Nuphaus, 17, plays for the Quakes’ U-19 Academy team, where he has made 12 starts so far this season. He has earned numerous prior international call-ups, including to the U-17s back in August. Foe Nuphaus is committed to play collegiately at the University of California.
Fuentes, 15, is the youngest member of the Quakes’ U-19s and is ranked by TopDrawerSoccer as the No. 4 player in the nation for the Class of 2020. Fuentes has extensive history with the U.S. YNT system, having competed multiple times with the U-15s and recently earning a call-up to the U-17s for the 2017 Men’s Nike International Friendlies in Lakewood Ranch, Fla. He has three goals in eight appearances thus far during the 2017-18 Academy season.
Walls, 14, and Luna, 14, each play for the Quakes’ U-15 Academy squad and were both recently called to the U.S. U-14s for a camp in Chula Vista, Calif. this past November. Walls, ranked by TDS as the nation’s ninth-best defender for the Class of 2021, has one goal and one assist from the backline in 12 games played. Luna, another member of TDS’ top-50 for the Class of 2021, has tallied six goals and two assists in 12 appearances so far this season.
With the 2018-2019 player cycle officially kicking off at the turn of the new year, Tab Ramos and the coaching staff will look to continue fostering a program-wide effort to develop world class players, coaches at the summit, which represents a first its kind youth training camp that will focus on integration between players, coaches and staff from the five oldest Youth National Teams, while laying the first foundational elements for qualifying the U.S. for the 2019 FIFA U-20 and U-17 World Cups.
“I am looking forward to building on the success our Youth National Teams had over the last two cycles (2014-2015 and 2016-2017),” Ramos said. “This first ever Men’s YNT Summit Camp provides all of our teams the opportunity to team build and to continue the development of our style of play in one location together.”
U.S. Youth National Team Rosters by Position
U-20 Men’s National Team:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Eric Lopez (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), George Marks (North Carolina FC; Raleigh, N.C.), Trey Muse (Indiana University; Tukwila, Wash.), Brady Scott (FC Köln; Petaluma, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (12): Gedion Davis (JMG Association Barcelona; Barcelona, ESP), Jaylin Lindsay (Sporting Kansas City; Charlotte, N.C.), Jack Maher (St. Louis FC; Caseyville, Ill.), Mark McKenzie (Wake Forest; Bear, Del.), Glademir Mendoza (Real Salt Lake; Phoenix, Ariz.), Manny Perez (N.C. State University; Garner, N.C.), Matthew Real (Bethlehem Steel FC; Drexel Hill, Pa.), James Sands (New York City FC; Rye, N.Y.), Aedan Stanley (St. Louis FC; Columbia, Ill.), Angel Uribe (Club Tijuana; San Diego, Calif.), Sam Vines (Charlotte Independence; Charlotte, N.C.), Carson Vom Steeg (Stanford University; Santa Barbara, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (12): Christian Cappis (FC Dallas; Katy, Texas), Andrew Carlton (Atlanta United FC; Powder Springs, Ga.), Jose Carranza (Unattached; Manassas, Va.), Chris Durkin (D.C. United; Glen Allen, Va.), Anthony Fontana (Bethlehem Steel FC; Newark, Del.), Chris Goslin (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.), Brian Perez (Club Tijuana; San Diego, Calif.), Paxton Pomykal (FC Dallas; Highland Village, Texas), Brandon Servania (Wake Forest; Birmingham, Ala.), Greg Tracey (Colorado Rapids Academy; Arvada, Colo.), Juan Pablo Torres (K.S.C. Lokeren Oost-Vlaanderen; Lilbirn, Ga.), Noah Verhoeven (Vancouver Whitecaps; Surrey, B.C)
FORWARDS (8): Jonathan Amon (FC Nordsjaelland; Summerville, S.C.), Simon Becher (Oakwood Academy; Brooklyn, Conn.), Shaft Brewer (RB Leipzig; Sacramento, Calif.), Griffin Dorsey (Indiana University; Evergreen, Colo.), Justin McMaster (Wake Forest; Atlanta, Ga.), Chris Nicola (Pateadores; Vancouver, Wash.), Nebiyou Perry (AIK Fotboll; New York, N.Y), Justin Rennicks (Indiana University; Hamilton, Mass.)
