Somewhere in New York on Wednesday morning, Brian Dumoulin got the good news.

Then, moments after USA Hockey posted the United States National Junior Team roster on its Facebook page, Dumoulin checked his cell phone. It was overflowing with congratulatory voice mail and text messages.

“A lot of those messages were from Maine, and from people I grew up with,” Dumoulin said. “Just being named to this team is an honor.”

Dumoulin, a sophomore defenseman at Boston College and a Biddeford High School graduate, is one of 22 players on the United States National Junior Team roster announced Wednesday. The national junior team will play in the 10-team IIHF World Junior Championship that begins Sunday in Buffalo, N.Y. Team USA is the defending champion and opens the tournament at 8 p.m. Sunday against Finland.

“I’m excited because of what a prestigious tournament this is,” said Dumoulin, who has 10 assists and is a plus-10 in 16 games this season at Boston College. “It’s being held in the United States for the first time in a while. It’s really exciting to be named and to have a chance to represent your country and defend a championship.”

Dumoulin, 19, is one of three Boston College players named to the U.S. U-20 team. Dumoulin is playing in his second international tournament as a member of Team USA — in August of 2008 he played for the U.S. in the Ivan Hlinka Tournament in the Czech Republic and Slovakia — and he is the fourth Mainer to be named to the U.S. junior team, joining Gardiner’s Eric Weinrich in 1985 and 1986, Lewiston’s Kevin Kellett in 1998 and Lisbon’s Greg Moore in 2003 and 2004.

“I think something like this is a tremendous opportunity for kids to realize, this can happen to them,” said Sean Tremblay, a former Biddeford resident and the general manager/head coach of the New Hampshire Junior Monarchs, where Dumoulin spent the 2008-2009 season. “He’s a one-of-a-kind of athlete, but I hope Brian serves as motivation for a lot of the younger players in Maine who aspire to play at a high level.”

The team is truly a national team. Dumoulin is one of 22 players from 12 different states on the roster, including Missouri, Texas and Nevada.

“Until (Tuesday) morning, when we really had the roster finalized, it’s when I realized how diverse this roster was,” General Manager Jim Johannson said. “That’s when I get a little more reflective, saying, ‘How did these guys get here?’ “

Keith Allain, the coach of the U-20 team, explained that Dumoulin’s consistency, his versatility and his size and strength were key components in the decision to name him as one of seven defenseman for the U.S. team.

“He’s a guy we think can play in all situations for us,” Allain, the head coach at Yale, said during a teleconference Wednesday. “In a short tournament like this, it’s hard to get by with guys who are specialists. He’s a guy that played at Boston College, he’s won a national championship, he’s got good size, good mobility and he’s a good all-around defenseman who can contribute.”

Dumoulin’s selection to the national team capped off a process that stretched more than four months. Dumoulin was named to the 42-player National Junior Evaluation Camp roster and took part in a weeklong training camp at the end of July in Lake Placid, N.Y.

Boston College began its season Oct. 9 and Team USA named its 29-player preliminary roster Dec. 7.

Wednesday morning, the call came for Dumoulin. So did the rest of those phone calls.

“It’s a relief but then again, we still have to win a tournament in this upcoming week,” Dumoulin said. “You pat yourself on the back for one day, then you go back to work. Now we have to get better and become the best team we can.”

Staff Writer Rachel Lenzi can be reached at 791-6415 or at:

rlenzi@pressherald.com