Swope Park Rangers midfielder Felipe Hernandez has been called in to the U.S. Under-19 National Team by head coach Brad Friedel for a week-long training camp in Chula Vista, Calif. from Oct. 3-10.
Hernandez is one of 24 players called in to the camp in Southern California, where the U-19s will face Liga MX side Club Tijuana’s reserve team in a doubleheader at 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. CT on Oct. 7 before facing a yet to be determined opponent at 6 p.m. CT on Oct. 9.
Hernandez, who signed with SPR on Aug. 18, returns to the U.S. U-19s after appearing for the side in the 2016 Stevan Vilotic Tournament, held in Serbia earlier this month. He appeared in all three games in the tournament, recording an assist in a 2-1 win over Hungary on Sept. 5.
Born in Ibague, Colombia but raised in Nashville, Tenn., Hernandez joined the Sporting KC Academy in 2014 after playing for Sporting Nashville Heroes – an Academy Affiliate through the Sporting Club Network.
The 18-year-old has three goals in four games for the Sporting KC Under-18s so far in the 2016-17 Development Academy season – including a second-half hat trick in a 4-3 comeback victory over the Colorado Rapids on Sept. 17 with his side trailing 3-1 at halftime. Last season, the 18-year-old made 27 appearances for the Sporting KC U-18s, scoring six goals – including the strike that clinched a playoff berth.
In 2015, Hernandez spent time in preseason camp with Sporting KC in Tucson, Ariz., while the creative midfielder also trained with the Rangers in preseason in 2016 – making appearances in scrimmages against Rockhurst University and Creighton University before playing in a midseason scrimmage against the University of Tulsa.
