Mulder Names Men’s 2023 FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup Team

PRETORIA, South Africa – With just 24 days to go until the start of the 2023 FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup (IHWC), to be held at the Heartfelt Arena in Pretoria, South Africa, U.S. Men’s National Indoor Team Head Coach Jason Mulder has named the 12-athlete roster and two traveling reserves to represent Team USA.

“After a successful start to our preparation in Austria, it gives me great honor to select the following players to represent the USA for the Indoor World Cup,” commented Mulder. “Playing for one’s national team is a special achievement but making any World Cup team adds to that privilege. I have no doubt that this group understands the weight of their selection as I’ve seen it present in their performances in Austria.”

“We have one more preparation phase in South Africa before the big dance. As a group our goal is to be ready to compete at the World Cup.”

On Sunday, the Indoor USMNT concluded a trip to Vienna, Austria, where they competed in the 2023 Rohrmax Cup and went on the win gold. Facing tough opponents, the IHWC preparation tournament served as a final selection opportunity that assisted in naming the squad.

Mohan Gandhi (Ventura, Calif.), Pat Harris (Moorpark, Calif.), Jack Heldens (Hamburg, Germany), Aki Kaeppeler (New York, N.Y.), Kei Kaeppeler (Stuttgart, Germany), JaJa Kentwell (Spring City, Pa.), Stuart Kentwell (Spring City, Pa.), Jonathan Klages (Berlin, Germany), Kai Kokolakis (Melbourne, Fla.), Marius Leser (Mannheim, Germany), Adam Miller (Panama City, Fla.), Kevin Segeren (The Hague, Netherlands)

The two traveling reserves are Christopher Pothier (Shrewsbury, Mass.) and Nick Richardson (Sunapee, N.H.).

Four athletes and one reserve who represented USA at the 2021 Indoor Pan American Cup (IPAC), where the men finished second, are named to the roster. This talented group will be led by Pat Harris (Moorpark, Calif.), who competed in the 2003 and 2011 IHWC editions and is the most capped men’s indoor player. The squad also includes Aki Kaeppeler (New York, N.Y.), JaJa Kentwell (Spring City, Pa.) and goalkeeper Jonathan Klages (Berlin, Germany) who played at IPAC. Goalkeeper Kevin Segeren (The Hague, Netherlands) also played in the 2011 IHWC.

Mulder will lead the squad, with Adi Pasarakonda serving as tactical coach, Nigel Traverso as the team manager, Jody Erasmus as the video analyst and Damien Kuhn as the physiotherapist.

The 2023 IHWC, which was originally set to take place in February 2022 in Liège, Belgium, will be held at the Heartfelt Arena in Pretoria, South Africa from February 5 to 11. The 12-team men’s tournament includes many within the top-20 of the FIH Indoor World Rankings. No. 18 USA sits in Pool B with No. 3 Iran, No. 5 Czech Republic, No. 10 Australia, No. 11 South Africa and No. 19 Argentina. Pool A consists of No. 1 Austria, No. 7 Netherlands, No. 8 Belgium, No. 13 Kazakhstan, No. 16 Namibia and New Zealand.

The Quarterfinals will start on Friday, February 10 with the Semifinals and Finals on Saturday, February 11.

The last time the indoor men’s program attended an IHWC was back in 2011 when it was in Poznan, Poland. Prior to that, they competed in 2003 when it was hosted in Leipzig, Germany. In both editions, USA finished 11th and they will look to up their final placement come February.

The men’s and women’s 2023 IHWC will be available to view on Watch.Hockey ($). Stay tuned to USA Field Hockey for more information regarding the livestream.

For more information regarding the FIH Indoor Hockey World Cup check out the event page.

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