NOV. 15, 2023, 05:12 P.M. (ET)
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Following an in-person tryout on October 30 and virtual/online submissions due to travel restrictions, the 2023-24 Junior and Senior U.S. Men’s National Indoor Teams have been named.
“I am thrilled to announce the indoor squad for the upcoming season, and I'm particularly excited about the theme we've chosen this year: 'Capacity,' said Jason Mulder, Senior Indoor USMNT Head Coach. “It signifies our commitment to maximizing the potential of our player base and building for the future.”
“Over the past few seasons, we've dedicated ourselves to developing our junior players, and this season provides a fantastic opportunity to showcase their talents in some of the top international events. It's part of our strategic plan as we look ahead to the future and work towards qualifying for the next Indoor World Cup in 2025.”
2023-24 Junior U.S. Men's National Indoor Team
Ian Ailes (Havertown, Pa.), Alex Beauduin (Princeton, N.J.), Zane Boler (Lewisberry, Pa.), Zack Canady (Suffolk, Va.), Kai Clements (Carlisle, Pa.), Koehl Comiskey (Dallas, Pa.), Benedikt Guth (Madison, N.J.), Donatus Guth (Madison, N.J.), Jesse Ickes (Lewisberry, Pa.), Eoin Merriman (Washington, D.C.), James Polashock (Hainesport, N.J.), Eknaam Singh (Los Gatos, Calif.), Mason Tortora (Pikesville, Md.), Jack Weitzman (Fulton, Md.), Charles Zarrow (West Roxbury, Mass.)
Fourteen athletes on the Junior Indoor USMNT were named to the squad last year with the addition of one more, Kai Clements (Carlisle, Pa.). Koehl Comiskey (Dallas, Pa.), James Polashock (Hainesport, N.J.), and Jack Weitzman (Fulton, Md.) are also on the senior roster.
2023-24 Senior U.S. Men's National Indoor Team
Christopher Chookagian (Quakertown, Pa.), Gavin Chung (Glen Ridge, N.J.), Koehl Comiskey (Dallas, Pa.), Christian DeAngelis (Doylestown, Pa.), Ajai Dhadwal (Agoura Hills, Calif.), Jeroen Dijkema (Houston, Texas), Mohan Gandhi (Ventura, Calif), Alex Grassi (Brookeville, Md.), Pat Harris (Moorpark, Calif.), Luke Jackson (Brentwood, Tenn.), Aki Kaeppeler (New York City, N.Y.), Tyler Kim (Arlington, Va.), Barry Merriman (Washington, D.C.), Lucas Mous (Weston, Fla.), Toby Peck (Downingtown, Pa.), Izaak Pels (Den Haag, Netherlands), James Polashock (Hainsport, N.J.), Nick Richardson (Sunapee, N.H.), Dean Schiller (Alexandria, Va.), Rob Schilling (Hertford, United Kingdom), Jack Weitzman (Fulton, Md.)
Of the 21-athlete squad, 13 athletes selected to the Senior Indoor USMNT were on last year’s roster. Leading the 2023-24 squad is a veteran group that represented at the FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup, where the team had a historic finish in fourth. They are Pat Harris (Moorpark, Calif.), Mohan Gandhi (Ventura, Calif) and Aki Kaeppeler (New York City, N.Y.). Several athletes transitioned from the junior squad up to the seniors and are even double rostered.
“We haven't lost sight of our performance goals,” added Mulder. “We've retained some of our top-performing players, and we expect them to play a pivotal role in mentoring and sharing their invaluable experience with the younger members of the squad. It's crucial to strike a balance between youth and experience, and I believe this mix will put our program in a very healthy space moving forward.”
The Senior Indoor USMNT has a busy end to the year and will head to Cape Town, South Africa for the 2023 Nkosi Cup from December 15 to 19. The 2024 Indoor Pan American Cup is set for March 18 to 22 in Calgary, Canada, and is the direct qualifier for the 2025 FIH Hockey Indoor World Cup.