7/03/01

U-17 Team for Slovakia Trip Named 

At last week's Select 16 Festival twenty players were chosen to represent the U.S. at a four nations tournament in Prievidza, Slovakia next month. 

They are:

Goaltenders (2): Alvaro Montoya (Central); Mike Zacharias (Minnesota). 

Defensemen (6): Bryan Cirullo (New England); Matt Hunwick (Michigan); Jeff Likens (Central); Ryan Suter (Central); Bret Tyler (Massachusetts); Dan Venard (Central). 

Forwards (12): Aaron Bader (Minnesota); Mike Bartlett (Central); Brent Borgen (Minnesota); Anthony Canzoneri (Central); J.D. Corbin (Rocky Mt.); Jake Dowell (Central); Josh Hennessy (Massachusetts); T.J. Hensick (Michigan); Brian McGuirk (Massachusetts); Joe Rooney (Massachusetts); Jimmy Russo (Massachusetts); John Vigilante (Michigan). 

The head coach is Boston College's Scott Paluch. Assistants will be Jim Hillman of the Tri-City Storm (USHL) and Doc DelCastillo of St. Cloud State.

The team will meet in Laurel, Maryland on August 2 for a mini-camp; depart on the 4th and arrive in Slovakia on the 5th. They will play exhibition games on Aug 6-7 and then begin the three-game tournament with a Aug. 9 game vs. Slovakia. On Aug. 10 they play the Czech Republic, and finish with a Aug. 12 tilt vs. Switzerland. The team will fly home on Aug. 13. 

Seven of the twenty players chosen to the squad are from the Central District, which fell to Michigan in the gold medal game. Massachusetts had five players named; Minnesota and Michigan three apiece, and New England and Rocky Mt. one each.