Walz Named Head Coach of U19 World Cup Women's Basketball Team

[Dillon77]

2019 USA Basketball Women's U19 World Cup Coaches Announced

Some excerpts:

- After coaching the 2018 USA Women’s U18 National Team to a gold medal and a berth in the 2019 FIBA U19 World Cup, head coach Jeff Walz (Louisville) and assistant coaches Natasha Adair (Delaware) and Cori Close (UCLA) will return to guide the 2019 USA Basketball Women’s U19 World Cup Team.

- Trials to select the 12-member team will be held May 16-20 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Training camp will follow July 5-19, with the U19 World Cup competition taking place July 20-28 in Bangkok, Thailand.

- Players eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens, born on or after Jan. 1, 2000.

- The USA Junior National Team Committee, in addition to Jen Rizzotti, includes 2008 Olympic gold medalist Kara Lawson as the athletic representative; and collegiate head coaches Karen Aston (Texas), Tonya Cardoza (Temple) and Wes Moore (North Carolina State) as the NCAA representatives.

Will be interesting to see how the tryout process unfurls.

 

[CocoHusky]

This would be good time to update my predictions for who makes the team.
G: Azzi Fudd, Paige Bueckers, Hailey Van Lith, Christyn Williams, Anaya Peoples, Caitlin Clark, Jordan Horston
F: Haley Jones, Rhyne Howard, NaLyssa Smith, Samantha Brunelle, Rickea Jackson, Shakira Austin, Maori Davenport
P: Aliyah Boston, ONO.

 

[Dillon77]

This would be good time to update my predictions for who makes the team.
G: Azzi Fudd, Paige Bueckers, Hailey Van Lith, Christyn Williams, Anaya Peoples, Caitlin Clark, Jordan Horston
F: Haley Jones, Rhyne Howard, NaLyssa Smith, Samantha Brunelle, Rickea Jackson, Shakira Austin, Maori Davenport
P: Aliyah Boston, ONO.

Hmmm.
I know Walz isn't on the committee, but one would think he'll point out that Na'Lyssa Smith was the leading scorer on the 2018 team that he coached, and Karen Aston can (unfortunately for her) speak to Smith's ability, albeit from the wrong bench.

That said, Austin also had a heck of a year. And I'll throw in one other B1G player who is also 19: Naz Hillmon, the forward from Michigan who had a heck of a year and has popped up at USA tryouts before.

Agree with Clark could very well get back on a roster and think People's tough defense and calm approach is endearing to coaches. Should be a really interesting try-out process.

 

[UConnCat]

Samantha Brunelle,.

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