Joey DiGiamarino Position: Midfielder Ht.: 5’11” Wt.: 160 Born: April 6, 1977 Hometown: Corona, Calif. College: Cal-State Fullerton Univ. Club: Colorado Rapids (MLS) U-23 Caps/Goals: 2/0 U.S. National Team: (U-23) Has yet to appear for the U-20s in 2000 and missed the CONCACAF 2000 Olympics Qualifying Tournament, as he was recovering from an ankle injury then a nagging groin injury … Earned two caps in 1999 … Tallied a goal in three exhibition games in ’99 … Scored two goals while starting all four games of the U-23’s tour of England, where they posted a 3-1 record against reserves from English Premier League clubs …… (U-20) Led the U.S. U-20 National Team in appearances in 1997 with 28 overall appearances, including 15 internationals … Scored two goals and three assists in 23 overall starts … A member of the U.S. squad that competed in the 1997 World Youth Championship in Malaysia … Has been a member of the U.S. Soccer youth national teams program since 1995. Professional: Has one goal and three assists in just 10 appearances through July 15, 2000, in his fourth season with the Colorado Rapids … Has one game-winning goal and one game-winning assist thus far in 2000 … Started 21 of 26 games as a left-sided midfielder in 1999, scoring 8 points on 3 goals and 2 assists … Become a regular for the Rapids in 1998, starting 16 of 23 games and again tallying 3 goals and 2 assists … A Project-40 signee, he was allocated to the Colorado Rapids on April 22, 1997 … Was a regular with the A-League’s Colorado Foxes in 1997, scoring two goals and three assists to help the Foxes to the playoffs … In 10 games with the Foxes, he scored two goals and added three assists. College: Recorded 11 goals and 19 assists across his two-year collegiate career at Cal-State Fullerton University … Received All-Far West and second team NSCAA All-America honors following his sophomore year … Was named to Soccer America‘s All-Freshman team after the 1995 season … Played with U-23 National Team teammate Brian Dunseth at Cal-State Fullerton. High School: Named California High School Player of the Year following his senior year at Corona High School in 1995 … Was also a four-time All-State and All-League selection … Led Corona to the state final in his freshman and senior years. Personal: Nickname is “Digi” … Favorite movie is “Friday” … Favorite soccer player is Rivaldo … Favorite kinds of music are rap and R&B … Favorite city is Los Angeles, with the Lakers being his favorite basketball team. John O’Brien Position: Midfielder Ht.: 5’9″ Wt.: 150 Born: August 29, 1977 Hometown: Playa del Rey, Calif. College: n/a Club: Ajax Amsterdam (Holland) U-23 Caps/Goals: 5/1 U.S. National Team: (MNT) Provided the game-tying assist and earned “Man of the Match” in his long-awaited second cap with the full Men’s National Team in a 1-1 draw versus Tunisia on March 12, 2000 … Was a part of the Nike U.S. Cup 2000 championship squad … Was a member of the player pool in 1999, but did not make any appearances due to league commitments and a series of nagging injuries … Began training with the U.S. squad in 1998, eventually earning an alternate spot on the U.S. World Cup ’98 roster … Made his full international debut in the 3-0 victory over Austria, in Vienna on April 22, 1998 … (U-23) His 25-yard bomb ended up being the game-winner in the all-important 4-0 win over Guatemala in Olympic Qualifying on April 28 … Oddly enough, made his U-23 debut in a 3-1 win over Armenia on Jan. 16, 2000 after already earning two caps with the full Men’s National Team … Scored a brilliant goal for the U.S. against a strong Liverpool reserve team on the U-20s tour of England in August 1998 … Appeared in just that one exhibition because of his professional commitments … (U-20) Made a total of 16 international appearances with the U.S. U-20’s … Led the U-20s to the second round of the 1995 World Youth Championship in Malaysia … (U- 17) Played in all five matches at the CONCACAF qualifying tournament in Mexico … Member of the U-17 National Team that placed seventh at the 1993 FIFA Under-17 World Championship in Japan. Professional: Played in 17 games during the 1999-2000 season for Ajax Amsterdam, one of the top clubs in Europe … Spent 1998 on loan from Ajax to FC Utrecht, where he scored his first league goal in only his second match and tallied another against Ajax, giving him two goals in his first four matches in the Dutch league … Trained in Ajax’s famed youth system since 1996 before signing his first professional contract with world-renowned Ajax (Holland) in early 1998 … Was brought to Holland as a 17-year-old after being identified by scouts from the Ajax Amsterdam Club and played for their