COLORADO SPRINGS, CO. - The National Wheelchair Basketball Association (NWBA) and the High Performance Selection Committee have announced the initial selection of twenty (20) athletes to the High Performance Pool for consideration for the 2025 U.S. Men’s Wheelchair Basketball National Team. These selections were made after the 2025 USA Men’s Try-Out Camp hosted April 16-20 at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.  
 
Following the Team Selection Camp, to be hosted later this year at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center, twelve (12) athletes and alternates will be selected for the 2025 U.S. Men's National Team, representing the U.S.A at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup (location and dates--TBD by the IWBF). 

Paul Schulte (Ann Arbor, Michigan) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping Team USA capture a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. One of the most decorated athletes in the history of the sport, Schulte is a three-time Paralympic medalist—earning bronze at both the Sydney 2000 and London 2012 Paralympic Games, and gold in Paris in 2024. He is also a four-time medalist at the IWBF World Championships, claiming gold in 1998 and 2002, silver in 2006, and bronze in 2010. In addition, Schulte was a key contributor to the U23 World Championship teams that secured silver in 1997 and bronze in 2001. A 2022 inductee into the NWBA Hall of Fame, Schulte played collegiately at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he led the program to an NWBA National Championship in 2002. He graduated with a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, which he later applied for as a designer of high-performance basketball wheelchairs for TopEnd Wheelchairs. 

Jake Williams (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) joins the initial roster after leading the U.S. to its third consecutive Paralympic gold medal at the 2024 Paris Games. Williams was the tournament’s top scorer and earned MVP honors for his standout performance. A three-time Paralympic gold medalist, he also captured titles at the 2020 Tokyo and 2016 Rio Paralympic Games. In addition to his Paralympic success, Williams helped Team USA win gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games and the 2022 IWBF World Championship. A proud alumnus of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Williams returned to his alma mater in 2022 as head coach and led the team to the 2024 NWBA Men’s Intercollegiate National Championship—their first since 2016. 

John Boie (Milton, Wisconsin) remains in consideration after helping the U.S. Men’s National Team capture gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Boie made a strong Paralympic debut in 2020, earning gold at the Tokyo Games. A decorated athlete, Boie is a two-time medalist at the IWBF World Championships—winning silver in 2018 and gold in 2022—as well as a two-time Parapan American Games gold medalist (2019, 2023). He also helped Team USA secure gold at the 2017 IWBF Americas Cup. 
 
Jorge Salazar (Delano, California) is selected to the pool of athletes after helping Team USA secure gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. He was also a key contributor to the U.S. squads that earned gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games, the 2022 IWBF Americas Cup, and the 2022 IWBF World Championship. Salazar first joined Team USA as a member of the senior national team that won gold at the 2017 IWBF Americas Cup and later served as an alternate for the U.S. Men’s squads in 2019 and 2020. A retired U.S. Marine Corps Corporal, Salazar is a decorated veteran, having been awarded the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart. 
 
Fabian Romo (Chicago, Illinois) earned a spot on the initial Pool roster after representing Team USA at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, where he helped capture a gold medal. Romo was also a key member of the U.S. Men’s squads that secured gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games, as well as the 2022 IWBF World Championship and Americas Cup. He previously served as an alternate for the U.S. Men’s roster in 2020 and gained his first international experience with Team USA in 2017, competing at both the IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier and the IWBF U23 World Championship. 

Talen Jourdan (Deerfield, Wisconsin) is among those initially selected after helping secure a gold medal at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. He was also a key contributor to the U.S. Men’s teams that captured gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games, the 2022 IWBF World Championship, the 2022 Americas Cup, and with the U.S. U23 Men’s Team at the IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. 

Jeromie Meyer (Woodbine, Iowa) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping the U.S. Men’s National Team capture gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. He also contributed to Team USA’s gold-medal performance at the 2023 Parapan American Games and was a member of the squads that secured gold at both the 2022 IWBF World Championship and Americas Cup. Meyer earned his first national team experience in 2017, competing at the IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier and the IWBF U23 World Championship. 

