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--part of the selection process for the 2026 Men’s USA Wheelchair Basketball National Team. These initial selections were made after the 2026 Men’s World Championships Team Try-Out Camp hosted January 3-7 at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, CO.   
  
The High Performance Pool will be invited to the 2026 Men's World Championships Team Selection Camp to be hosted April 22-27 at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Following Selection Camp, twelve (12) athletes will be selected for the 2026 Men's USA Wheelchair Basketball National Team, representing the U.S.A. at the 2026 IWBF World Championships, scheduled for September 4-19 in Ottawa, Canada.

Jared Arambula (Valparaiso, Indiana) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping Team USA capture a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A Paralympic gold medalist from the 2016 Rio Games, Arambula has also helped lead Team USA to gold at the 2017 Americas Cup and the 2015 Parapan American Games. At the collegiate level, he competed at the University of Alabama, where he played a key role in the Crimson Tide’s 2015 national championship run.

Brian Bell (Birmingham, Alabama) was among the 20 athletes selected to the initial roster, returning to the U.S. Men’s National Team after helping Team USA capture gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Bell is a three-time Paralympic gold medalist, earning gold at the 2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo, and 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. In addition to his Paralympic success, Bell is a three-time Parapan American Games gold medalist (2015, 2019, 2023) and a three-time medalist at the IWBF World Championships, earning gold in 2022 and silver in both 2014 and 2018. At the club level, Bell won an NWBA Division I National Championship with the Golden State Road Warriors in 2023 and currently competes for the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks.

Peter Berry (Houston, Texas) earned a spot on the initial roster, returning to Team USA after helping the U.S. Men’s squad capture a gold medal at the 2023 Santiago Parapan American Games. Berry was also a member of the gold-medal-winning U.S. Men’s Senior National Team at the 2022 IWBF Americas Cup in Brazil.

Drew Beutel (Naperville, Illinois) earned a spot on the 20-player roster after contributing to the national team’s gold-medal performance at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. Beutel was also a key contributor for the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team, helping lead the squad to a fifth-place finish at the 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship and a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. A product of the LWSRA Junior Varsity and Division III programs, Beutel is currently a freshman at Auburn University.

John Boie (Milton, Wisconsin) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping the U.S. Men’s National Team capture a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A two-time Paralympian, Boie won gold medals at the 2024 Paris and 2020 Tokyo Paralympic Games. He is also a two-time medalist at the IWBF World Championships—earning silver in 2018 and gold in 2022—and a two-time Parapan American Games gold medalist (2019, 2023).

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 competes for Auburn University, where he was named the 2025 NWBA Intercollegiate Division Player of the Year.

AJ Fitzpatrick (Cedar Rapids, Iowa) earned a spot 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. At the collegiate level, he competes for the University of Wisconsin–Whitewater, where he is a two-time First Team All-American.

Jude Hiley (Atlanta, Georgia) earned a spot on the initial roster after serving as a key contributor for the 2025 U.S. Men’s U23 National Team. Hiley helped the squad to a fifth-place finish at the 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship and a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. He is currently a student-athlete at Auburn University and previously competed for BlazeSports in the NWBA Junior Division.

Tim Houston (Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping Team USA capture a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A national champion and All-American at the University of Alabama, Houston also helped the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team to a fifth-place finish at the 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship and a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier.

Preston Howell (Charlotte, North Carolina) remains in the pool for consideration after helping the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team to a fifth-place finish at the 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship. Howell previously competed with the U.S. Men’s U23 squad at the 2019 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship in Thailand. He currently competes at the University of Alabama.

Trevon Jenifer (Huntington, Maryland) was among the 20 athletes selected to the initial roster, returning to the U.S. Men’s National Team after helping Team USA capture gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. Jenifer is a four-time Paralympic medalist, earning gold at the 2016 Rio, 2020 Tokyo, and 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, along with a bronze medal at the 2012 London Paralympic Games. In addition, Jenifer is a four-time Parapan American Games gold medalist (2011, 2015, 2019, and 2023) and a three-time medalist at the IWBF World Championships, earning gold in 2022 and silver in both 2014 and 2018.

