CHICAGO -- Former Bradley Soccer All-American Bryan Namoff (Rockford, Ill./Boylan H.S.) will be one of 29 players on the training camp roster when the U.S. National Team begins workouts Jan. 4 in preparation for its Jan. 20 friendly versus Denmark, head coach Bob Bradley announced today.
The 29 players will gather at the U.S. Soccer National Training Center at the Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. In addition to the friendly Jan. 20 versus Denmark at the Home Depot Center, the U.S. squad will take on rival Mexico Feb. 7 at the University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Ariz. Both of the winter friendlies will be televised live on ESPN2: Jan. 20 at 3:50 p.m. (CST) and Feb. 7 at 8 o'clock. The U.S. National Team also willl play in two major championships next summer: the 2007 CONCACAF Gold Cup June 6-24 throughout the United States and 2007 Copa America, the regional championship of South America to be contested June 26-July 15 in Venezuela.
Namoff starred at Bradley from 1997 through 2000 and still ranks second in school history with 32 career goals and third with 81 career points. Named to the Missouri Valley Conference All-Century team this fall, he was the first, four-time all-conference pick in school history and was named an honorable mention All-American by College Soccer News in 2000.
After helping Bradley to a school-record 15 wins and the program's first-ever invitation to the NCAA Tournament in 2000, Namoff became the program's first-ever Major League Soccer player after he was selected with the 15th overall pick by D.C. United in the 2001 MLS SuperDraft. Having switched from attacking center midfield at Bradley to a right back for D.C., Namoff recently completed his sixth season with United and ranks seventh in franchise history by playing in 118 regular-season games for the Black and Red.
“I am very excited for Bryan,” said 11th-year Bradley head coach Jim DeRose. “He has established himself as one of the top defenders in Major League Soccer and this is a well-earned honor. I am very proud of him and everything that he has accomplished thus far in his career.”
Namoff becomes the first-ever Bradley soccer player invited to the U.S. National Team training camp. He will be joined by five D.C. United teammates and two other former Valley players -- Houston forward Brian Mullan (Creighton) and United goalkeeper Troy Perkins (Evansville). If Namoff makes his first CAP against Denmark, he will become at least the fifth Brave to represent Bradley University on a U.S. National Team in international competition, joining Mike Dunne (Baseball, 1984 Olympics), Charles Lambert Redd (Track and Field, 1932 Olympics), Hersey Hawkins (Basketball, 1988 Olympics) and Anthony Parker (Basketball, 1996 U.S. Junior National Team).
