May 9, 2011

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Kentucky sophomore A’dia Mathies (Louisville, Ky.) is one of 35 top collegiate players that have accepted invitations to attend the 2011 USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team Trials, which will take place May 22-25 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo. Invitations to the trials were issued by the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice president for Division I women’s basketball.

Mathies, a 5-foot-10 All-Southeastern Conference guard, was UK’s second-leading scorer with 12.8 points per game, helping the Wildcats to their second-straight NCAA tournament appearance. The sophomore was named to the league’s All-Defensive team and was an All-SEC second-team selection for the second-consecutive season.

“We truly are looking forward to an incredible group of talent at the World University Games Team Trials,” said Donohoe. “Many of these players have been involved with USA Basketball in the past, and those that are new to the process have experience at some of the country’s best programs. It will be a tough task for the committee to identify the 12-member team, and we look forward to seeing a lot of heart and hard work.”

Accepting invitations to the 2011 USA World University Games Team Trials are: Lasondra Barrett (Louisiana State/Jackson, Miss.); Alex Bentley (Penn State/Indianapolis, Ind.); Kelsey Bone (Texas A&M/Stafford, Texas); Cierra Bravard (Florida State/Sandusky, Ohio); Sydney Carter (Texas A&M/DeSoto, Texas); Brittany Chambers (Kansas State/Jordan, Minn.); Carolyn Davis (Kansas/Houston, Texas); Elena Delle Donne (Delaware/Wilmington, Del.); Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame/South Bend, Ind.); Jasmine Dixon (UCLA/Long Beach, Calif.); Jacki Gemelos (USC/Stockton, Calif.); Briana Gilbreath (USC/Katy, Texas); Keisha Hampton (DePaul/Philadelphia, Pa.); Natasha Howard (Florida State/Toledo, Ohio); Courtney Hurt (VCU/Conyers, Ga.); Shenise Johnson (Miami/Henrietta, N.Y.); Glory Johnson (Tennessee/Knoxville, Tenn.); Lynetta Kizer (Maryland/Woodbridge, Va.); Maggie Lucas (Penn State/Narberth, Pa.); A’dia Mathies (Kentucky/Louisville, Ky.); Lindsey Moore (Nebraska/ Covington, Wash.); Natalie Novosel (Notre Dame/Lexington, Ky.); Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford/Cypress, Texas);  Nnemkadi Ogwumike (Stanford/Cypress, Texas); Devereaux Peters (Notre Dame/Chicago, Ill.); Jaime Printy (Iowa/Marion, Iowa); Monique Reid (Louisville/Louisville, Ky.); Sugar Rodgers (Georgetown/Suffolk, Va.); Kayla Standish (Gonzaga/Ellensburg, Wash.); Shekinna Stricklen (Tennessee/Morrilton, Ark.); April Sykes (Rutgers/Starkville, Miss.); Tyra White (Texas A&M/Kansas City, Mo.); Davellyn Whyte (Arizona/Phoenix, Ariz.); Riquna Williams (Miami/Pahokee, Fla.); and Shawnice Wilson (Miami/Pittsburgh, Pa.).

Iowa State University’s Bill Fennelly has been tabbed head coach of the 2011 USA World University Games Team, while Suzie McConnell-Serio of Duquesne University and Terri Williams-Flournoy of Georgetown University will serve as assistant coaches. The trio will look to defend the USA’s 2009 gold medal at the 2011 World University Games women’s basketball competition August 14-21 in Shenzhen, China.

Additionally, Kenya Larkin-Landers (Trinity Valley Community College, Texas) and Mark Youngs (Davenport University, Mich.) have been selected court coaches and will assist during trials.

Following the selection of the team and/or finalists on May 25, the athletes will return home. Training will resume at the USOTC July 31-Aug. 8, prior to the team’s departure for Shenzhen, China, and the 2011 World University Games.

The World University Games are a multi-sport competition organized every other year by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The U.S. women’s basketball team will be comprised of U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled in college and have remaining eligibility.

 In all, included on this year’s trials roster are eight athletes who have international experience as a member of a USA Basketball team in a FIBA or FIBA Americas competition; an additional three who participated in the 2007 Youth Development Festival; and six players who previously attended a USA Basketball team trials.

Approximately a year ago, Nneka Ogwumike was a member of the 2010 USA Women’s Select Team that trained April 15-18 and played an exhibition game against USA Women’s National Team members on April 18 at the XL Center in Hartford Connecticut.

In the summer of 2010, Chiney Ogwumike helped the USA to a gold medal and 5-0 record at the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, which was played at the USOTC.

In 2009, Barrett, Bone, Diggins, Shenise Johnson and Nneka Ogwumike traveled to Thailand to help the USA capture the gold medal in the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship.

The USA earned its 2009 U19 World Championship berth with a gold medal finish at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, which was played in Argentina. Included on the 2008 USA U18 National Team were Bone, Diggins, Kizer, Nneka Ogwumike and Stricklen.

In the last Youth Development Festival organized by USA Basketball in 2007, Bone, Diggins, Gilbreath and Kizer led the USA White Team to a 3-0 record and gold-medal finish; Nneka Ogwumike and Stricklen finished 2-1 and in possession of the silver medal with the USA Red Team; and Dixon and Glory Johnson earned bronze with a 1-2 record.

Finally, Carter, Delle Donne, Hampton, Moore, Sykes and Wilson have all participated in at least one USA Basketball national team trials.

