June 3, 2015
SAN DIEGO - Former San Diego State football player Chad Young has been named to the 2015 U.S. Men's National Team, USA Football announced yesterday.
Young is one of 45 players age 20 and over that will represent the United States at the fifth International Federation of American Football (IFAF) World Championship, a seven-nation tournament held July 9-18 in Canton, Ohio. IFAF works with 78 countries spanning six continents that possess national federations dedicated solely to American football.
The U.S. Men's National Team includes athletes from 24 states and will compete in a field against national teams from Australia, Brazil, France, Japan, Mexico and South Korea. The IFAF World Championship has been held every four years since 1999. The United States has won each of the past two world championships (2007 and 2011), the only two years it has competed.
The U.S. Men's National Team will be led by former Colorado and Boise State head coach Dan Hawkins.
A former walk-on, Young competed with the Aztecs from 2010-13, playing in 51 career games with 31 starts. Over his career, he rushed for 175 yards on 42 carries (4.2 avg.) with five touchdowns, and had 44 catches for 241 yards (5.5 avg.) and five scores. A Burlsworth Trophy nominee as a senior, which goes to the most outstanding collegiate football player who began his career as a walk-on, Young played in four bowl games over his career.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) granted IFAF provisional recognition in December 2013. Provisional recognition is the initial step toward permanent IOC membership, which IFAF could attain as early as 2016. IFAF's permanent IOC membership would make American football eligible for a future vote to become part of the Summer Olympics lineup.
All games will be played at Tom Benson Hall of Fame Stadium and available via live stream or ESPN3. The IFAF World Championship will be contested on July 9, July 12 and July 15 with the consolation and medal round games set for July 18.
More information can be found at http://ifafworldchampionship.org/.
San Diego State, one of 27 schools to play in a bowl game each of the last five seasons and one of just three from the "Group of 5" conferences, finished 2014 with a 7-6 record and 5-3 in MW action. The Aztecs return eight starters on a defense that finished the year with national ranks of 10th in passing, 13th in scoring, 16th in total and 19th in pass efficiency, as well as running back Donnel Pumphrey, who rushed for a school-record 1,867 yards and 20 touchdowns as a true sophomore, on offense.
SDSU kicks off the season Sept. 5 vs. San Diego at Qualcomm Stadium.
Deposits for new season tickets are currently underway and can be secured by calling the Aztec Ticket Office at (619) 283-7378 or online at GoAztecs.com.