OLYMPIC REPORT / 29 DAYS TO THE GAMES

In the hopes of advancing beyond the opening round for the first time, the U.S. Olympic men’s soccer team Wednesday added three internationally seasoned players and six who played for U.S. Coach Bruce Arena when he was at the University of Virginia to a roster of mostly former college stars.

The women’s roster also was announced, and it includes star forward Mia Hamm, veteran forward Carin Gabarra and 19-year-old defender Staci Wilson.

Midfielder Claudio Reyna, defender Alexi Lalas and goalkeeper Kasey Keller--all members of the national team--highlighted the announcement of the 18-man men’s squad.

In the Olympic men’s tournament, countries are limited to players 23 and under, with three exceptions. None of those selections was a surprise since Arena had indicated earlier this year that Reyna, Keller and Lalas were among his top candidates.

While the U.S. men are longshots to make the medal round, the American women are favored to win the gold medal.

“The excitement level is very, very high,” women’s Coach Tony DiCicco said. “I think we’ve prepared a women’s team better than ever before for an international event. Our aim and ambition is the gold medal.”

A notable absence from the men’s roster was defender Gregg Berhalter, a probable starter who broke a bone in his foot earlier this week and will have surgery Friday.

Fourteen players on the U.S. roster are members of Major League Soccer teams but, with the exception of Lalas, all will remain with the Olympic squad leading up to the Summer Games, Arena said.

Arena said he’s been pleased with UCLA goalie Chris Snitko, but he added English League veteran Keller because “we felt we needed an experienced goalkeeper.”

Reyna, 22, was on a Virginia team that won three NCAA titles in 1991-93 before leaving after his junior season to play in Germany, but had to be listed as an overage player because he played in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona.

Named to the squad from Virginia were Reyna; forward A.J. Wood; defenders Clint Peay and Brandon Pollard; and midfielders Billy Walsh and Damian Silvera.