Listed on the 2011 USA World University Games Team Trials roster are four athletes who recently completed their first year at a college or university, 12 players who will be college juniors next fall, 17 who are rising college seniors and two players – Deveraeux Peters and Glory Johnson – who will graduate in 2011 with one year of eligibility remaining.

USA Basketball women’s teams have participated in 15 prior World University Games and collected a record seven gold medals, six silvers and one bronze medal. Since 1973, the first year the USA women competed in the WUGs, the United States has compiled an 89-15 overall record. In 2009, led by 2010 FIBA World Champion Tina Charles, the USA posted a 7-0 slate en route to the gold medal.

Notable among the list impressive list of WUG alumni are Olympians Seimone Augustus, Carol Blazejowski, Ruthie Bolton, Sylvia Fowles, Pat Head (Summitt), Lisa Leslie, Katrina McClain, McConnell (Serio), Ann Meyers (Drysdale), DeLisha Milton-Jones, Cappie Pondexter, Ruth Riley, Katie Smith, Katy Steding, Tina Thompson, Kara Wolters and Lynette Woodward.

In addition to Donohoe, the committee includes NCAA appointees Joanne Boyle (University of Virginia), Coquese Washington (Penn State University) and Connie Yori (University of Nebraska), as well as athlete representative Beth Cunningham (Virginia Commonwealth University, 1999 USA Pan American Games Team member).

2011 USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team Trials Roster

Lasondra Barrett                F          6-2        161       03/16/90       2012     Louisiana State                     Jackson, MS        

Alex Bentley                    G         5-7        152       10/27/90       2013     Penn State                            Indianapolis, IN

Kelsey Bone                     C         6-5        220       12/31/91       2014     Texas A&M                         Stafford, TX

Cierra Bravard                   F          6-4        220       09/14/89       2012     Florida State                       Sandusky, OH

Sydney Carter                   G         5-6        135       11/18/90       2012     Texas A&M                         DeSoto, TX          

Brittany Chambers             G         5-8        155       04/03/91       2013     Kansas State                        Jordan, MN

Carolyn Davis                   F          6-3        180       04/27/91       2013     Kansas                               Houston, TX

Elena Delle Donne             G/F     6-5        195       09/05/89       2013*     Delaware                             Wilmington, DE

Skylar Diggins                  G         5-10      145       08/02/90       2013     Notre Dame                          South Bend, IN   

Jasmine Dixon                  F          6-0        186       04/19/90       2013*    UCLA                                Long Beach, CA

Jacki Gemelos                   G         6-0        165       11/22/88       2012*   USC                                   Stockton, CA

Briana Gilbreath                G         6-1        150       08/16/90       2012     USC                                   Katy, TX

Keisha Hampton                F          6-2        170       02/22/90       2012    DePaul                                St. Louis, MO

Natasha Howard                 F          6-3        165       09/29/91       2014    Florida State                        Toledo, OH

Courtney Hurt                   F          6-1        —         03/05/90       2012    VCU                                   Conyers, GA

Shenise Johnson                F          5-11      164       12/08/90       2012     Miami                                Henrietta, NY      

Glory Johnson                   F          6-3        170       07/27/90       2011    Tennessee                            Knoxville, TN

Lynetta Kizer                     C         6-4        215       04/04/90       2012     Maryland                            Woodbridge, VA

Maggie Lucas                    G         5-9        153       11/29/91       2014     Penn State                          Narberth, PA

A’dia Mathies
                    G         5-9        155       03/01/91       2013     Kentucky                            Louisville, KY

Lindsey Moore                  G         5-10      145       06/03/91       2013     Nebraska                             Covington, WA   

Natalie Novosel                 G         5-11      165       11/22/89       2012     Notre Dame                         Lexington, KY

Chiney Ogwumike             F          6-3        174       03/21/92       2014     Stanford                             Cypress, TX         

Nneka Ogwumike              F          6-2        188       07/02/90       2012     Stanford                             Cypress, TX         

Devereaux Peters               F          6-2        164       10/08/89       2011#    Notre Dame                        Chicago, IL

Jaime Printy                     G         5-11      152       08/15/90       2013      Iowa                                  Marion, IA

Monique Reid                   F          6-1        177       03/26/90       2012     Louisville                          Louisville, KY

Sugar Rodgers                   G         5-11      158       12/08/89       2013     Georgetown                        Suffolk, VA

Kayla Standish                  F          6-2        180       11/19/89       2012     Gonzaga                            Ellensburg, WA

Shekinna Stricklen             G/F     6-2        172       07/30/90        2012      Tennessee                          Morrilton, AR

April Sykes                      G/F     6-1        187       07/30/90        2012       Rutgers                            Pasadena, CA

Tyra White                       G         6-0        160       03/23/89       2012      Texas A&M                      Kansas City, MO

Davellyn Whyte                G         5-5        158       05/14/91       2013      Arizona                             Phoenix, Ariz.

Riquna Williams               G         5-7        158       05/28/90       2012      Miami                              Pahokee, FL

Shawnice Wilson               C         6-6        235       08/08/90       2013*    Miami                              Pittsburgh, PA

Head Coach: Bill Fennelly, Iowa State University

Assistant Coach: Suzie McConnell-Serio, Duquesne University

Assistant Coach: Terri Williams-Flournoy, Georgetown University

Court Coach: Kenya Larkin-Landers, Trinity Valley Community College

Court Coach: Mark Youngs, Davenport University