Even with the US Men’s National Team missing the 2018 World Cup, Maryland soccer will still be represented.
With the tournament just 10 days away, Rodney Wallace is off to Russia to compete for Costa Rica at the Cup.
Ready to take off with my brother @MatarritaRonald pic.twitter.com/JxRMsEZiIC
— Rodney Wallace (@rodwallace22) June 4, 2018
Wallace was born in San Jose, Costa Rica, and spent the first nine years of his life there before moving to Rockville, Maryland. He’ll turn 30 in Russia, and has occasionally started at wing in 24 appearances for his national team.
He’s currently in his second season with Major League Soccer’s New York City FC, and is in his 10th professional season after winning a National Championship with the Terps in 2008. Eight of those seasons were spent in MLS and two saw him play in Portugal and Brazil.
Here’s more on what going to the World Cup means for Wallace, from The Washington Post.
After making a run to the quarterfinals in 2014, Costa Rica will kick off group play on Wallace’s birthday on June 17 against Serbia at 4 p.m. ET.
In other news
Mark Turgeon will shuffle around his bench for the second straight offseason, promoting Matt Brady to assistant coach with Turgeon’s right-hand man, Dustin Clark, heading back to Texas to pursue other opportunities.
Maryland commit Nick Decker was selected by the Red Sox in the second round (64th pick) of the MLB Draft. The outfielder will have until July 13 to either sign with Boston or decide to spend a couple seasons in College Park.
The draft continues today and tomorrow, and Maryland has a few recruits and players that could be drafted before it’s done.
Men’s basketball transfer target Zane Martin will take a visit to College Park this weekend, per Jon Rothstein. With Kevin Huerter off to the pros, Mark Turgeon has two scholarships to work with and the Towson transfer would have to sit out a year.
Finally, keep Maryland offensive tackle Jordan McNair in your thoughts. He’s in “critical but stable condition” after being hospitalized following an organized team workout last week.