2012 Women’s National Team Medical Staff Announced By USA Basketball

Colorado Springs, Colo. • July 10, 2012

Team physicians Don Roberts and David Walden, along with athletic trainer Ed Ryan, all of whom bring prior experience with USA Basketball, today were announced as the medical staff for the 2012 USA Basketball Women’s National Team.

The group will handle all medical responsibilities during the 2012 USA National Team’s training camps and exhibition games which will be held in Washington, D.C. (July 14-16), Manchester, England (July 17-19) and Istanbul, Turkey (July 20-25).

“USA Basketball is pleased to have such an experienced and knowledgeable medical staff in Dr. Roberts, Dr. Walden and Ed Ryan,” said USA Basketball Executive Director Jim Tooley. “With their extensive background in the field of sports medicine, we are confident that our athletes will receive the best medical care possible as our team pursues a successful summer.”

Dr. Roberts has been the team physician for the Portland Trail Blazers since 1994 and in 2008 was recognized as Team Physician of the Year by the National Basketball Trainers Association. In addition, he served as team physician for the WNBA Portland Fire while the team was in Portland (2000-2002). He has worked with USA Basketball in the past by providing medical coverage at the annual Nike Hoop Summit in Portland, Ore., and also was the on-site physician for a 2002 USA Basketball Men’s National Team exhibition game in Portland. He also has been a volunteer physician at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., and an on-site physician for Davis Cup Finals, Women’s United Soccer Association (WUSA) All-Star Game and National Hockey League (NHL) exhibitions in Portland.

Dr. Roberts graduated with a degree in Human Biology from Stanford University, where he later received his M.D. from the Stanford University School of Medicine. He did an internship in orthopedic surgery at the University of Washington in Seattle before returning to Stanford where he taught Human Anatomy while pursuing further surgical training. Dr. Roberts completed his residency in orthopedic surgery at the Harvard Combined Orthopedic Program in Boston, Mass., then served as chief resident in orthopedic surgery at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and concluded a fellowship in sports medicine with the team physician for Harvard University. In 1986, he joined Rebound Orthopedics and Neurosurgery in Portland.

Dr. Walden has worked extensively with USA Basketball, serving as team physician for the last four USA Basketball Women’s World Championship Teams (1998, 2002, 2006, 2010), in addition to acting as the team physician for the men’s and women’s teams at the 2000 Olympic Games. Dr. Walden also served as the team physician for the 1997 USA Women’s World Championship Qualifying Team’s pre-competition tour in Germany and Slovakia, the 1999-2000 USA Basketball Women’s National Team during its 2000 Winter European Tour, 2001 USA Women’s Junior World Championship Team in Czech Republic and 2003 USA Women’s U21 World Championship Team in Croatia, among others.

Since arriving in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1991, Dr. Walden has worked as a team physician with the U.S. Olympic Committee, the U.S. Figure Skating Association (USFSA), Colorado Springs Sky Sox AAA baseball team, University of Colorado at Colorado Springs athletic department, the Colorado Springs District 11 high schools and was the head team physician for the 2004 World Winter University Games in Innsbruck, Austria.

Dr. Walden graduated with honors from Northwestern University with a bachelor’s of science in medicine in 1983. He continued his education at the Northwestern Medical School where he was selected as top anatomy student and again graduated with honors. After completing his internship in general surgery, followed by a residency in orthopedic surgery at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Dr. Walden served his fellowship in sports medicine at the American Sports Institute (Ala.).  During his fellowship, Dr. Walden was a member of the Troy State University athletic department medical staff and conducted research in motion analysis of sports and biomechanical analysis of knee reconstructions. He has been an orthopedic surgeon in Colorado Springs since 1991, and currently works with Premier Orthopedics.

Ryan is the athletic trainer for the 2007-2012 USA Basketball Women’s National Team and served in that role for the 2008 U.S. Olympic Women’s Basketball Team. He began his tenure with the U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) Sports Medicine staff in 1985 as the Head Athletic Trainer at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Marquette, Mich., before he accepted the position as Senior Athletic Trainer for the USOTC in Colorado Springs, Colo., in 1990. He was elevated to Manager of Sports Medicine for the USOC in 1991, and then promoted to Director of Sports Medicine in 2000, where he led all aspects of the USOC’s sports medicine department through 2006.

Ryan has served as the medical director and head athletic trainer for numerous national and international events, including the 2004, 1996 and 1992 Summer Olympics; 2006 and 2002 Winter Olympics; 1998 Winter Paralympics; and the 2011, 2003, 1999, 1995 and 1991 Pan American Games. Ryan was assigned to work as the athletic trainer with the 1999-2000 USA Basketball Women’s National Team and 2000 U.S. Olympic Team, and he served as the medical coordinator for the 1995-1996 USA Basketball Women’s National Team, where he oversaw the medical staff assigned to the U.S. team and often traveled with the squad as the athletic trainer.

Ryan has been involved with USA Basketball teams for more than two decades, as the athletic trainer for the 2007 Olympic Qualifying Tournament, 2006 and 1998 Women’s World Championship, 1997 USA Women’s World Championship Qualifying Tournament, 1990 Men’s World Championship, 1989 Men’s World Championship Qualifying Tournament, 1988 Men’s R. William Jones Cup and 1983 Men’s Junior World Championship. Additionally, he has been involved with the medical staff at various USA Basketball trials and training camps. Along with his USOC and USA Basketball duties, Ryan has worked closely with USA Team Handball and U.S. Track & Field at various international competitions.

Ryan graduated from Northeastern University in 1980 with his bachelors of science in physical education, and later completed his masters of science degree in exercise and sport sciences at the University of Arizona in 1985. He currently serves as a healthcare and management consultant to the Ferris Mfg. Corp., the makers of PolyMem and SportsWrap, in addition to his work with USA Basketball.

About USA Basketball

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball is a nonprofit 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.

Since 2008, USA Basketball men’s and women’s teams have compiled a sterling 134-6 win-loss record in FIBA or FIBA Americas competitions. USA teams are the current men’s and women’s champions of the Olympics and FIBA World Championship; FIBA women’s U19 world champions; the men’s and women’s title holders for the FIBA U17 World Championship; and the men’s and women’s U18 and U16 FIBA Americas champions. USA Basketball currently ranks No. 1 in all five of FIBA's world ranking categories, including combined, men's, women's, boys and girls.

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