U-19 Men’s National Team:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Alex Budnik (Sockers FC; Arlington Heights, Ill.), Sam Fowler (Seattle Sounders FC; Issaquah, Wash.), Justin Garces (Atlanta United FC; Miami, Fla.), Johan Penaranda (New York City FC; Long Beach, N.Y.)
DEFENDERS (8): Charlie Asensio (Atlanta United FC; Roswell, Ga.), Sergino Dest (Ajax; Almere-Stad, Netherlands), Jean-Julien Foe Nuphaus (San Jose Earthquakes; San Jose, Calif.), Chris Gloster (Unattached; Montclair, N.J.), Aboubacar Keita (Columbus Crew; Columbus, Ohio), Rayshaun McGann (Atlanta United FC; Palm Beach, Fla.), Chris Richards (FC Dallas; Hoover, Ala.), Akil Watts (Portland Timbers; Fort Wayne, Ind.)
MIDFIELDERS (6): Brenden Aaronson (Philadelphia Union; Medford, N.J.), Franuel Amaya (Pateadores; Santa Ana, Calif.), Blaine Ferri (Solar Soccer Club; Southlake, Texas), Richard Ledezma (Real Salt Lake; Casa Grande, Ariz.), Isaiah Parente (Columbus Crew; Cleveland, Ohio), AJ Seals (Orlando City SC; Orlando, Fla.)
FORWARDS (6): Ayo Akinola (Toronto FC; Brampton, Ontario), Matt Hundley (Colorado Rapids; Littleton, Colo.), Zyen Jones (Atlanta United FC; Clarkston, Ga.), Josh Penn (Sockers FC; Naperville, Ill.), Jeremy Rafanello (Philadelphia Union; Delran, N.J.), Sebastian Soto (Real Salt Lake; Casa Grande, Ariz.)
U-18 Men’s National Team:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Nick DeFreitas-Hansen (Everton; Southwest Ranches, Fla.), David Ochoa (Real Salt Lake; Oxnard, Calif,), Kris Shakes (Philadelphia Union; Austin, Texas), Collin Travasos (San Diego Surf Club; Encinitas, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (11):Jacob Akanyirige (San Jose Earthquakes; Pleasanton, Calif.), Julian Araujo (Barca Academy; Lompoc, Calif.), Nico Benalcazar (New York City FC; Wilton, Conn.), Kwabena Boateng (Sacramento Republic FC; Elk Grove, Calif.), Luke Hansen (Colorado Rapids; Littleton, Colo.), Ian Hoffman (Karlsuher SC; Karlsruher, Germany), Nelson Martinez (D.C. United; Woodbrigde, Va.), David Mendoza (Chicago Fire; Gage Park, Ill.), Jose Olmos (Barca Academy; Inglewood, Calif.), Leonardo Sepulveda (LA Galaxy; Corona, Calif.), Nick Slonina (Chicago Fire; Addison, Ill.)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Taylor Booth (Unattached; Eden, Utah), Cameron Duke (Sporting Kansas City; Overland Park, Kan.), Hunter George (Sacramento Republic F.C.; Lincoln, Calif.), Roberto Hategan (Sacramento Republic F.C.; Chicago, Ill.), Aidan Morris (Columbus Crew; Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Owen Otasowie (Wolverhampton Wanderers F.C.; New York, N.Y.), Marcelo Palomino (Houston Dynamo; Houston, Texas), Stuart Ritchie (FC Groningen; Pleaston, Calif.), Lawson Sunderland (Levante UD; Encinitas, Calif.), Will Vint (Manchester United F.C.; Chester, England)
FORWARDS (8): Justin Butler (FC Bayern Munich; Augsburg, Germany), Quincy Butler (Sacramento Republic F.C.; Sacramento, Calif.), Cameron Harper (Pateadores; Newport Beach, Calif.), Jalen Hawkins (FC Bayern Munich; Regensburg, Germany), Jake LaCava (Barca Academy; Gouverneur, N.Y.), Ulysses Llanez (LA Galaxy; Lynwood, Calif.), Axel Picazo (Philadelphia Union; Austin, Texas), Stefan Stojanovic (Shockers FC; Chicago, Ill.)
