Former Bull Ben Sweat Called Up to USMNT
TAMPA, Fla, Oct. 1, 2018 - USF men's soccer alumnus Ben Sweat, who played all four years for the Bulls, received his first international call-up to represent his country and play for the US Men's National Team in two friendly matches, including one in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium against Colombia on Oct. 11.
Sweat, current New York City Football Club player, will join a 24-man roster and play for head coach Dave Sarachan in the Kickoff Series matches against South American foes Colombia and Peru. USA will take on Colombia in Tampa on Thursday, Oct. 11 before traveling to East Hartford, Conn., to play Peru at Pratt & Whitney stadium at Rentschler Field on Oct. 16. More than 20,000 tickers have been sold for the match in Tampa, which will serve as a homecoming of sorts for Sweat who is from Palm Harbor, Fla., and attended Palm Harbor High School.
Sweat, 27, has played in 53 Major League Soccer matches with NYCFC and has recorded 48 starts. Sweat was drafted by Columbus Crew in the 2014 SuperDraft but did not see MLS action until he was signed to NYCFC in 2017, where he made an almost immediate impact. In the interim, Sweat returned to the bay area and played in 33 matches with the Tampa Bay Rowdies across two seasons.
"I'm still a little shaken from it, it's something that every player works for their entire career for," Ben Sweat said in a release from NYCFC. "I've had hints here and there since joining New York but to finally get the call, it took my breath away and I'm emotional about it because I've worked so hard to get where I am now."
A four-year letterwinner and first team all-conference selection, he helped the Bulls record eight shutouts his senior year (2013) and finished as USF's all-time leader in games played with 78. Sweat helped USF capture the American Athletic Conference's first league title in 2013.
Sweat is a four-year letterwinner for USF and helped USF to an AAC Championship in 2013, his senior season.
Sweat and the USMNT will train at USF campus next week in preparation for next Thursday's match. The USF Bulls will play the day after the USA/Colombia friendly, Friday Oct. 12, against Temple at 7 p.m. at Corbett Stadium.
Media interested in covering Ben Sweat and the USMNT at the KickOff Series in Tampa at Raymond James Stadium should request credentials by Wednesday, Oct. 3 at
USSoccer.com.
About USF Men's Soccer
The Bulls concluded the 2017 regular season with a 6-6-4 overall record and finished fifth in the American Athletic Conference with a 3-2-2 mark. Head Coach Bob Butehorn leads the Bulls in his second season at the helm in 2018. Sophomore Adrian Billhardt was added to the preseason all-conference team.
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