COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Including 14 Olympic and/or FIBA World Championship gold medalists, the 33-player 2014-16 USA Basketball Women’s National Team pool, from which the 2014 USA World Championship Team and, if the U.S. qualifies, the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team will be selected, was announced today. The USA National Team pool will be fluid, and athletes may be added at any time by the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee. Four former Huskies and three current UConn basketball players highlight the roster.
Highlighting the returning veterans are three-time Olympic gold medalists Sue Bird (Seattle Storm), Tamika Catchings (Indiana Fever) and Diana Taurasi (Phoenix Mercury); two-time Olympic gold medalists Seimone Augustus (Minnesota Lynx), Sylvia Fowles (Chicago Sky) and Candace Parker (Los Angeles Sparks); 2012 Olympic gold medalists Tina Charles (Connecticut Sun), Angel McCoughtry (Atlanta Dream), Maya Moore (Minnesota Lynx) and Lindsay Whalen (Minnesota Lynx); and Kara Lawson (Connecticut Sun) and Cappie Pondexter (New York Liberty), who were members of the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. Further, Jayne Appel (San Antonio Silver Stars) and Candice Dupree (Phoenix Mercury), members of the 2010 USA World Championship Team that won gold, have been named to the pool.
Also named to the 2013-16 USA National Team roster were: DeWanna Bonner (Phoenix Mercury), Elena Delle Donne (Chicago Sky), Skylar Diggins (Tulsa Shock), Stefanie Dolson (University of Connecticut), Brittney Griner (Phoenix Mercury), Lindsey Harding (Los Angeles Sparks), Briann January (Indiana Fever), Glory Johnson (Tulsa Shock), Jantel Lavender (Los Angeles Sparks), Kayla McBride (University of Notre Dame), Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis (University of Connecticut), Nnemkadi Ogwumike (Los Angeles Sparks), Danielle Robinson (San Antonio Silver Stars), Odyssey Sims (Baylor University), Breanna Stewart (University of Connecticut), Alyssa Thomas (University of Maryland), Courtney Vandersloot (Chicago Sky), Monica Wright (Minnesota Lynx) and Sophia Young (San Antonio Silver Stars).
“I think the game has changed tremendously and we are fortunate that the pool is probably greater than it’s ever been,” said Geno Auriemma, 2013-16 USA National Team and University of Connecticut head coach. “The gap between those that have won gold medals and those that are still playing for the USA Basketball National Team and those that want to be part of it who are younger and have made a name for themselves is narrowing every year. I’m excited that we have so many great players to choose from.
“It’s always difficult when you’re trying to put together a team. It doesn’t always come down to picking the 12 best players, putting them on the team and let’s go. I think there are other factors that go into it, and hopefully the committee and the coaches can come up with a team that is capable of winning gold medals and represents the U.S. in the best possible manner. At the same time, part of the goal needs to include preparing for life after some of these great Olympians who have won multiple gold medals. I wish it was as simple as picking the leading scorers and leading rebounders or just picking the most famous players in the WNBA and let’s go get ‘em! But it’s a lot more complicated than that so it will be very difficult.”
The USA Basketball Women’s National Team over the next three years will compete in the 2014 FIBA World Championship (Sept. 27 – Oct. 5 in Ankara and Istanbul, Turkey), and if the USA qualifies, the 2016 Summer Olympic Games (Aug. 5 – 21 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), as well as additional USA training camps and exhibition games.
Four prior USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year honorees are listed on the roster, highlighted by three-time honoree Taurasi (2006, 2010, 2012), as well as Augustus (2003), Charles (2009) and Stewart (2011, 2013).
The USA National Team pool features 32 athletes who have competed for USA Basketball internationally during some point in their career and 18 members of the 2009-12 USA Basketball Women’s National Team: Appel, Augustus, Bird, Catchings, Charles, Dupree, Fowles, Griner, Harding, Lawson, McCoughtry, Moore, Parker, Pondexter, Taurasi, Vandersloot, Whalen and Young.
The pool includes 10 of the last 12 No. 1 picks in the WNBA Draft: Griner (2013), Ogwumike (2012), Moore (2011), Charles (2010), McCoughtry (2009), Parker (2008), Harding (2007), Augustus (2006), Taurasi (2004) and Bird (2002); 13 All-WNBA selections: Augustus, Bird, Catchings, Charles, Delle Donne, Fowles, McCoughtry, Moore, Parker, Pondexter, Taurasi, Whalen and Young; and 19 WNBA All-Stars: Augustus, Bird, Catchings, Charles, Delle Donne, Dupree, Fowles, Griner, Johnson, McCoughtry, Moore, Ogwumike, Parker, Pondexter, Robinson, Taurasi, Vandersloot, Whalen and Young.
Five of the six collegiate athletes boast impressive international credentials. Dolson, who was injured in 2013 and unable to try out for the USA World University Games Team, won gold medals at the 2010 FIBA Americas U18 Championship and 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship; McBride was on the 2010 U18 squad; Mosqueda-Lewis won gold medals with four teams, including the 2009 USA U16 National, 2010 USA U17 World Championship, 2011 U19 World Championship and 2013 USA World University Games teams; Sims has a pair of gold medals from the 2011 and 2013 USA World University Games teams, earning World University Games co-MVP honors in 2013. While Stewart is the youngest on the roster, she owns the most international experience among the collegians. Stewart captured gold at the 2009 FIBA Americas U16 Championship, 2010 FIBA U17 World Championship, listed on the all-tournament team at the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship after leading the U.S. to gold, earned gold and MVP honors at the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship and most recently was named tournament MVP after earning gold at the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship. Additionally, Stewart was the lone high school athlete on the 2011 USA Pan American Games Team.
