Aug. 9, 2012

BALTIMORE, MD - Trip Neil, a 2007 graduate of Johns Hopkins University and four-year member of the Blue Jay men's soccer team recently served as the captain of the United States Deaf National Soccer Team at the second World Deaf Football Championship in Ankara, Turkey July 16-28. Also competing for the US team was Mark Sorokin, a 2004 Johns Hopkins graduate and a member of the 2000 men's soccer team.

The US team finished in 12th place at the championship after not advancing out of group play. The US beat South Korea (6-4), lost to Germany (2-0) and tied eventual champion Turkey (1-1) in pool play. Neil played every game at center midfield, scoring a goal in the win versus South Korea and assisting on a goal in the draw against host Turkey. He also carried the US flag in both the Opening and Closing ceremonies.

Trip Neil '07 carried the US flag during the opening and closing ceremonies.

Neil has played for the US Deaf National Soccer team since the 2005 Deaflympics in Melbourne, Australia. He has participated in the 2008 Deaf World Football Championship (Patras, Greece), the 2009 Deaflympics (Taipei, Taiwan) and the 2011 Pan-American Games (Barquismeto, Venezuela).

Neil played in all 23 games in the midfield his senior year in helping Johns Hopkins to a 19-2-2 record and the NCAA Elite Eight. He saw action in 54 games and scored four goals in his career while helping JHU to two Centennial Conference titles and two NCAA Tournament appearances. Sorokin played in eight games for the 2000 Centennial Conference champion Blue Jays, scoring one goal and adding an assist. Hopkins would advance to the NCAA Sweet 16 that season.

For more information on the US Deaf National team, visit their website here. And for more information on the World Deaf Football Championship, visit the website here.