HARRISON, N.J. (March 14, 2018) – The New York Red Bulls U-23 team, members of the Premier Development League (PDL), have qualified for the 2018 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
“We are pleased that our PDL team has qualified for the USOC,” Sporting Director Denis Hamlett said. “The USOC provides invaluable experience for our academy & collegiate players against pro sides as they continue their development with us. Our staff will be well-prepared to represent our organization come the First Round in May.”
This is the club’s second USOC appearance with their last being in 2016.
New York was one of 20 PDL sides and 94 teams total to qualify for the 105th edition of the competition.
New York secured their qualification by winning the Mid-Atlantic Division in 2017 with a 12-1-1 record and plus 37 goal differential.
Nine players from last season’s squad made the jump to the pro game and are now on active rosters across MLS and USL. (Jose Aguinaga, Fabio De Sousa, Steven Echevarria, Markus Fjortoft, Chris Lema, Ben Lundgaard, Kevin Politz, Jared Stroud and Brian White)
First Round matches kick off on May 9 at a site and opponent TBD while the First Team enters the competition on May 24 in the Fourth Round.
The Open Cup Committee has determined the teams that are not permitted to be matched to each other throughout the tournament (e.g. a non-professional Open Division team and a parent club; a team who receives material technical support from another club) except in the unlikely event that both sides reach the Final. These pairings are: New York Red Bulls (MLS) and New York Red Bulls U23 (PDL); OKC Energy (USL) and OKC Energy U23 (PDL); Portland Timbers (MLS) and Portland Timbers U23 (PDL); and San Jose Earthquakes (MLS) and Reno 1868 FC (USL).
