Local storylines aplenty in NCAA men’s quarterfinals

From the field to the touchline, the NCAA Championship men’s quarterfinals have several storylines with ties to the Philadelphia region. Here’s a team-by-team look at the players and coaches to watch this weekend with four tickets to the College Cup awaiting to be punched.

No. 1 Ohio State vs No. 8 Wake Forest, Saturday at 5 p.m.
Philadelphia native Daniel Krueger and State College native Joel Torbic both spent time in the Philadelphia Union Academy prior to college. Krueger graduated from YSC Academy last December and enrolled at Wake Forest for the spring. A former Philadelphia Union II defender, Krueger has made 21 appearances as a rookie. He played fdor FC Europa prior to joining the Union Academy. Torbic has a goal and an assist in 13 appearances this season. He finished his academy career at Barca Residency and was an academy signing with USL Championship club Phoenix Rising.

No. 2 Pitt vs Vermont, Saturday at 3 p.m.
Schwenksville, Pa. native and Philadelphia Union Academy grad Jackson Gilman is one of the captains and leaders of the Panthers. Gilman served a red card suspension in Pitt’s 3-2 win over Kansas City. Fellow academy grad Logan Oliver is also on the roster after transferring in the offseason from Indiana and assistant coach Bryce Cregan is a former PA Classics standout from Dallastown, Pa. Vermont’s roster features a trio of players with local ties: grad students Zach Barrett (Lehigh Valley United / Phoenixville, Pa.) and Lou Liedka (Wyncote, Pa.) and rookie Ryan Zellefrow (Berwyn, Pa.).

No. 3 Denver vs UMass, Saturday at 3 p.m.
Medford, N.J. native Jamie Franks is one win away from leading Denver to the College Cup for the second time. He led the Pioneers there in his second season as head coach back in 2016. His brother, Brad Franks, is an assistant coach. Their older brother Ryan Franks just won his first New Jersey state title as the head coach at their alma mater, Shawnee High School. Denver assistant coach Jacob Lissek was a reserve goalkeeper for the Harrisburg City Islanders (Penn FC) during their final season in 2018. UMass senior goalkeeper Alex Geczy (FC Delco, Episcopal Academy / Newtown Square, Pa.) has recorded clean sheets in wins over No. 5 seed Penn and No. 11 Virginia to put the Minutemen one win away from a trip to Cary, N.C. Perkesie, Pa. native Shane Velez (Hex FC, Pennridge HS) is part of the squad but head coach Fran O’Leary has used his bench sparingly the last two games (just one sub for 10 minutes against UVA).

No. 12 SMU vs No. 13 Marshall, Saturday at 7 p.m.
Coopersburg, Pa. native Marco Silva is tied for second on Marshall’s teams for goals this season with 4. The former Union Academy attacker was one of the standouts last season for Ocean City Nor’easters in USL League Two. He has 11 goals and 7 assists in two seasons with the Thundering Herd.