Wake Forest Athletics
Harkes, Opara Join U.S. Men's National Team Roster
1/8/2018 12:00:00 AM | Men's Soccer
Wake Forest Athletic Communications (@WakeMSoccer)
CHICAGO – Wake Forest alumni Ian Harkes and Ike Opara were named to the U.S. Men's National Team for the annual January Camp, the organization announced on Monday.
The two former Demon Deacons are part of the 30-man camp which will be held at the National Training Center in Carson, California, beginning Jan. 10. The camp will be capped off with a Jan. 28 friendly against Bosnia and Herzegovina.
While both Harkes and Opara have experience on the Youth National Teams, it is the first call-up for each to the senior roster.
Harkes, 22, just completed his rookie season with D.C. United after a four-year career at Wake Forest. In his first pro season, he made 25 appearances with 22 starts and scored goals against Christos FC and FC Dallas.
At Wake Forest, Harkes won the MAC Hermann Trophy and was named the ACC Midfielder of the Year, and was one of three nominees for the ESPY for Best College Male Athlete last year.
Opara, 28, has been in the MLS since 2010 when he was the third overall pick by the San Jose Earthquakes. He spend three years in San Jose and has been with Sporting Kansas City since 2013, where he was named the MLS Defender of the Year in 2017.
In three seasons as a Deacon from 2007-09, Opara was twice named the ACC Defensive Player of the Year and totaled nine goals and three assists in 65 games.
