COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Sophomore James van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) and freshman Blake Kessel (Verona, Wis.) of the University of New Hampshire men’s hockey team have been named to the 2009 U.S. National Junior Team that will compete in the 2009 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Ottawa, Ontario.

van Riemsdyk, who ranks 11th nationally in scoring with 19 points (8-11-19), finished the 2008 Junior Nationals as the tournament’s leading scorer. van Riemsdyk had 11 points (5-6-11), leading Team USA to a fourth-place finish and a 4-2 record. van Riemsdyk scored a goal in five of Team USA’s six games during the tournament. van Riemsdyk was named one of Team USA’s best three players in the tournament along with Boston University’s Colin Wilson and Michigan’s Chris Summers.

Kessel has started all 14 games while in Durham and has a team-best +7 plus/minus rating. Kessel has three points (1-2-3) and was the first freshman and defenseman to score a goal when he potted his even-strength tally on Nov. 15 at Boston College.

The IIHF World Junior Championship runs from Dec. 26 – Jan. 5. The complete schedule is below.

Team USA 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship Schedule
                    Dec. 26-Jan. 5 • Ottawa, Ontario

Date                              Opponent    Venue                   Time (EST)    Television
Sun., Dec. 21               Latvia*         K-Rock Centre    7:00 p.m.        None
Tue., Dec. 23               Russia*        K-Rock Centre    7:00 p.m.        None
Fri., Dec. 26                 Germany      SBP Arena            3:30 p.m.       NHL Network
Sun., Dec. 28              Czech Rep.  SBP Arena          7:30 p.m.         NHL Network
Tue., Dec. 30               Kazakhstan  SBP Arena          7:30 p.m.        NHL Network
Wed.,Dec. 31               Canada         SBP Arena         7:30 p.m.        NHL Network
Fri., Jan. 2                   Quarterfinals    SBP Arena       TBD                 NHL Network
Sat., Jan. 3                   Semifinals    SBP Arena          TBD                 NHL Network
Mon., Jan. 5               Medal Games    SBP Arena    3:30/7:30 p.m.    NHL Network
*exhibition

Venue Locations: K-Rock Centre (Kingston, Ontario), SBP (Scotia Bank Place) Arena (Ottawa, Ontario).

TEAM NOTES: The United States has played for a medal in the IIHF World Junior Championship six straight years ... Team USA won its only gold medal in the event in 2004 ... The United States will host the IIHF World Junior Championship in 2011 in Buffalo, N.Y. ... The IIHF World Junior Championship officially began in 1977 with the inaugural event being staged in Bystrica-Zvolen, Czechoslovakia ... The IIHF World Junior Championship features the best players in the world under the age of 20 and will be conducted for the 33rd time in 2009.