PORTLAND, Ore.
– The Portland Timbers U-23s today unveiled their 2010 roster in advance of the team’s Premier Development League (PDL) season opener Saturday against the Washington Crossfire at PGE Park.
Entering their second season in the PDL, the Timbers U-23s roster features 21 players and consists of local standouts as well as current and former collegiate players with ties to the Portland area.
Led by head coach
Jim Rilatt
, the 2010 Timbers U-23s have several players returning for their second season with the team – midfielders
Steven Evans
,
Roberto Farfan
,
Tracy Hasson
,
Jarad vanSchaik
, and
Jordan Crasilneck
, defender
Chris Harms
and forward
Brent Richards
.
The Timbers U-23s’ backline will be managed by New Zealand U-20 National Team goalkeeper
Jake Gleeson
, who competed in the FIFA 2007 U-17 World Cup.
The roster includes several current collegiate players from the University of Portland and Oregon State University. Among the team’s newcomers are Oregon State defenders
Matt Drake
and
Taylor Thompson
and forward
Brian Ramsey
, and Pilots midfielders
Ricardo Cortes
and
Michael Neilsen
, and defender
Ryan Kawulock
.
The Timbers U-23s have a handful of players who recently completed their college careers, including defenders
Graham Dugoni
(Duke University) and
Jason Coelho
(St. Mary’s College), and midfielder
Freddie Braun
(University of Louisville), who attended the 2010 Major League Soccer Combine.
Of the players on the Timbers U-23s’ 21-man roster, 10 are from the state of Oregon; 13 players in total are from the Northwest. The team features 11 players with previous PDL experience, including midfielders
Ricky Abrego
(El Paso Patriots) and
Bim Ogunyemi
(Michigan Bucks).
The Timbers U-23s, the development team for the USSF Division-2 Pro League Portland Timbers, compete in the PDL’s Northwest Division and play a 16-game, regular-season schedule against divisional opponents from Washington and British Columbia. The PDL is North America’s top development ground for young, up-and-coming players.
(Full 2010 Timbers U-23s roster attached to the bottom of the article)
