University of North Carolina Athletics
Shegog, Ruffin-Praff Invited To Women's U19 National Team Trials
May 7, 2009 | Women's Basketball
May 7, 2009
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. --- Headlined by seven players returning from the gold medal winning 2008 USA U18 National Team, USA Basketball announced today that 27 of the nation's top 19-and-under athletes have accepted invitations to attend the 2009 USA Basketball Women's U19 World Championship Team Trials. Included among the 27 invitees are North Carolina freshman forward Chay Shegog and Tar Heel signee Tierra Ruffin-Pratt. Athlete invitations were extended by the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Committee, chaired by NCAA representative Sue Donohoe.
Trials to select finalists for the '09 U19 squad will be held May 14-17 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Training camp will begin on July 8 in Colorado Springs, and the eventual 12-member roster will be announced prior to the team departing for Thailand. Two-time defending FIBA U19 World Championship gold medalists, the USA will look to capture its third straight gold medal at the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship, scheduled for July 23 - Aug. 2 in Bangkok, Thailand.
Kelsey Bone, Sarah Boothe, Skylar Diggins, Kelly Faris, Nneka Ogwumike, Samantha Prahalis and Nikki Speed helped the U.S. qualify for this year's U19 Worlds by claiming the gold medal at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, and will return in an attempt to make this summer's roster.
Also included on the list of trials participants are LaSondra Barrett, Sydney Carter, Layshia Clarendon, Nikki Greene, Keisha Hampton, Tayler Hill, Shenise Johnson, Kierra Mallard, Lindsey Moore, Atonye Nyingifa, C'eira Ricketts, Andrea Smith, Taber Spani, Da'Shena Stevens, Markel Walker, Samarie Walker, Destiny Williams and Shawnice Wilson.
"Given the wealth of talent we have in these 27 young women, selecting this year's USA U19 World Championship Team is not going to be an easy task for the committee," said Donohoe. "We have some amazing players who will be trying out for just 12 roster spots and I expect that each trials session will be very competitive. However, I feel confident that the committee will be able to put together a team that will make the United States proud in its quest for a third consecutive FIBA U19 World Championship gold medal."
"I'm excited to get started with trials next week," said USA and Northern Illinois University head coach Carol Owens. "We have so many great athletes who will be competing hard for a spot on the team. I'm actually happy that I don't have to pick the team because I know it's going to be a tough decision for the committee. This is just the first step in what we need to do in order to defend our gold medal and I'm looking forward to the entire process."