AJ Fitzpatrick (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) is among those initially selected after helping Team USA capture a third consecutive Paralympic Games gold medal. He made his debut with the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2023 Parapan American Games, contributing to the team’s gold-medal finish. Fitzpatrick is also a key member of the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team, helping lead the squad to gold at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. He currently competes for the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, where he is a two-time First Team All-American. 

Jorge Sanchez (Oakland, California) remains in consideration after helping Team USA capture gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games. He also played a key role in the U.S. Men’s National Team’s gold-medal run at the 2022 IWBF World Championship.  Sanchez made his Paralympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where he earned a gold medal. His decorated international résumé also includes a silver medal at the 2018 IWBF World Championship, as well as gold medals at the 2017 IWBF Americas Cup and the 2019 Parapan American Games. 

Drew Beutel (Naperville, Illinois) is among those initially selected after helping the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team qualify for the upcoming 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship with a gold-medal performance at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. Beutel currently competes for the LWSRA Junior Varsity and Division III teams. 

Tim Houston (Ponte Vedra, Florida) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team qualify for the upcoming 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship with a gold-medal performance at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. Houston is a junior at the University of Alabama, where he helped lead the team to the 2023 national championship and earned Second Team All-America honors. 

Sebastian Milan (Bronx, New York) is the only New York native named to the initial 20-player roster. He is also a member of the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team, helping the squad qualify for the upcoming 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship with a gold-medal performance at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. Milan recently completed his freshman season at the University of Illinois, where he earned Second Team All-America and All-Rookie Team honors. 

Kesean Paire (Woodville, Texas) is a among those initially selected after helping the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team qualify for the upcoming 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship with a gold-medal performance at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. Now a junior at the University of Texas at Arlington, Paire was named a First Team All-American in 2025. 

Adam Smith (Waxhaw, North Carolina) earned a spot on the initial 20-player roster after helping the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team qualify for the upcoming 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship with a gold-medal performance at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. A freshman at Auburn University, Smith earned All-Rookie Team honors in his debut season. He joined the Tigers following a standout junior career with the Charlotte Rollin’ Hornets, where he helped lead the team to a Varsity Division national championship in 2022. 

Martrell Stevens (Chicago, Illinois) remains in the pool for consideration after helping the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team capture gold at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. Stevens currently competes at the University of Illinois, where he was named a First Team All-American in 2025. 

Jake Eastwood (Mill Creek, Washington) was named to the initial 20-player roster. A veteran of international competition, Eastwood was a member of the 2019 U.S. Men’s U23 National Team that competed at the IWBF U23 World Championship in Thailand. He currently plays for Auburn University, where he was named the 2025 NWBA Intercollegiate Division Player of the Year. 

Jared Arambula (Valparaiso, Indiana) returns to the U.S. Men’s National Team Try-Out, earning a place on the initial roster. A Paralympic gold medalist from the 2016 Rio Games, Arambula also helped lead Team USA to gold at the 2017 Americas Cup and the 2015 Parapan American Games. At the collegiate level, he played for the University of Alabama, where he was instrumental in the Crimson Tide’s 2015 national championship run. 
 
Preston Howell (Charlotte, North Carolina) remains in the pool for consideration. Howell previously teamed up on the U.S. Men’s U23 squad that competed at the 2019 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship in Thailand. He currently plays at the University of Alabama.

Jon McNamara (Champaign, Illinois) and Eric Rodriguez (Temecula, California) each earned a spot on the initial Pool roster. McNamara brings professional experience from his time competing in Europe, while Rodriguez plays for the Rancho Halos after playing collegiately at the University of Missouri. 

Joining Head Coach Scott Meyer on the sidelines will be: 
- Assistant Coach, Ron Lykins of Columbia, Missouri  
- Assistant Coach, Michael Auprince of Tuscaloosa, Alabama  
- Team Leader, Preston Howell of Belmont, North Carolina   
- Athletic Trainer, Jeremy Johnson of Dothan, Alabama   

Follow the U.S. Men's National Team on NWBA social media channels. Instagram and Twitter: @NWBA, Facebook: @NWBA70