Sporting Kansas City Academy midfielder Jayvin Van Deventer has been named to the United States U-20 Men’s National Team for a domestic training camp at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Florida, from Jan. 24 to Feb. 2.
Van Deventer, who turned 18 years old on Jan. 1, will represent the U.S. at the U-20 level for the first time as part of a 26-player squad assembled by U.S. U-20 head coach Mikey Varas. The training camp marks a pivotal next step for the U-20 age group as the Americans continue preparation for this summer’s 2022 Concacaf U-20 Championship, which will serve as qualification for the 2023 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Indonesia as well as the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.
The U-20s kicked off the 2022-23 cycle last November at the Revelations Cup in Celaya, Mexico, facing off against top competition in Brazil, Colombia and Mexico. The tournament, which saw Sporting Kansas City defender Kayden Pierre make three appearances along the backline, marked the U-20s’ return to action for the first time since Jan. 2020 after the 2020 Concacaf U-20 Championship and 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Van Deventer, a native of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, joined the Sporting KC Academy through the club’s Center of Excellence as a 12-year-old in 2016. The midfielder has risen from the U-12 through U-19 ranks and spent most of 2021 competing with Sporting Kansas City II in the USL Championship. He logged 13 appearances for the club during the 2021 campaign while also featuring regularly for the Sporting KC U-19s under head coach Rumba Munthali.
In 2018, Van Deventer notably landed Copa Rayados Internacional MVP honors in Houston after leading the Sporting U-15s to the semifinals of a high-profile tournament involving several U.S. and Mexican Academy teams.
Players born on or after Jan. 1, 2003 are eligible for the 2023 U-20 World Cup cycle. The roster features 13 players born in 2003, 10 born in 2004 and three born in 2005.
U-20 MYNT ROSTER BY POSITION (CLUB; HOMETOWN) - JANUARY TRAINING CAMP
GOALKEEPERS (3): Antonio Carrera (FC Dallas; Frisco, Texas), KyMani Dade (LA Galaxy; Ontario, Calif.), Anthony Ramos (Real SC/POR; Torrance, Calif.)
DEFENDERS (8): Noah Allen (Inter Miami CF; Miramar, Fla.), Brandan Craig (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.), Mauricio Cuevas (Club Brugge/BEL; Los Angeles, Calif.), Marcus Ferkranus (LA Galaxy; Santa Clarita, Calif.), Michael Halliday (Orlando City SC; Orlando, Fla.), Kobi Henry (Orange County SC; Lake Forest, Calif.), Caleb Wiley (Atlanta United FC; Atlanta, Ga.), Thomas Williams (Orlando City SC; Titusville, Fla.)
MIDFIELDERS (9): Paxten Aaronson (Philadelphia Union; Medford, N.J.), Javier Casas Jr. (Chicago Fire FC.; Addison, Ill.), Caden Clark (RB Leipzig/GER; Wayzata, Minn.), Daniel Edelman (New York Red Bulls; Warren, N.J.), Kristian Fletcher (Unattached; Bethesda, Md.), Diego Luna (El Paso Locomotive; Redwood, Calif.), Jack McGlynn (Philadelphia Union; Middle Village, N.Y.), Jayvin Van Deventer (Sporting Kansas City; Lee's Summit, Mo.), Obed Vargas (Seattle Sounders FC; Anchorage, Alaska)
FORWARDS (6): Esmir Bajraktarevic (New England Revolution; Appleton, Wisc.), Patrick Bohui (Vejle Boldklub/DEN; Philadelphia, Pa.), Brian Gutierrez (Chicago Fire FC; Chicago, Ill.), Malick Sanogo (1. FC Union Berlin/GER; Berlin, Germany), Dante Sealy (PSV Eindhoven/NED; Frisco, Texas), Quinn Sullivan (Philadelphia Union; Philadelphia, Pa.)
