USATH announces roster for Three Nation Tournament in Germany

USA Team Handball today announced a 20-member delegation that will travel to the 2009 Three Nations Tournament in Timmendorfer Strand, Germany. This squad, primarily composed of players under the age of 23, will face Luxembourg, Ireland and Bad Schwartau of the Bundesliga Second Division. The U.S. will also practice and scrimmage with local Bundesliga clubs in the area before and after the tournament. The team will spend a total of eight days in Germany.

Five players who play internationally highlight the squad, which also includes members of the U.S. Armed Forces and players from every region in the United States.

Army is represented by five athletes. Preston Pham, Thomas Giordano and Jason Borchik are all cadets at West Point, while Keith Fine and Jonathan Harmeling graduated a year ago and play for Bayer Dormagen in Germany. Two Air Force athletes were selected, including Brian Delaney and Carsen Chun.

Jordan Fithian (Binghamton), Peter McKee (Texas) and Daniel Osborne (La Sierra) are young players who were identified at tryouts – with Fithian now playing for New England Freeze, Osborne for the LA Team Handball Club and Mckee at Austin THC. Scott Knox and Anthony Echevarria are products of the fertile south; Knox was a standout at the 2009 Men’s College Nationals for University of North Carolina, while Echevarria has played extensively for Atlanta clubs.

Ivan Ignjatovic, Mark Ortega and Gary Hines are three of the most experienced players. Ortega, 30, plays professionally for Alta (Norway). Ignjatovic, 27, played professionally for Partizan (Serbia) and led NYCTHC to the USA Club Championships last week. Hines, 25, is a former USA Team Handball Athlete of the Year who now plays for DJK Waldbuettelbrunn (Germany).

Finally, Adam Elzoghby makes his debut for the USA. The standout Egyptian player for Al Ahly (Egypt) has represented the African nation at the youth international level, but was born in the United States and hopes to someday play for the USA Men’s Senior National Team.

Three alternates were named: Chris Poole (Atlanta, GA), Jonathan Stockelman (Atlanta, GA) and Tim Flynn (West Point, NY).

The squad will be coached by Boban Zivovic of Houston, assisted by Christian Hentschel (Bayer Dormagen) and Major Adam Hodges (U.S. Military Academy). Greg Streblow of Goldwyn & Boyland Physical Therapy in Cortland, NY, will serve as the athletic trainer.

Visit The Three Nation Tournament's website at http://www.3nation-tournament.de/

ROSTER

Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Boban Zivovic (Houston Firehawks)
Coach: Adam Hodges (Army)
Coach: Christian Hentschel (Bayer Dormagen)
Trainer: Greg Streblow