Bria Hartley and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis To Go To University World Game Trials
University of Connecticut women’s basketball standouts Bria Hartley and Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis are among the 31 athletes who have accepted invitations to participate in the 2013 USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team trials as announced by USA Basketball on Wednesday afternoon. Trials will take place May 16-19 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo., and the USA Basketball Junior National Team Committee issued the invitations.
The two Huskies enter the team trials with a wealth of experience with USA Basketball as Mosqueda-Lewis has earned three gold medals on USA Basketball teams, while Hartley owns two. Most recently, Hartley (11.1 ppg., 3.1 rpg. and 3.2 apg.) and Mosqueda-Lewis (7.9 ppg., 4.9 rpg. and 2.2 apg.) helped the USA earn a gold medal and an 8-1 record at the 2011 FIBA U19 World Championship
“We’re fortunate that the World University Games age group allows for the development of our college-aged players and gives them an opportunity outside of the Olympics to gain international experience at the highest level,” said committee chair Jim Foster, who has been a member of nine different USA Basketball coaching staffs. “We feel that this is a good mix of players to build a team that will represent USA Basketball well in Russia.”
The 2013 World University Games (WUGs) women’s basketball competition will be held July 8-15 in Kazan, Russia. Organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU) and held every other year, the WUGs is a multi-sport competition open to men and women who are between the ages of 17 and 24 (born 01/01/89 through 12/31/95). The USA Basketball women’s team will be comprised of U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled in college and have remaining eligibility.
Current collegiate athletes invited to participate in the 2013 USA U19 World Championship Team trials are eligible and may be considered for the 2013 USA World University Games Team. Trials for both teams will take place in staggered sessions May 16-19.
The WUGs trials begin on May 16 with the first session at 6:30-8:15 p.m., followed by trials sessions on May 17 and 18 at 10 a.m.-12 p.m. and 5:30-7:30 p.m.
The 12-member roster is expected to be announced the morning of May 19, and all athletes will depart for home. The team will regroup for training June 25-July 1 at the USOTC prior to traveling to Russia.
The USA has been placed in Group B for the 2013 WUGs and will open at 12:30 p.m. (EDT) on July 8 against Belarus, followed by Czech Republic at 12:30 p.m. (EDT) on July 9 and its final preliminary-round opponent, Brazil, at 4:30 a.m. (EDT) on July 10. Following the preliminary round, the first and second placed teams in each of the four pools will advance to the medal quarterfinals to compete for 1st-8th places, while the remaining teams will compete for 9th-24th places. The quarterfinals will be played on July 12, with the semifinals on July 13 and the gold medal game on July 15.
In addition to Foster the 2013-16 USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee includes NCAA appointees Melanie Balcomb (head coach, Vanderbilt University), Lindsay Gottlieb (head coach, University of California) and Joi Williams (head coach, UCF), as well as athlete representative Kara Lawson, a 2008 Olympic gold medalist who has played on nine USA Basketball teams.
World University Games
USA Basketball women’s teams have participated in 16 prior World University Games and have collected a record eight gold medals, six silvers and one bronze medal.
Since 1973, the first year the USA women competed in the WUGs, the United States has compiled a
95-15 record. In 2011 the USA, led by 2012 NCAA National Player of the Year nominees Elena Delle Donne, Skylar Diggins and Nneka Ogwumike and Baylor’s Sims, posted a 6-0 slate en route to the gold medal.
Also among the list of WUG alumni are 2012 Olympic gold medalists Seimone Augustus (2005), Tina Charles (2009), Sylvia Fowles (2005) and Maya Moore (2009); as well as Olympians Carol Blazejowski (1977, 1979), Ruthie Bolton (1991), Anne Donovan (1981), Pat Head Summitt (1973), Lisa Leslie (1991), Katrina McClain (1985), Suzie McConnell-Serio (1991), Ann Meyers Drysdale (1977), DeLisha Milton-Jones (1997), Cappie Pondexter (2005), Ruth Riley (1999), Katie Smith (1995), Dawn Staley (1991), Katy Steding (1991), Tina Thompson (1995), Kara Wolters (1995, 1997) and Lynette Woodward (1979).
2013 USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team Trials Schedule
Thursday, May 16
6:30-8:15 p.m. Trials Session 1
Friday, May 17
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Trials Session 2
5:30-7:30 p.m. Trials Session 3
Saturday, May 18
10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. Trials Session 4
5:30-7:30 p.m. Trials Session 5
Sunday, May 19
8:30 a.m. Announcement of Team
Times listed are local, Mountain Daylight Time.
Reprinted with permission from UConnHuskies.com
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