Becomes third Middle Tennessee player invited to a U.S. national team training event and first since 1983
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - Middle Tennessee's Amber Holt is one of 45 athletes invited to the 2007 USA Basketball Women's National Team Trials held May 17-20 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Holt becomes is just the third Middle Tennessee player to be invited to a U.S. national team training event and the first since Jennifer McFall and Cyndi Lindley-Allen participated in the U.S. team trials for the 1983 Pan American Games.
The USA Basketball Women's National Team Trial invitations were issued by the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, the NCAA's vice president of Division I women's basketball. The Committee is expected to announce finalists for the 2007 USA U21 World Championship Team and the 2007 USA Pan American Games Team on May 20.
The U21 National Team will participate in the 2007 FIBA U21 World Championships, June 29-July 8, in Moscow, Russia, and the Pan Am Team will participate in the 2007 Pan American Games, July 20-24, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
USA Basketball recently decided to attend the Pan Am Games with a collegiate team. Athletes with collegiate eligibility remaining are eligible for the Pan Am Games, as there is no age restriction. Because of Holt's age, she is only eligible for the Pan Am Games Team. The head coach of this year's Pan Am Team is Temple head coach Dawn Staley, WNBA player and former Olympian. Assisting Staley will be collegiate head coaches Kathy Delaney-Smith of Harvard University and Bill Gibbons of College of the Holy Cross. The USA Pan Am finalists named following the USA Trials will reconvene on July 6 in Washington D.C., and the eventual 12-member squad will be named prior to the team departing for Brazil on July 16.
Trials will feature an opening session on May 17, beginning at 6:30 p.m. (all times MDT); followed by two-a-days May 18-19, with morning sessions tipping off at 10 a.m. and evening sessions at 5:30 p.m.; and an 8:30 a.m. session on May 20. USA Basketball is expected to announce finalists for each team following the morning session on May 20.
The USA Basketball women's Collegiate Committee is responsible for all trials and team selections. The Committee will select finalists to return for training camp from which the 12-member team will be selected. Athletes competing in the trials will be evaluated by the women's Collegiate Committee based on playing ability, versatility, previous USA Basketball experience and success, coachability, size, position, current playing status and success, availability, attitude and future potential. The trials will feature drills, position work and scrimmages. At the Committee's discretion, athletes may be cut following a minimum of two scrimmage opportunities.
2007 USA Women's U21 National Team & Pan American Games Team Trials Roster
Jessica Adair, George Washington
Demetress Adams, South Carolina
Matee Ajavon, Rutgers
Charel Allen, Notre Dame
Alex Anderson, Chattanooga
Jolene Anderson, Wisconsin
DeWanna Bonner, Auburn
Essence Carson, Rutgers
Marissa Coleman, Maryland
Tanae Davis-Cain, Florida State
Krystal Ellis, Marquette
Emily Fox, Minnesota
Mercedes Fox-Griffin, Oregon State
*A'Quonesia Franklin, Texas A&M
Megan Frazee, Liberty
Laura Harper, Maryland
*Amber Holt, Middle Tennessee
*Alexis Hornbuckle, Tennessee
Charde Houston, Connecticut
Ashley Houts, Georgia
*Tasha Humphrey
#Briann January, Arizona State
T.J. Jordan, Old Dominion
Crystal Kelly, Western Kentucky
Crystal Langhorne, Maryland
Erlana Larkins, North Carolina
Rashanda McCants, North Carolina
Angel mcCoughtry, Louisville
Nicole Michael, Syracuse
Britany Miller, Florida State
Marscilla Packer, Ohio State
Ashley Paris, Oklahoma
#Courtney Paris, Oklahoma
Allie Quigley, DePaul
Angel Robinson, Georgia
Dominic Seals, South Plains College
Takia Starks, Texas A&M
*Mel Thomas, Connecticut
#Kirsten Thompson, Arizona State
Kia Vaughn, Rutgers
Ashley Walker, California
#Abby Waner, Duke
Candice Wiggins, Stanford
Earnesia Williams, Texas
Lindsay Wisdom-Hylton, Purdue
* - Eligible for the USA Pan American Games Team only.
# - Will not attend trials, waiver considered by the USA Women's Collegiate Committee.
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