By Gary Anderson

December 12 - Nick Springer (centre) has been named in the 16-man USA squad for the 2014 IWRF World Championships in Denmark ©AFP/Getty ImagesThe 16-strong squad that will represent the United States at next year's International Wheelchair Rugby Federation (IWRF) World Championships in Odense, Denmark, has been announced as James Gumbert's side look to consolidate their position as world number one.

A very strong panel includes many of the players who took bronze at London 2012 - such as Chuck Aoki, Derrick Helton and Chad Cohn, while Beijing 2008 gold medallists Andy Cohn, Jason Regier, Nick Springer, Chance Sumner and Joel Wilmoth also make the cut for next year's World Championships.

CJ Brown, Jeromy Brown, Ernie Chun, Joe Delagrave, Lee Ferdette, Chuck Melton, Eric Newby and Josh Wheeler complete the line up.

The Americans will head to Odense as the defending world champions following their 2010 final win over current Paralympic gold medallists Australia in Vancouver.

Despite failing to retain their Paralympic crown at London 2012, Gumbert and his charges have been in impressive form in 2013, winning three international titles and regaining the world number one spot.

They put the disappointment of London behind them by taking the Denmark Wheelchair Rugby Challenge crown back in June, with a 61-56 win over Australia, and followed this up with another win against Australia on home soil at the Tri-Nations Tournament in Sydney in September.

The year was completed by another major title as they comprehensively outplayed rivals Canada in the final of the Americas Championship to seal their third consecutive win in the event in October.

Ten of this year's all-conquering squad will be heading to the showpiece tournament, along with two players from the force development side, and head coach Gumbert is happy with the mix of youth and experience in the team.

US head coach James Gumbert will be hoping celebrate another world title in Odense next year ©Getty ImagesUS head coach James Gumbert will be hoping celebrate another world title in Odense next year ©Getty Images

























































"We are very excited about this team," he said.

"The mixture of current athletes along with returning veterans, sprinkled with developing talent, puts us in a great place moving forward."

Gumbert and his squad will be holding residential and weekend camps over the next nine months at Lakeshore Foundation, the high performance management organisation for the US wheelchair rugby team.

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