Tiffany Jackson, two UT signees, invited to USA Basketball National Team Trials
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- A total of 57 top American women's basketball players, including University of Texas 6-3 All-America forward Tiffany Jackson (Dallas, Texas/Duncanville HS) have been invited to the 2005 USA Basketball Women's National Team Trials, as announced Tuesday. The Trials will take place Thursday-Monday, May 19-23, at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Following the four-day Trials, the Collegiate Committee will announce finalists for the 12-member 2005 USA Women's U19 World Championship Team (formerly known as the Junior World Championship Team) and the 12-member USA World University Games Team. Invitations to the Trials were issued by the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice-president for Division I women's basketball. Jackson, a 2005 U.S. Basketball Writers Association and Associated Press All-American, will participate in tryouts for the World University Games Team, due to her age. She will be joined at the Trials by two incoming Longhorn freshmen: 5-10 guard Erika Arriaran (Norco, Calif./Norco HS) and 6-0 Earnesia Williams (Sapulpa, Okla./Sapulpa HS), who both are eligible only for the U-19 Team. Arriaran was tabbed the 2005 Parade Magazine and State Farm/WBCA National Player of the Year; both she and Williams were consensus First Team All-Americans by McDonald's and Nike/WBCA (Women's Basketball Coaches Association). Jackson and Arriaran have prior USA Basketball experience. Jackson starred on the 2002 South Team at the Women's Youth Development Festival in Colorado Springs, averaging 12.4 ppg while setting the Festival record for most tourney rebounds (44, 8.8 rpg). Arriaran has had two years of USA Basketball summer experience. Last August in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico, she helped the Junior World Championship Qualifying Team to a perfect 5-0 mark, which qualified the USA for this summer's FIBA Junior Worlds in Tunisia. Arriaran shot 55 percent from the floor with 7.4 points per game, and was second in assists (21, 4.2 rpg) in the five games. Also last summer, Arriaran starred on the 5-0 West Team at the Youth Development Festival, collecting 13.4 ppg (third best on squad) with a team-high 25 assists (5.0 apg). Of the expected 57 Trials participants, of which 37 boast of prior USA Basketball experience, 33 are only eligible, because of age, for selection to the USA World University Games Team; 13 trials participants who were born on or after Jan. 1, 1986 (19-years-old or younger) and have completed at least one year of college eligibility are eligible for selection to either the USA U19 or the USA World University Games teams; while the remaining 11 invitees who graduate from high school in 2005 and are born on or after Jan. 1, 1986, are eligible for only the USA U19 World Championship Team. Players from or committed to attend 32 colleges/universities are involved in the Trials, and a total of six 2005 All-Americans - including Jackson - further underscore the strength of the USA Team candidates. Duke University head coach Gail Goestenkors has been selected to lead the 2005 USA Basketball Women's U19 World Championship Team, and will be assisted by Hofstra University's (N.Y.) Felisha Legette-Jack and the University of Mississippi's Carol Ross. Formerly known as the Women's Junior World Championship Team, the USA Women's U19 World Championship Team secured its 2005 tournament berth after the 2004 USA team earned a gold medal at the FIBA Americas Women's Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. The U.S. finished a perfect 5-0. Featuring 12 teams, the 2005 FIBA Women's U19 World Championship is scheduled to run July 15-24 in Hammamet and Tunis, Tunisia. Held every four years since 1985, the U.S. won bronze at the last FIBA Women's Junior World Championship in Brno, Czech Republic in 2001, and claimed the gold in 1997 in Brazil . Kathy Delaney-Smith of Harvard University has been named head coach of the 2005 USA Basketball Women's World University Games Team, and Pokey Chatman from LSU and Cathy Inglese of Boston College have been named as assistant coaches. The 2005 World University Games will be held Aug. 11-21 in Imzir, Turkey. A total of 21 teams will compete in the 2005 Women's World University Games. The teams have been divided into four preliminary pools, three pools consisting of five teams and one pool consisting of six teams. The U.S. is in Pool B with China, Czech Republic, Poland, and South Africa. The USA women have enjoyed outstanding success in the World University Games and have earned 12 medals in 13 appearances, including five golds, six silvers and one bronze medal, and have compiled an overall record of 75-15 (.833 winning percentage) since beginning World University Games play in 1973. USA Basketball last sent a squad to the 2001 World University Games, where the U.S. ran off to a 7-1 record and clinched the gold medal in Beijing, China. USA Basketball did not send a team to the last World University Games in 2003. Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a non-profit organization and the national governing body for men's and women's basketball in the United States. As the recognized governing body for basketball in the United States by the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) and the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), USA Basketball is responsible for the selection, training and fielding of USA teams that compete in FIBA sponsored international basketball competitions, as well as for some national competitions. 2005 USA Basketball Women's National Team Trials 2005 FIBA U19 World Championship 2005 World University Games 2005 USA Basketball Women's National Team Trials Schedule 2005 USA Women's National Team Trials Session #2 · 9:00-11:00 a.m. U.S. · Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado Session #3 · 5:30- 7:30 p.m. · U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado Session #4 · 10:00-12:00 p.m. · U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado Session #5 · 5:30- 7:30 p.m. · U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado All Trials sessions will take place at Sports Center II, U.S. Olympic Training Center, Colorado Springs, Colorado 2005 USA U19 World Championship Team Schedule 2005 World University Games Team Schedule NOTE: All times listed are local (Mountain Time)
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