PORTLAND, Ore. --- Portland men's soccer alum Benji Michel was named to Haiti's preliminary 40-man roster for the 2019 Gold Cup, which is scheduled for mid-June. The preliminary rosters will serve as the basis for the final 23-man Gold Cup roster for each participating country, and the final squads are due in the first week of June. 
 
Michel is in his first year playing with Orlando City SC of Major League Soccer. After three years with the Pilots, Michel signed a homegrown contract with Orlando City in December. He's made three appearances this season, and he made his first start last week.
 
Michel ended his career at Portland with 31 goals, eight assists, 70 points, and 12 game-winners. He ranks third all-time in program history in game-winners, and he's 12th in career goals.
 
Last fall Michel led the Pilots with 11 goals and he was named to the United Soccer Coaches All-America Second Team. Michel was the first Pilot to be named an All-American by the United Soccer Coaches, which was previously known as the NSCAA, since Nate Jaqua in 2002. He was also named to Top Drawer Soccer's Best XI Second Team, he was tabbed to the All-West Region First Team, and he landed on the All-West Coast Conference First Team.
 
Previously Michel earned all-region honors as both a freshman and a sophomore. He was named First-Team All-WCC all three seasons, and he was recognized as the WCC Freshman of the Year in 2016. As a sophomore, Michel notched a hat trick during a home win over Fairfield to become the first player to accomplish that feat on Merlo Field since 2003.
 
The 2019 Gold Cup, which is the biennial international championship of the North, Central American, and Caribbean region organized by CONCACAF, will primarily be hosted in the United States. Costa Rica and Jamaica will also host some first-round matches.