U-17 Men’s National Team:
GOALKEEPERS (4): Aiden Hanes (Arsenal FC; Riverside, Calif.), John Tyler Harms (Shattuck-Saint Mary's; Whitefish Bay, Wisc.), Damian Las (Chicago Fire; Chicago, Ill.), Marzuq Puckerin (FC Greater Boston Bolts; Cambridge, Mass.)
DEFENDERS (12): Axel Alejandre (FC United; Chicago, Ill.), Michael Barragan (Atlas FC; Guadalajara, Mexico), George Bello (Atlanta United FC; Douglasville, Ga.), Amir Daley (New York Red Bulls; Elmont, N.Y.), Zackery Farnsworth (Real Salt Lake; Sandy Utah), 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.), Kenneth Nielsen (Pateadores; Irvine, Calif.), Joseph Scally (New York City FC, Lake Grove, N.Y.), John Tolkin (New York Red Bulls, Chatham, N.J.)
MIDFIELDERS (10): Emmanuel Ameres (Chargers Soccer Club; Palmetto, Fla.), Julian Anderson (Philadelphia Union; Ocean, N.J.), Luis Flores (Shattuck-Saint Mary's; Half Moon Bay, Calif.), Gilbert Fuentes (San Jose Earthquakes; Tracy, Calif.), Bryang Kayo (D.C. United; Poolesville, Md.), Benjamin Redzic (FC Dallas; Carrollton, Texas), Louis Quin Rogers (De Anza Force; San Jose Calif.), Anthony Rouse (New York Soccer Club; Albany, N.Y.), Adam Saldana (Real So Cal; Panorama City, Calif.), Peter Stroud (New York Red Bulls; Chester, N.J.)
FORWARDS (10): Gianluca Busio (Sporting Kansas City; Greensboro, N.C.), Aboubacar Camara (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Penn.), Cade Hagan (Sockers FC; Naperville, Ill.), Andres Jasson (New York City FC; Greenwich, Conn.), Diego Lopez (FC Golden State; Chino, Calif.), Alfonso Ocampo Chavez (Seattle Sounders FC; Fresno, Calif.), Joshua Pynadath (AFC Ajax; Amsterdam, Netherlands), Giovanni Reyna (New York City FC; Bedford Corners, N.Y.), Wasswa Robbins (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.), Ray Serrano (Seattle Sounders FC; Graham, Wash.)
U-16 Boys’ National Team:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Gavin Krenecki (Sacramento Republic FC; Fair Oaks, Calif.), Jacob Morris (Real Colorado; Parker, Colo.)
DEFENDERS (8): Adrian Aguilar (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Mauricio Cuevas (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.), Jacob Greene (D.C. United; Crofton, Md.), Isaac Homer (Portland Timbers; Portland, Ore.), Ulysses Martinez (Portland Timbers; Mt. Angel, Ore.), Morris Matthews (New England Revolution; Cambridge, Mass.), Nico McMillan (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, Wash.), Casey Walls (San Jose Earthquakes; Mill Valley, Calif.)
MIDFIELDERS (8): Javier Casas (Chicago Fire; Addison, Ill.), Elton Chifamba (Crew SC Academy; Blacklick, Ohio), Caden Clark (Barca Academy; Medina, Minn.), Daniel Leyva (Seattle Sounders FC; Seattle, Wash.), Diego Luna (San Jose Earthquakes; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Jack McGlynn (BW Gottschee Academy; Middle Village, N.Y.), Alex Monis (FC United; Naperville, Ill.), Nicholas Pariano (Philadelphia Union; Ann Arbor, Mich.)
FORWARDS (6): Andres Cardinas (Weston FC; Doral, Fla.), Tyler Freeman (Sporting Kansas City; Shawnee, Kan.), Selmir Miscic (Philadelphia Union; Royersford, Pa.), Ricardo Pepi (FC Dallas; McKinney, Texas), Dante Sealy (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), Dantouma Toure (Players Development Academy; Trenton, N.J.)
