FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – Three New England Revolution Academy players have been called in to the U.S. Under-18 National Team for the Open Nordic Cup. Defenders Calvin Aroh and Daniel Jones, as well as forward Justin Rennicks, who were each part of the Revolution Under-16 team that advanced through to the U.S. Soccer Development Academy Playoff Quarterfinals in the 2014-15 season, will head to Sunne, Sweden for the international tournament that is being held from July 30 through August 10.
The U.S. Under-18s will face three European sides in the tournament, taking on the Faroe Islands, Iceland and hosts Sweden. While Aroh, Jones and Rennicks have each been called in to several U.S. Under-16 National Team camps and tournaments over the past year, this is the first time that any of them have been called in to the U.S. U-18s.
“This is another fantastic opportunity for Calvin, Daniel and Justin, and it’s a reflection on all the hard work they’ve put in during the season,” Revolution director of youth development Bryan Scales said. “Representing your country is always an honor and I know these three players will grab this opportunity with both hands and bring this experience with them as they prepare for the new Academy season.”
Aroh, Jones and Rennicks were all called in to the last two U.S. Under-16 National Team rosters, first travelling to Rotterdam for the Netherlands International Tournament in March, before joining fellow Revolution Academy player Trey Miller for a week-long camp in Sunrise, Fla. in June. Jones was also called in to a U.S. U-16s camp held in Clairefontaine, France last November while Rennicks netted once for the U.S. U-16s in the 2015 Aegan Cup International Youth Tournament, held in Turkey in January.
Center back Aroh is entering his third season with the Revolution Academy, having joined ahead of the 2013-14 season. The Glastonbury, Conn. native totaled 55 appearances, all starts, in his first two seasons with the Academy, and has added six goals and two assists. Last season, Aroh was a mainstay for the Revs U-16s, making 28 appearances in all competitions, scoring once, and the 16-year-old also found the net while making two appearances with the U-18s.
Jones, an attacking left back, made 25 appearances for the Revs Academy last season, including three while playing up with the U-18s, tallying four goals and two assists with the U-16s. The 16-year-old has now made 71 appearances, netting 14 goals and adding nine assists since debuting for the Academy in the 2012-13 season. The West Hartford, Conn. native found the net in the U-16s’ Development Academy Playoff Quarterfinal earlier this month, making the score 1-1 with a composed finish before the Revs eventually fell to a 5-3 extra time defeat to the Philadelphia Union.
Rounding out the group is Rennicks, who is also preparing for his fourth season with the Revolution Academy, where he has made 76 appearances and added 24 goals and 21 assists since joining ahead of the 2012-13 season. The forward from South Hamilton, Mass. made 34 appearances for the U-16s in all competitions last season, registering four goals and a team-high nine assists. The 16-year-old was also a constant in the Revs lineup in the Generation adidas Cup, appearing in all 10 of the U-16s’ games in the competition, registering one assist.
