Indiana University Athletics
Eric Alexander Earns U.S. National Team Call-Up
12/21/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Dec. 21, 2010
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - Former Indiana standout midfielder Eric Alexander is one of 24 players selected by head coach Bob Bradley to take part in the U.S. Men's National Team training camp at U.S. Soccer's National Training Center at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The group will prepare for the USA's first match of 2011, a friendly against fellow FIFA World Cup finalists Chile on Jan. 22 at The HDC. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET, with broadcast information to be announced at a later date. Fans can follow the game live via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker or on twitter @ussoccer.
Alexander played at Indiana from 2006-09, starting all 23 matches and a second-team All-Big Ten selection for the second consecutive season as a senior. He scored his lone goal of the 2009 season against Wake Forest, while also contributing assists in matches against Kentucky, Penn State, Wisconsin and Louisville. Alexander appeared in 91 matches and made 80 starts in his career, finishing with 12 goals and 13 assists in the four-year span. He was a first-team All-Big Ten selection in 2007 and a unanimous pick for the Big Ten All-Freshman Team in 2006. Alexander was also a standout in the classroom as a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection.
He just wrapped up his rookie season with FC Dallas of Major League Soccer, helping lead the squad to the MLS Cup title match against the Colorado Rapids. Alexander appeared in 17 games, making 12 starts and playing a total of 1,054 minutes. He finished with two goals and three assists while tallying 15 shots, six of which were on frame.
"The timing is right to assess many of the younger players and to broaden the player pool as we look forward to the next three years," Bradley told USSoccer.com. "These extended camps give the coaching staff an opportunity to work with these players closely, and at the same time expose them to what the environment and expectations are like at the international level. We have a good feel for the veteran players in the pool, several of whom are coming off long seasons, and we certainly expect many of them to be part of the program for the important tournaments this year."
The annual camp held in January for players in their offseason is a largely domestic-based group that includes 20 players who ply their trade in the United States, and the coaching staff is taking full advantage of the opportunity to assess new talent. With an average age of just above 23 years old, half of the players can earn their first cap for the full team.
U.S. Soccer contributed to this report.
