A trio of UCLA men's soccer players have been invited to the U.S. Men's Youth National Team Training Camp, which opened today at the Premier Sports Campus in Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
Freshman goalkeeper Justin Garces, a native of Miami, Fla., was invited to train with the U-20 Men's National Team, while freshman midfielder Matt Hundley of Littleton, Colo. garnered a spot at the U-19 camp. Freshman midfielder Frankie Amaya was invited to the U-20 camp, but is instead at the 2019 MLS Combine after joining the 2019 Generation adidas class earlier on Friday.
The camp begins an important year for the Men's Youth National Teams. The U-20 MNT qualified for this summer's FIFA U-20 World Cup in Poland by winning its second-straight CONCACAF U-20 Championship last November. The camp will feature three games between the U.S. squads and a to-be-determined opponent that will be open to the public.
Garces and Hundley are scheduled to face off against each other on Tuesday, Jan. 8 at 1:00 p.m. PT. The two will then play separate games on Sunday, Jan. 12.
Garces was an immediate contributor between the pipes for UCLA in 2018, posting Jorge Salcedo-era (since 2004) Bruin freshman records in wins (seven), minutes (1,231), goals against average (1.24), and shutouts (four). He has extensive experience with the Men's National Youth Teams, having competed in camps for the U-20s and U-19s while playing in the U-17 World Cup in 2017.
Hundley was the Bruins' top scorer this past season, totaling five goals and seven assists for 17 points. He was fourth in the entire nation among freshman in assists and 11th in points. A former member of the U-17 Residency Program, Hundley has also appeared with the U-19s during his youth international career.
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