Wilmer Cabrera announced the 40 members of U.S. Soccer's Residency Program Spring semester at Bradenton, Fla. on Wednesdsay, and the coach included 11 members from MLS Development Academies.
Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas Juniors), Kevin De La Torre (Chivas USA Academy), Patrick Foss (D.C. United Academy), Kellen Gulley (Mississippi Chicago Fire Juniors), AJ Jeffries (Chicago Fire Juniors), Jack McBean (Los Angeles Galaxy), Jake McGuire (Chivas USA Academy), Adam Najem (New York Red Bulls), Fernando Piña (Houston Dynamo Academy), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids Academy), and Andrew Souders (Crew Soccer Academy) will fight for a spot on the team that travels to the CONCACAF U-17 Championship in Jamaica in February.
A top-four finish in that tournament will earn the United States a spot in the U-17 World Cup this summer.
“We completed our roster with players who give us the best chance to compete for both qualifying in Jamaica and then hopefully the World Cup this summer,” Cabrera said in a release. “The players understand that this is their final semester and final chance to show us that they deserve to be on those important rosters.”
Gulley and Souders join Alejandro Guido, Andrew Oliver, Marc Pelosi, Fernando Piña, Mario Rodriguez, and Nathan Smith as the nine players who have trained with Cabrera since the fall of 2009, the beginning of the current World Cup cycle.
Jeffries and McBean are new to the program, along with Jordan Allen, Zach Carroll, Christian Duarte, Michael King, Fernando Laverde, and Reed Norton.
Part of the group will take a training trip Jamaica at the end of January.
2011 U.S. Soccer U-17 Residency Spring Semester Roster by Position
GOALKEEPERS (4): Wade Hamilton (Arsenal FC; Murietta, Calif.), Jake McGuire (Chivas USA Academy; Chino, Calif.), Kendall McIntosh (Mustang Academy; Santa Rosa, Calif.), Fernando Piña (Houston Dynamo Academy; Houston, Texas)
DEFENDERS (12): Kellyn Acosta (FC Dallas Juniors; Plano, Texas), Zach Carroll (Vardar; Grand Blanc, Mich.), Mobi Fehr (Tokyo Verdy 1969; Tokyo, Japan), AJ Jeffries (Chicago Fire Juniors; Downers Grove, Ill.), Michael King (Texans SC Houston; Spring, Texas), Luis Martir (Chivas Guadalajara; Los Angeles, Calif.), Alessandro Mion (Kendall SC; Miami, Fla.), Reed Norton (Concorde Fire; Evans, Ga.), Miguel Polley (Derby County Wolves; West Bloomfield, Mich.), Nathan Smith (Cal Odyssey; Clovis, Calif.), Andrew Souders (Crew Soccer Academy; Amherst, Ohio), Danny Zaid (Camp Elite Guatemala; Guatemala City)
MIDFIELDERS (15): Jordan Allen (Empire United; Rochester, N.Y.), Joe Amon (South Carolina United FC; Summerville, S.C.), Marco Delgado (Cosmo Academy West; Glendora, Calif.), Christian Duarte (Texans SC Houston; League City, Texas), Patrick Foss (D.C. United Academy; South Riding, Va.), Alejandro Guido (Aztecs Premier; Chula Vista, Calif.), Fernando Laverde (unattached; Cali, Colombia), Nico Melo (Florida Rush; Kissimmee, Fla.), Antonio Murillo (Neusport; Las Vegas, Nev.), Adam Najem (New York Red Bulls; Clifton, N.J.), Marc Pelosi (De Anza Force; Sunnyvale, Calif.), Esteban Rodriguez (Cosmos Academy West; Palmdale, Calif.), Tarik Salkicic (Strictly Soccer; Pinellas Park, Fla.), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids Academy; Brighton, Colo.), Colton Storm (HMMS Eagle FC; Mechanicsburg, Pa.)
FORWARDS (9): Paul Arriola (Arsenal FC; Chula Vista, Calif.), Kevin De La Torre (Chivas USA Academy; Winchester, Calif.), Daniel Flores (Cal Odyssey; Fresno, Calif.), Kellen Gulley (Mississippi Chicago Fire Juniors; Clinton, Miss.), Alfred Koroma (Solar Chelsea FC; Arlington, Texas), Jack McBean (Los Angeles Galaxy; Newport Beach, Calif.), Alex Muyl (Cosmos Academy East; New York, N.Y.), Andrew Oliver (Westside United; Indianapolis, Ind.), Mario Rodriguez (Central Aztecs; North Hollywood, Calif.
