[WORLD CUP 2014 QUALIFYING] A pair of collegians will be missing Labor Day weekend action to represent their countries in World Cup 2014 qualifying. Hartford's Jorge Rodriguez is with Puerto Rico, and Florida Tech's Francisco Ubiera is representing the Dominican Republic.

Following two days of training, Rodriguez, a three-year starter at Hartford, and his Puerto Rican teammates will face St. Kitts & Nevis on Friday before taking on Canada on Tuesday.

“The Hartford family is very excited for Jorge,” said Hawks coach Tom Poitras. “This is a great opportunity for him to represent his heritage and the University of Hartford on an international stage.”

Rodriguez is a native of East Hartford, Conn.

Ubiera will represent the Dominican Republic in qualifying matches in El Salvador Friday and against Suriname Tuesday in Santo Domingo.

“It’s a great honor to represent your country through the sport you love,” Tech head coach Robin Chan said. “We are very happy and proud about his call up. It’s a reflection of the hard work he has put in at Florida Tech. We wish him the best.”

Earlier this summer, Ubiera played in a World Cup first-round qualifying match against Anguilla. He started the contest and contributed to a 4-0 win.

Ubiera’s call up means that he will miss the Panthers’ first two games of the season.