Texas Tech University Athletics
Grant Makes USA Women's World University Games Team
August 01, 2005 | Women's Basketball
Aug. 1, 2005
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - After training with 16 finalists in Colorado Springs since July 28, the final 12-member 2005 USA Women's World University Games Team was announced by USA Basketball Monday morning. Featuring five players boasting of prior USA Basketball playing experience, the U.S. squad, which will compete in the 2005 World University Games in Izmir, Turkey, includes four-time USA Basketball player Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers/Chicago, Ill.), 2003 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year and 2003 World Championship For Young Women gold medalist Seimone Augustus (LSU/Baton Rouge, La.) and 2001 Junior World Championship Team bronze medalist Monique Currie (Duke/Washington, D.C.).
"I have to believe this was if not the most difficult decision than one of the most difficult decisions the committee (USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee) has ever made," said 2005 USA World University Games head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith of Harvard University (Mass.). "The committee struggled and went back and forth and there were endless discussions. You can argue in favor of everyone who was here. Anyone could have been on this team."
Named, in addition to Augustus, Pondexter and Currie, to the 2005 USA Women's World University Games Team were: Jessica Davenport (Ohio State/Columbus, Ohio); Megan Duffy (Notre Dame/Dayton, Ohio); Candice Dupree (Temple/Tampa, Fla.); Sylvia Fowles (LSU/Miami, Fla.); Erin Grant (Texas Tech/Arlington, Texas); Brandie Hoskins (Ohio State/Dayton, Ohio); Liz Shimek (Michigan State/Empire, Mich.); Brooke Smith (Stanford/San Anselmo, Calif.) and Lisa Willis (UCLA/Long Beach, Calif.).
The USA team will remain in Colorado Springs for training through Aug. 4. The team will practice twice daily at 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 5:00-7:00 p.m. (all times listed are local times) at the U.S. Olympic Training Center's Sports Center II and Colorado College's J. Juan Reid Gymnasium. The squad will practice at Sports Center II Aug. 1, 3 and 4 and at J. Juan Reid Gymnasium on Aug. 2. Departing for Turkey on Aug. 5, the team will resume training Aug. 6-9 in Izmir prior to the U.S.'s opening game at the World University Games against the Czech Republic on Aug. 10.
"I have fallen in love with this team sooner than I thought I would," said Delaney-Smith. "On and off the court they are surprising me and amazing me. They've come together, they're unselfish, they're enthusiastic and motivated, they're disciplined. Everything a coach looks for in a team this group of young women are showing this early in the process. I think we're blessed with a lot of depth in all positions. Our challenge is to not rest on our level but take a step forward and be ready for whatever comes our way."
Delaney-Smith, who was previously was an assistant coach on the 2003 USA World Championship For Young Women Team that won the gold medal in Sibenik, Croatia, is being assisted on the sidelines by collegiate head coaches Pokey Chatman of Louisiana State University and Cathy Inglese of Boston College (Mass.).
Five of the 12 USA World University Games Team members boast prior USA Basketball experience, highlighted by Pondexter's four summers. Pondexter teamed with Augustus as a member of the 2003 USA World Championship For Young Women Team that finished 7-1 and captured the gold medal. Augustus started all eight games and averaged a team best 10.6 ppg., and 3.8 rpg., while shooting 59.1 percent from the field. Named the Most Valuable Player of the `03 FIBA World Championship For Young Women, Augustus was later honored by USA Basketball as its 2003 Female Athlete of the Year.
Pondexter returned the following summer and played on the gold medal winning 2002 World Championship For Young Women Qualifying Team and averaged 8.8 ppg., 2.5 rpg. and a team leading 6.5 apg. Currie and Pondexter were teammates on the 2001 Junior World Championship Team that finished 6-1 and won bronze. Pondexter averaged a team third best 11.0 ppg. and 2.6 rpg., while Currie averaged 3.2 ppg. and 2.2 rpg. And, Pondexter also played on the 2000 Junior World Championship Qualifying Team that won the gold medal with a 5-0 record. During the tournament, she posted 6.6 apg. and 2.6 apg.
Fowles and Hoskins are also USA Basketball alums. In the 2002 USA Basketball Women's Youth Development Festival, Hoskins averaged 7.2 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and shot 58.3 percent from the floor as a member of the gold medal winning North Team. A 2003 Festival participant, Fowles posted 18 rebounds and seven points in her only game before succumbing to a back injury. Additionally, Grant Participated in the 2003 USA Women's National Team Trials.
The USA World University Games Team players and coaches were selected by the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice president for Division I women's basketball. The committee is also comprised of NAIA designee Julie Van Beek (head coach, Trevecca Nazarene University, Tenn.); NCAA appointees Donohoe, Sherri Coale (head coach, University of Oklahoma), Jim Foster (head coach, The Ohio State University), Trina Patterson (head coach, University of Albany, N.Y.), and Tara VanDerveer (head coach, Stanford University, Calif.); representing the NJCAA is Mary "Roonie" Scovel (head coach, Gulf Coast Community College, Fla.); Wendy Larry (head coach, Old Dominion University, Va.) was appointed by the WBCA; and Beth Cunningham (1997 World University Games gold medalist and 1999 Pan American Games bronze medalist / Bloomington, Ind.) and Carla McGhee (1996 Olympic gold medalist and 1994 World Championship gold medalist / Peoria, Ill.) are the athlete representatives.
For more information, please log onto www.usabasketball.com