Members of the USA Basketball Women’s National Team Player Selection Committee include USA Basketball women’s national team director Carol Callan; WNBA appointees Reneé Brown, WNBA chief of basketball operations and player relations, Dan Hughes, San Antonio Silver Stars head coach and general manager, and Chris Sienko, Connecticut Sun vice president and general manager; and three-time Olympic and two-time FIBA World Championship gold medalist Katie Smith, who played in nearly 200 games for USA Basketball from 1993-2008, and serves as the athlete representative.
Player Quotes
Sue Bird, Seattle Storm
You started with the USA National Team in 2002 just out of college. What did you see from the collegiate players in the mix that made you think they're ready to be in the 2014-16 USA National Team pool?
All of them were extremely talented but also eager to learn. You could sense they really wanted to seize the opportunity of playing with the national team. The other thing I noticed was how poised they all were. It can be intimating at first, but none of them showed that.
Tina Charles, Connecticut Sun
There is a lot of talent coming up through the USA Basketball pipeline, especially the six collegiate athletes who were in Las Vegas, all of whom were named to the pool. As someone who is just four years removed from being named to the USA National Team as a college athlete, what did you see from them in Vegas that would make the committee feel they're ready to be in the USA National Team pool?
Those collegiate athletes showed a lot of heart. They were very attentive to detail as to what coach Auriemma and the rest of the staff expected from them. During play, they competed every possession and were eager to learn. For USA Basketball your role changes and you have to find that one thing that separates you from the rest. They all competed to do just that.
How difficult of a decision will it be for the committee to pare the list down to 12 for the eventual 2014 USA World Championship Team?
It will be extremely difficult. As athletes, it’s our job to make it difficult. Every year a player adds something to their game to make themselves better. It is noticeable every training camp. But the committee always does a great job finding the right pieces to bring home a victory.
Stefanie Dolson, University of Connecticut
What does it mean for you to be among the nation's best players, not just players in your age group, named to the 2014-16 USA National Team?
It means the world to me. For me to be selected out of everyone in the country is something I did not expect a few years back. It’s proved to myself that all the hard work has paid off, and being selected for the next step is just unexplainable. It’s an awesome feeling, and I’m completely honored to be selected among these women.
Do you feel that this has made all the hours you put in with USA Basketball on the court worth it?
Yeah it makes it worth it. All the extra hours all of us put in and traveling with USA Basketball for so many years makes it all worth it. It’s always a cool experience to be a part of USA Basketball, so I’m happy to take this next step.
This is the first step to being named to a USA World Championship or U.S. Olympic team. Is that something you've always wanted to do, or did you just recently start thinking that's a possibility for your future?
This is something that I have always wanted to do. I don’t know that I always thought it would really happen, but after putting in all the hard work here at UConn and doing the same with USA Basketball, I’ve grown and improved so much. It’s really just awesome to be a part of this.
How difficult is it for the committee to have to pare the list to 12 for the 2014 World Championship?
I don't envy the committee at all. The best and worst part about USA Basketball is the amount of talent out there. Just like previous years, I think it'll be extremely difficult for the committee to choose the final 12. Luckily, though, they seem to have it figured out. How many gold medals in a row has it been?
Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx
How difficult of a decision will it be for the committee to pare the list down to 12 for the eventual 2014 USA World Championship Team?
The decision is a tough one for the committee, as a generation of younger players are starting to show some great talent and potential. If I know USA Basketball, the players that make the 12-person roster will demonstrate the best character, competitiveness, talent, unselfishness, and understanding of the game. I'm excited and honored to be in the pool once again.
Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, University of Connecticut
What does it mean for you to be among the nation's best players, not just players in your age group, named to the 2014-16 USA National Team?
It means a lot. It’s an honor to be among the greats of women’s basketball. To be put in a pool to possibly make that team is quite an opportunity.
Do you feel that this has made all the hours you put in with USA Basketball on the court worth it?
Definitely! All the time and effort that all of us have put in over the years with USA Basketball puts you in the best position to be among the names that are chosen for this opportunity.
This is the first step to being named to a USA World Championship or U.S. Olympic team. Is that something you've always wanted to do, or did you just recently start thinking that's a possibility for your future?
Ever since I started playing USA Basketball and getting a feel for the organization and seeing what it’s all about, it’s been a hope of mine to make the National Team. So, now being in the pool and getting closer to that goal is really cool.
Breanna Stewart, University of Connecticut
What does it mean for you to be among the nation's best players, not just players in your age group, named to the 2014-16 USA National Team?
This is obviously a great honor, and I think continuing to have the opportunity to learn from the veteran players will be an unbelievable experience. I’m very excited to see where everything goes.
Do you feel that this has made all the hours you put in with USA Basketball on the court worth it?
I think that anytime you have an opportunity to represent your country playing the sport you love is something that I always want to do. To have played multiple times before leading up to this, this is something I’m really excited about.
This is the first step to being named to a USA World Championship or U.S. Olympic team. Is that something you've always wanted to do, or did you just recently start thinking that's a possibility for your future?
Ever since I watched the Olympics, that’s something I’ve always wanted to do. I think that representing your country through basketball at the highest level is something that I have always wanted to do and is one of my biggest goals.
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Breanna Stewart led the way for the Huskies with a double-double of 18 points and 11 rebounds. Bria Hartley added 17 points while Texas native Moriah Jefferson had 13 points, five assists and four steals.
Nine of the participants were in the organization for all or part of 2013: pitchers 
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Stewart averaged 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 3.5 assists and 4.5 blocks per game in a 2-0 week for the top-ranked Huskies. The Syracuse, N.Y. native also shot 53.8 percent from the field in wins over Houston and Temple. 
Balis brings a highly-respected background to UConn and was named one of three finalists for the FootballScoop Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year Award in 2010.