amateur team. High School: Scored 34 goals in his first two years at Brentwood High School before leaving for Amsterdam. Personal: Favorite actor is Kevin Spacey … Favorite movie is “The Matrix” … Family likes to visit San Juan, Puerto Rico. Ben Olsen Position: Midfielder Ht.: 5’8″ Wt.: 140 Born: May 3, 1977 in Harrisburg, Pa. Hometown: Middletown, Pa. College: University of Virginia Club: D.C. United (MLS) U-23 Caps/Goals: 6/2 U.S. National Team: (MNT) Currently pulling double duty with the U.S. Men’s National Team and the U.S. Under-23 Men’s National Team … Was a part of the Nike U.S. Cup 2000 championship squad … Scored a 92nd minute equalizer against Tunisia on March 12, 2000 … Earned the 1999 Chevrolet Male Youth Athlete of the Year after his success with the MNT and his pro club D.C. United … Playing in his first full season with the U.S. Men in 1999, scored two goals and added an assist in starting five of seven matches … Made his debut for the U.S. National Team at the age of 21 on Nov. 6, 1998 in 0-0 draw against Australia … Was named as a finalist for the 1998 Chevrolet Male Youth Athlete of the Year … (U-23) Is the most accomplished player on the team and will be counted on heavily in Olympic Qualifying … Started all seven games in April, notching two goals … Had two assists in the team’s 3-0 opening Olympic qualifying win over Honduras on April 21 … Made his first and only two U-23 appearances in 1999, scoring both goals in a 2-0 win over the Germany U-21 National Team, avenging a loss just two days prior … (U-20) Was a key playmaker for the U.S. U-20 team that competed in the ’97 World Youth Championship in Malaysia, scoring three goals and three assists in 20 overall games … Was one of only four U.S. players to start and play every minute during the CONCACAF U-20 qualifying in Mexico … Scored two goals in CONCACAF U-20 qualifying, including the match- winner versus Jamaica … Played for the gold medal-winning East team a the 1995 U.S. Olympic Festival … (U-18) Was a member of the U.S. Under-18 team in 1993-94. Professional: In 10 appearances through July 15, 2000, for D.C. United, he had scored one goal and three assists … Was named MVP of MLS Cup ’99 after scoring a goal to clinch a 2-0 win over Los Angeles, giving D.C. United their third MLS championship in four years … Was named an All-Star in his first two seasons … Scored five goals and 11 assists in 28 games for United as a string right midfielder … After being named 1998 MLS Bandai Rookie of the Year, he signed a five year deal with D.C. United through 2003 … Finished his inaugural season with six goals and 11 assists, including four goals and eight assists in league play … Made appearances in all six of United’s matches on the road to the MLS Cup final, and all five matches in United’s historical wins in the CONCACAF Champions Cup and the Interamerican Cup … Was a regular starter for D.C. United after joining the Nike Project-40 program … Scored his first professional goal ÿ and the first ever scored in league play by a Project 40 player ÿ on May 2, 1998 versus the Chicago Fire … Recorded the first multiple-goal game of his career in the quarterfinal of the CONCACAF Champions Cup, netting a pair of goals and adding two assists against Joe Public FC. College: During his three seasons with the University of Virginia, his team posted a 56-8-8 record … Named the 1997 Soccer America Player of the Year … Compiled 34 goals to go along with 41 assists during his three seasons as a Cavalier … Started and played every game (69) of his collegiate career … Finalist for the Hermann Trophy in ’97 … Scored twice against Saint Louis in the 1997 NCAA semifinals … Named ACC Tournament MVP and an NSCAA First Team All-American in 1997. High School: Was named Pennsylvania Player of the Year and Parade Magazine’s National Player of the Year as a senior at Middletown High School in 1994. Personal: Grew up just minutes from the Hershey, Pa., the site of the final round of the CONCACAF 2000 Olympics Qualifying Tournament … His family hosted the entire team with some “home-cooking” during the tournament … Lived with head coach Bruce Arena during his rookie season with the club in 1998 … Personal idol is older brother Jeremy. Peter Vagenas Position: Midfielder Ht.: 5’8″ Wt.: 155 Born: February 6, 1978 Hometown: Pasadena, Calif. College: UCLA Club: Los Angeles Galaxy (MLS) U-23 Caps/Goals: 14/3 U.S. National Team: (U-23) Leads all current U-23’s in caps with 14 caps … Has appeared in four of seven U-23 games in 2000 … Was the “Man of the Match” in the a 3-1 win over the Armenia Men’s National Team on Jan. 16, 2000, providing the game-winning goal and the assist on the game clincher … Earned nine caps last year, scoring two goals to tie Ben Olsen for the team lead in international play … Was the leading scorer for the U.S. U-20s at the 1999 Pan American Games, scoring goals in the first two games … Served as captain of the U-23 team in Winnipeg, leading them to a bronze medal … Called into the U-23 team for the first time in 1998, prior to the team’s tour of England … Scored a goal and added an assist in the USA’s 4-1 win over the Manchester United reserves. Professional: Has scored three goals in just nine games for the Galaxy through July 15, 2000 … Selected as the 23rdpick overall (second round) in the MLS SuperDraft 2000 by the Los Angeles Galaxy, joining UCLA/U-23 teammate Sasha Victorine and fellow U-23 Danny Califf. College: Started 73 of 82 matches over his four-year collegiate career at UCLA … Registered 15 goals and 30 assists for 60 career points as a Bruin … Captained UCLA to the Final Four in 1999, falling to eventual champion Indiana in a thrilling double overtime game in the semi’s … Named to the All-Far West Region Second Team as a senior in 1999 … Was named a pre-season All-American by NSCAA prior to his junior and senior seasons … Selected by his UCLA teammates as the Most Valuable Player in 1998 … Also selected as team MVP after scoring six goals and four assists in helping the team win the NCAA National Championship as a sophomore … Had three goals (all penalty kicks) and eight assists as a sophomore in 1997 … Earned numerous accolades while at UCLA, including first-team All-Mountain Pacific Sports Federation honors … Was an honorable mention All-MPSF selection as a freshman in 1996, scoring three goals and adding seven assists for 13 points. High School: Was a 1995 NSCAA High School All-American at St. Francis High School, where he recorded a school- record 21 goals and led the team to the C.I.F. Division III championship during his senior season. Personal: Considers winning the 1997 NCAA Championship and earning a bronze medal at the 1999 Pan American Games as his biggest thrills … Admires basketball legend and Chicago Bulls superstar Michael Jordan … Enjoys hip-hop and R&B. Sasha Victorine Position: Midfielder Ht.: 6’2″ Wt.: 170 Born: February 3, 1978 Hometown: Carmichael, Calif. College: UCLA Club: Los Angeles Galaxy–MLS U-23 Caps/Goals: 6/1 U.S. National Team: (U-23) Has appeared in three exhibition games for the U-23s in 2000 … Scored the lone goal in a 1-0 exhibition win over English First Division club Bolton Wanderers on July 30 … Appeared in six games in 1999, including five in the U.S. squad’s run to the Pan American Games bronze medal … Scored the game-winning goal in a 2-1 win over Jamaica in the Pan Am Games … Made his U-23 debut in a 0-7 route at the hands of an experience Brazil team in Brasilia on April 7, 1999 … (U-20) A member of the U.S. squad that competed in the 1997 World Youth Championship in Malaysia … Scored two goals in the first game of the 1996 CONCACAF U-20 Championship, a 4-1 win over Jamaica. Professional: Selected as the 11th pick overall (first round) in February’s 2000 MLS SuperDraft by the Los Angeles Galaxy, joining former UCLA and current U-23 teammate Peter Vagenas, as well as future Olympic teammate Danny Califf … Has had a standout rookie season for the Galaxy, contributing three goals and five assists in 25 games in the central midfield. College: Named the Missouri Athletic Club Player of the Year as a senior in 1999 … Also named to the NSCAA First Team All-American and First Team All-Far West … Racked up 63 points (21 goals and 21 assists) in his 65 career appearances at UCLA … Netted eight career game-winning goals, including five as a senior to help lead the Bruins to the Final Four … Finished his collegiate career by scoring 33 points (12 goals and nine assists) in his senior year … Was selected as an NSCAA Third Team All-American after totaling 11 points in just 18 games in an injury-plagued junior season … Sat out most of UCLA’s 1997 NCAA Championship season with a torn ACL injury in his left knee, appearing in just seven games … Was named a second-team All-Far West selection as a freshman at UCLA in 1996 after tallying six goals and two assists in 18 games. High School: Named the NSCAA State and National Player of the Year as a senior at Rio Americano High School … Also named the Sacramento Bee’s 1995 High School Player of the Year … Played the entire game in the field and then donned a goalkeeper jersey in the penalty kick shootout as his team won the Section title his senior season … Personal: Began playing soccer at age four … Favorite player is former French and Manchester United legend Eric Cantona … Majored in Economics at UCLA.