The 25-year-old has emerged as a regular in Bruce Arena's back line after biding his time for three years in the USL.
Daniel Steres is the consummate USL success story.
As a supplemental draft choice who failed to stick with a pair of MLS clubs in 2012, Steres saw the third tier as a lifeline, a steppingstone, a launching pad — anything and everything a raw, young player needed.
It also was a reality check. A second-year professional with the Wilmington Hammerheads in 2013, Steres played in the smallest market the USL had to offer. The crammed locker room and lack of an on-site trainer served as daily reminders of where Wilmington stood in the soccer hierarchy.