Brady Skjei and Mike Reilly are one step closer to representing the United States in the 2013 International Hockey Federation World Junior Championship.

The two freshmen defensemen have been named to the U.S. National Junior team’s preliminary roster, according to a release from USA Hockey. The two will attend a team training camp in New York that runs Dec. 16-18. Training will continue in Finland before the final roster is announced Dec. 23.

The 2013 International Hockey Federation World Junior Championship will run from Dec. 26, 2012, to Jan. 5, 2013, in Ufa, Russia.

Reilly hails from Chanhassen, Minn., and skated for the Academy of Holy Angels and Shattuck-St. Mary’s in high school. He has one goal and seven assists in 15 games and has impressed in his freshman campaign with the Gophers. Reilly was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Skjei is from Lakeville, Minn. He attended Lakeville North High School and has one goal and one assist in 14 games this season. He is a New York Rangers draft pick. 

Both skaters participated in the 2012 USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp.

Gophers assistant coach Grant Potulny will serve as an assistant to U.S. head coach Phil Housley at this year’s championships.

Other players of note on the team’s roster are Wisconsin’s Jake McCabe, North Dakota’s Rocco Grimaldi and Minnesota head coach Don Lucia’s son Mario, who plays for Notre Dame.