TUKWILA, Wash. – With the call-up of Stanford University forward Jordan Morris on Thursday, the Seattle Sounders Academy has officially produced another prospective member of the United States national team.
After a standout season for Stanford last year in which he tallied six goals, seven assists and made the All Pac-12 first team, Morris also has the opportunity to make some history. If he sees the field on Sept. 3 in a friendly at the Czech Republic, he would be the first college player to earn a cap for the USMNT at the senior level since UCLA’s Ante Razov in 1995.
“Great for Jordan,” Seattle head coach Sigi Schmid said after Seattle’s practice on Thursday. “We’re obviously happy for him because he’s one of our academy kids. I’m sure Stanford’s happy as well.”
The 20-year-old has already accumulated a decorated resume, making a quick ascent to the top of Seattle’s academy circuit after a decorated high school career that saw him nab the 2012 Gatorade Washington State Player of the Year. He was also named the US Developmental Academy National Player of the Year for 2013 and has caps for the US U-20 squad.
Morris’ selection is the latest in a series of impressive feats achieved by members of Seattle’s academy system. Current Sounders star DeAndre Yedlin made the USMNT final roster for the 2014 World Cup and got the most out of his opportunity, parlaying the increased exposure into an overseas transfer to Tottenham Hotspur.
Sean Okoli, another Homegrown product currently on the Sounders roster, also recently earned a spot on the roster for the Chipotle MLS Homegrown game during the MLS All-Star week in Portland.
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USMNT head coach Jurgen Klinsmann told USsoccer.com that Morris has been scouted over the course of the last couple of years, including at a recent camp for the US U-23 team in the Bahamas earlier this month, and now seemed like a good time to see what he has with the young forward.
“We have watched Jordan through our youth national teams and in the Development Academy for the last couple of years, and he is a very promising player,” Klinsmann said. “We saw him during our two weeks at Stanford for the World Cup preparation camp, and also from his play with U-23 team in the Bahamas, and we felt like this was a good opportunity to introduce him to the senior team.”
Schmid also highlighted Morris’ strong performance at the U-23 camp as a factor that helped him vault into consideration for time with the national team.
“He had been called in for the U-23 camp and he had done fairly well,” Schmid said. “I had talked to [US national team assistant coach] Andy Herzog and he thought [Morris] did really well so it’s a great opportunity for him. Fantastic.”
