CHICAGO, Ill. – Former William & Mary men's soccer standout Chris Albiston was named to the 12-player roster to represent the USA at the 2021 CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship in Costa Rica from May 17-23.
 
The U.S. Beach Soccer Men's National Team will compete for one of two CONCACAF berths for the 2021 FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup in Russia this August. The USA joins Turks and Caicos Islands, Trinidad and Tobago and Costa Rica in Group C of the 11-team field.
 
Albiston earned caps with the Beach Soccer MNT in tournaments and friendlies prior to 2020. He scored a goal for the US in a 5-3 win over Japan at the 2018 Balaton Cup in Siófok, Hungary. Albiston is the lone representative from the state of Virginia. The roster also consists of seven players from California and four from Florida. The USA gathered in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., on May 10 and will depart for Costa Rica on May 14.
 
During his Tribe career, Albiston was a two-time All-CAA selection and helped the Tribe to the NCAA Tournament in 2013. He tallied five goals and six assists as a junior in 2013, before topping the Tribe with seven goals as a senior. Albiston started 60 of his 71 appearances, netting 41 points on 16 goals and nine assists.
 
The US opens Group C play against Turks and Caicos Islands on Monday, May 17, at 2:30 p.m. ET. They square off with Trinidad and Tobago on Tuesday, May 18 at 2:30 p.m. ET, before taking on Costa Rica on Wednesday, May 19 at 4 p.m. ET.  
 
Following group play, the first and second place teams in each of the three groups plus the two best third-place teams will advance to the quarterfinals. The two semifinal winners will qualify for the FIFA Beach Soccer World Cup and play for the CONCACAF title.
 
All matches will be played without fans at the Costa Rican Football Federation complex, Complejo Deportivo FEDEFUTBOL Plycem, in Alajuela, Costa Rica. The USA has won the CONCACAF Beach Soccer Championship twice, in 2006 and 2013. The U.S. finished as runner-up in 2019, each time qualifying for that year's World Cup.
 
Albiston graduated from W&M with his degree in kinesiology and health science. He went on to earn his law degree from Richmond in 2019 and is currently an associate attorney at Gilbert & Albiston, P.C. in Norfolk.