BERKELEY - Cal senior goalkeeper Drake Callender has earned a call-up to the U.S. Under-23 Men's National team's current training camp, U.S. Soccer announced on Tuesday. The 10-day camp began on Sept. 1 at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Center, with the U.S. squad playing Japan's U-23s on Sept. 9.
 
U.S. head coach Jason Kreis originally called in 24 players for the camp before later adding Callender and Atlanta United forward Brandon Vazquez.
 
The training camp and game are part of the United State's campaign to qualify for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo. The Olympic men's soccer tournament consists of U-23 teams that can each include three overage players. Also on the horizon for the U.S. is the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Championship scheduled for March 20-April 1 in Guadalajara, Mexico, with two CONCACAF teams qualifying for Japan.
 
"Drake is playing at a very high level at the moment," Cal head coach Kevin Grimes said. "The U-23 USMNT is in its initial phase of evaluation of all of the top US talent. Drake is certainly a player that should be in high consideration for the Olympic qualifying games in March."
 
The talented Callender played a big role in Cal's season-opening 1-0 win over Omaha on Aug. 30 in Berkeley. He earned the 11th shutout of his college career after stopping a late penalty kick. A member of the United Soccer Coaches NCAA All-Far West Team the last two seasons, Callender also garnered second-team All-Pac-12 status in 2018 and an All-Pac-12 first-team nod in 2017.
 
Cal has produced several players who have played for the U.S. U-23s or the senior U.S. national team in recent years, including the San Jose Earthquakes' Nick Lima (currently with the senior U.S. team), Steve Birnbaum (senior U.S. team), the Los Angeles Galaxy's David Bingham (senior U.S. team) and St. Gallen's Jonathan Klinsmann (U.S. U-23s).
 
The Golden Bears return to the pitch when they play at UC Santa Barbara on Saturday at 7 p.m. in their first road game of the season.