By Clayton Freeman, Official Florida FC Contributor
The NCAA Division I men’s soccer tournament kicks off on Thursday with 37 other teams trying to dethrone Marshall.
Florida International is the only Florida representative in the field. The Conference USA regular season champion earned the No. 13 national seed and a first round bye. The Panthers (12-3-2) will host either Wake Forest or Mercer on Saturday night at 6 p.m.
Here is a look at the players with Florida ties who are competing in this year’s tournament.
FIU: G Grant Makela (Fort Walton Beach), G Brison Moorhead (Clearwater Central Catholic), M Matias Barraza (Doral Academy), D Cesar Cuellar (Inter Miami academy/no high school soccer), M Talla Faye (Montverde Academy), F Andoni Garrogerricaechebarria (Doral Academy), F Kerry Sarmiento (Reagan Doral), F Alexander Lozano (Inter Miami academy/no high school soccer), G Tyler Hogan (Lincoln Park Academy)
Wake Forest: D Jahlane Forbes (Orlando City academy/no high school soccer), F Julian Kennedy (Orlando City academy/no high school soccer), D Hosei Kijima (IMG Academy)
Virginia Tech: D Jack Dearie (Nease), M Landon Ameres (Palmetto), D Zane Bubb (St. Johns Creekside)
Villanova: F O’Neil Dawes (Palm Beach Central/IMG Academy)
UCLA: G Justin Garces (Rivers Academy, Georgia), M Riley Ferch (American Heritage)
Tulsa: D Logan Harrelson (Niceville)
Providence: G Ryan Gallagher (Tampa Jesuit)
Princeton: F Truman Gelnovatch (Gulliver Prep)
Portland: F Alejandro Pereira (Oviedo), F Atem Kato (IMG Academy)
Penn State: G Kris Shakes (Parkland/YSC Academy, Pennsylvania)
Notre Dame: M Michael Lynch (Cocoa Beach/Mater Dei, California)
North Carolina: M Andres Cardenas (Doral Academy), F Luc Granitur (Montverde Academy), G Jake Schick (Palm Harbor University)
Loyola-Maryland: G Chase Vosvick (Montverde Academy)
Marshall: D Adam Kiernan (Montverde Academy), F Brennan Breuer (New Port Richey Mitchell), D Emmett Delesie (Strawberry Crest), M Nikola Sljivic (St. Petersburg Northeast), D Zach DeVito (Parkland Douglas), G Cooper Blay (Gainesville), M Spencer Rawlins (Land O’Lakes)
Louisville: F Nico Diaz (Orlando City academy/no high school soccer)
Duke: M Ruben Mesalles (IMG Academy)
Clemson: D Jake Barron (Winter Park Trinity Prep), M Luis Felipe Fernandez Salvador (Shattuck-St. Mary’s, Minnesota)
Charlotte: F Kameron Lacey (Montverde Academy)
Campbell: M Caleb Martinez (Orlando City Academy/no high school soccer), M Jake Morris (Juanita, Washington)
Akron: M Johnny Fitzgerald (Tallahassee Leon)
