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Sporting KC's Kempin called into U-21 Camp

Sporting KC's Kempin called into U-21 Camp, first step towards forming the U.S. Olympic qualifying squad

SKC and OKC keeper Jon Kempin has been called up to the U.S. U21 team
SKC and OKC keeper Jon Kempin has been called up to the U.S. U21 team
Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Sporting Kansas City's Jon Kempin has been called in to the U.S. U-21 National Team camp running from April 20-24th.

"It's going to be a good opportunity. It's the first camp for the Olympic team. I'm really excited about it and blessed to have that opportunity," Kempin said after practice. "It comes at a good time. I'm feeling pretty confident and feeling good with all the games I'm getting so it should be a good week of training."

Kempin was assigned to Sporting Kansas City's affiliate in Oklahoma City for the 2014 season and has started three matches for the Energy FC under former team mate Jimmy Nielsen. Kempin credits the games as starter for preparing him for the U-21 camp. "The games are huge, I'm feeling a lot more comfortable, if I get thrown into a game I feel ready," Kempin explained.

"Next week with the first Under-21 group getting gathered together, which is basically our future Olympic team, we want to make sure that we start the process early enough," U.S. Men's National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann said via press release. "We have to qualify for Rio de Janeiro in 2016, so that's why we start that process already next week."

Typically the Olympic teams are U-23's and the U-21 group that was called in will be the U-23's for the 2016 Olympics.

Roster By Position:
GOALKEEPERS (2): Jonathan Kempin (Oklahoma City Energy; Leawood, Kan.), Kendall McIntosh (Santa Clara; Santa Rosa, Calif.)

DEFENDERS (5): Christian Dean (Vancouver Whitecaps FC; East Palo Alto, Calif.), Juan Pablo Ocegueda (Tigres UANL; Riverside, Calif.), Shane O'Neill (Colorado Rapids; Boulder, Colo.), Dillon Serna (Colorado Rapids; Brighton, Colo.), Oscar Sorto (LA Galaxy; Los Angeles, Calif.)

MIDFIELDERS (7): Luis Gil (Real Salt Lake; Garden Grove, Calif.), Alejandro Guido (Club Tijuana; Chula Vista, Calif.), Marlon Hairston (Colorado Rapids; Jackson, Miss.), Benji Joya (Chicago Fire; San Jose, Calif.), Collin Martin (D.C. United; Chevy Chase, Md.), Esteban Rodriguez (Club Tijuana; Bell Gardens, Calif.), Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew; Gahanna, Ohio)

FORWARDS (7): Daniel Cuevas (CF Lobos BUAP; Sacramento, Calif.), Danny Garcia (FC Dallas; Dallas, Texas), Jack McBean (LA Galaxy; Newport Beach, Calif.), Jordan Morris (Stanford; Mercer Island, Wash.), Sean Okoli (Seattle Sounders FC; Federal Way, Wash.), Victor Pineda (Chicago Fire; Bolingbrook, Ill.), Jose Villarreal (Cruz Azul; Inglewood, Calif.)