Talen Jourdan (Deerfield, Wisconsin) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping Team USA capture a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. A Paralympian, Jourdan helped lead Team USA to gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. He has also been a key contributor to U.S. Men’s teams that captured gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games, the 2022 IWBF World Championship, and the 2022 Americas Cup, as well as with the U.S. Men’s U23 Team at the IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. Most recently, Jourdan helped the WASA Marquette Eagles claim the 2025 NWBA Division I National Championship.

Jeromie Meyer (Woodbine, Iowa) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping the U.S. Men’s National Team capture a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. Meyer also contributed to Team USA’s gold-medal performance at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and helped secure gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games. In addition, he was a member of the U.S. squads that captured gold at both the 2022 IWBF World Championship and the 2022 Americas Cup. Most recently, Meyer helped the WASA Marquette Eagles claim the 2025 NWBA Division I National Championship.

Kesean Paire (Woodville, Texas) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping the U.S. Men’s National Team capture a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. Paire played a key role for the U.S. Men’s U23 National Team, helping the squad to a fifth-place finish at the 2025 IWBF Men’s U23 World Championship and a gold-medal performance at the 2025 IWBF U23 Americas Zonal Qualifier. A standout at the University of Texas at Arlington, Paire earned First Team All-America honors in 2025.

Fabian Romo (Chicago, Illinois) earned a spot on the initial roster after representing Team USA at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. Romo also competed with the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, helping capture a gold medal. He was a key member of U.S. Men’s squads that secured gold at the 2023 Parapan American Games, as well as the 2022 IWBF World Championship and the 2022 Americas Cup. At the club level, Romo plays for the Dallas Wheelchair Mavericks and helped lead the team to the 2024 NWBA Adult Division I National Championship.

Jorge Salazar (Delano, California) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping Team USA capture a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. Salazar was also a key contributor at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games, helping the U.S. Men’s National Team secure gold. He has been a member of 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 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.

Jorge Sanchez (Oakland, California) remains in consideration after helping Team USA capture a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. Sanchez also represented the United States at the 2023 Parapan American Games, contributing to the team’s gold-medal finish, and played a key role in the U.S. Men’s National Team’s gold-medal run at the 2022 IWBF World Championship. He made his Paralympic debut at the 2020 Tokyo Games, where he earned a gold medal. Sanchez’s 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.

Paul Schulte (Ann Arbor, Michigan) earned a spot on the initial roster after helping Team USA capture a gold medal at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup. One of the most decorated athletes in the history of wheelchair basketball, Schulte is a three-time Paralympic medalist, earning bronze at the Sydney 2000 and London 2012 Paralympic Games and gold at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games. 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. Schulte was a key contributor to U.S. Men’s U23 teams that earned silver at the 1997 World Championship and bronze in 2001. A 2022 inductee into the NWBA Hall of Fame, he played collegiately at the University of Texas at Arlington, where he led the program to an NWBA National Championship in 2002. Schulte holds a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering and later applied his expertise as a designer of high-performance basketball wheelchairs for TopEnd Wheelchairs.

Eric Rodriguez (Temecula, California) earned a spot on the initial Pool roster. Rodriguez plays for the Utah Wheelin' Jazz after playing collegiately at the University of Missouri. 

Jake Williams (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) earned a spot on the initial roster following a standout performance at the 2025 IWBF Americas Cup, where he helped Team USA capture gold and was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player. A three-time Paralympic gold medalist, Williams was also the tournament’s top scorer and MVP at the 2024 Paris Paralympic Games and previously helped Team USA secure gold at the 2016 Rio and 2020 Tokyo 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—its first since 2016. He also guided the WASA Marquette Eagles to the 2025 NWBA Division I National Championship, earning Championship Game MVP honors for his performance. 

The 2026 National Team Staff will be 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  

Assisting with team preparations as part of the extended staff are Service Providers:
- Strength and Conditioning: Katie McClosky      
- Nutrition: Marta Scechura     
- Sport Psychology/Mental Health, Kaelene Curry 

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