Portland Timbers U-23s announce remaining players for 2015

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Timbers U-23s today announced the remaining roster players for the upcoming 2015 Premier Development League (PDL) season. The Timbers U-23s open the 2015 PDL regular-season schedule on Thursday, May 14, as they play host to Lane United FC as part of a Providence Health & Fitness Day at Providence Park; kickoff is set for 11 a.m. (Pacific).

Tickets for Thursday’s match against Lane United FC, which start at $7, can be purchased online here as well as at the Providence Park box office. Discounted tickets are available for groups of 15 or more; contact the Timbers ticket office at (503) 553-5555 or ticketsales@timbers.com for additional information.

The Timbers U-23s kick off a 12-game regular-season schedule on Thursday against Lane United FC and will play six home matches throughout the Portland metro area in 2015. Under the direction of head coach Jim Rilatt, Portland will play two of its first three matches at Providence Park, playing host to a second Providence Health & Fitness Day match against Kitsap Pumas on Friday, May 29. The Timbers U-23s will play four straight home games from June 7-21 and close out the regular-season schedule with four consecutive road game from June 26-July 8. Click here to see the full Timbers U-23s schedule.

Preparing for their seventh season in the PDL, the Timbers U-23s have added Timbers Academy alumni Niko De Vera (University of Akron), Foster Langsdorf (Stanford University) and Sam Werner (Stanford University), while midfielders Devon Fisher (Virginia Commonwealth) and Ben Strong (University of Louisville) return for a second season. New additions to the squad include Kyle Adams (San Diego State University), Ivan Alvarado (Lipscomb University), Geoffrey Dee (University of Tulsa), Noah Gaines (UC-Irvine), Dewey Lewis (Michigan State University), Adrien Perez (Loyola Marymount University), Auden Schilder (University of Washington), Nathan Smith (UCLA), Michael Sperber (UC-Irvine) and Greg Timmer (Western Michigan University).

Adams (Auckland, New Zealand) joins the Timbers U-23s before starting his college career at San Diego State University for the 2015 season. Adams, who has spent time with the New Zealand Ole Soccer Academy, is part of the New Zealand youth international player pool at the U-20 level.

Alvarado (Ft. Worth, Texas) made 16 appearances (14 starts) during his freshman season at Lipscomb University. A midfielder, he scored four goals and had a team-leading eight assists in his first season, finishing second among all Lipscomb players in points (16). Alvarado was named Atlantic Sun Conference Player of the Week twice during the 2014 season and helped lead the side to a 12-4-1 overall record and a berth in the A-Sun Championship semifinals.

Dee (Germantown, Tenn.) joins the Timbers U-23s after his freshman season at the University of Tulsa. Dee was one of just two players to start all 20 games for the Golden Hurricane, recording one goal and one assist as a midfielder, earning American Athletic Conference All-Rookie honors in 2014.

De Vera (Camas, Wash.) made two appearances as a freshman defender at the University of Akron in 2014. A product of the Timbers Academy, De Vera netted three goals in 27 appearances with the Timbers U-18s during the 2013-14 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season. He also netted four goals in 16 games with the Timbers U-16s during the 2012-13 season. In 2013, De Vera made five appearances, logging 333 minutes, for the Timbers Reserves during the 2013 MLS Reserve League campaign.

Fisher (Chesapeake, Va.) has registered 12 goals and five assists in 62 career matches (20 starts) in three seasons at Virginia Commonwealth University. Returning for a second season with the Timbers U-23s, Fisher was a constant fixture for the Timbers U-23s back line in 2014, appearing in 12 matches and logging 864 minutes.

Gaines (Oakland, Calif.) has appeared in 38 games (23 starts) in three seasons at UC-Irvine, including 23 games (17 starts) as a junior in 2014. The defender recorded one goal and two assists in his junior season, helping the Anteaters advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

Langsdorf (Vancouver, Wash.), who was named 2013 Portland Timbers Academy Player of the Year, joins the Timbers U-23s after tallying one goal and one assist in 13 appearances as a freshman for Stanford University. The midfielder helped the Cardinal win the Pac-12 Championship and advance to the second round of the NCAA Tournament. Born in Portland, Langsdorf registered three goals in 25 games played (24 starts) during the 2012-13 U.S. Soccer Development Academy season and six goals in 25 games for the Timbers U-18s during the 2013-14 season.

Lewis (Rockford, Mich.) started 22 games as a sophomore midfielder at Michigan State University in 2014, finishing third in the Big Ten in assists (6) and notching the game-winning assist in the second round NCAA Tournament match. As a freshman in 2013, Lewis was named to the All-Big Ten Freshman team.

Perez (Ontario, Calif.) started 19 matches during his sophomore season at Loyola Marymount University in 2014, leading the team in assists (7), points (17) and shots (62) and registering five goals. Perez earned All-West Coast Conference (WCC) first-team honors for the second straight season and was named to the NSCAA All-Far West Region third-team last season. In 2013, the midfielder was also named to the WCC All-Freshman team.

Schilder (Bellingham, Wash.) redshirted his freshman year with the University of Washington this past fall. The 6-foot-5 goalkeeper was a standout prep player, helping lead Bellingham High School to the 2010 state title and earning Northwest Conference Player of the Year honors in 2013.

Smith (Clovis, Calif.) earned All-Pac-12 honorable mention as a sophomore, starting 11 matches at defender for UCLA and helping the Bruins register seven shutouts during the 2014 season. Smith recorded one goal and two assists in 15 starts as a freshman for the Bruins. A former member of the U.S. U-17 National Team, the defender made 23 appearances for the U-17 MNT and competed in the 2011 FIFA U-17 World Cup, playing in two matches and helping the United States reach the knockout round.

Sperber (Palm Desert, Calif.) played in 24 matches (all starts) in his freshman season at UC-Irvine, registering one goal and one assist in 2014, including the game-winning goal against Stanford University in the second round of the NCAA Tournament as the Anteaters advanced to the Sweet 16. The defender earned All-Big West Conference first-team honors following the season.

Strong (Mendham, N.J.) registered five goals and four assists in 21 matches in his senior season at the University of Louisville. The midfielder joined Louisville in 2013 after two seasons at Virginia Tech where he made 39 appearances (all starts). Returning for a second season with the Timbers U-23s, Strong appeared in seven matches, recording two goals and one assist in 2014.

Timmer (Grand Rapids, Mich.) was named to the All-MAC Tournament team after registering two goals and two assists in 12 starts as a junior for Western Michigan University. Timmer joined the Broncos following two seasons at Iowa Western Community College where the midfielder was named the 2012 NSCAA Junior College Division I National Player of the Year, helping lead the school to an undefeated 24-0-1 record and its first-ever national championship.

Werner (Bozeman, Mont.) was a freshman member of the 2014 Pac-12 championship-winning Stanford University squad which saw the Cardinal clinch their second-ever Pac-12 championship and gain a No. 6 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Werner joined the Cardinals after two seasons with the Timbers U-18s (2012-14), the second of which saw him net seven goals in 27 matches (16 starts).

2015 Portland Timbers U-23s Roster