USA Basketball Set To Host 35 Of The Nation�s Best At The 2008 Women�s U18 National Team Trials In Colorado Springs

June 6, 2008 � Colorado Springs, Colo.

Headlined by USA Basketball Youth Development Festival all-time record holders Heather Buck (Stonington H.S. / Stonington, Conn.), Monique Oliver (Long Beach Poly H.S. / Long Beach, Calif.) and Nikki Speed (Marlborough H.S. / Pasadena, Calif.), 35 of the nation's best 18-and-unders are set to arrive in Colorado Springs, Colo, for the 2008 USA Basketball Women's U18 National Team Trials. The 35 athletes, born on or after Jan. 1, 1990, will compete for one of 12 roster spots on the 2008 USA Basketball Women's U18 National Team June 9-11 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC).

'Many of these athletes played in the Youth Development Festival in 2007, and all of them have a great deal of high-level experience and are tremendously talented,' said Sue Donohoe, chair of the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee. 'The committee's challenge will be to determine the best combination of leadership, talent and skills in order to win a gold medal in Argentina.'

On June 12, the Women's Collegiate Committee is expected to announce the official 12-member roster. Following a three-week break, the team will reassemble to train at the USOTC from July 10-16 and in Washington, D.C., July 17-20 before departing for the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women. Eight teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean will compete in the 2008 zone qualifier that is being held July 23-27 in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

See some of the best action shots from the 2007 Youth Development Festival in our Photo Gallery!!!

Including Buck, Oliver and Speed, 27 of the 2008 trials participants played in the 2007 USA Basketball Women's Youth Development Festival. Also returning from the Festival are: Kelsey Bone (Dulles H.S. / Stafford, Texas); Sarah Boothe (Warren Township H.S. / Gurnee, Ill.); Alyssia Brewer (Sapulpa H.S. / Sapulpa, Okla.); Ashley Corral (Prairie H.S. / Vancouver, Wash.); Skylar Diggins (Washington H.S. / South Bend, Ind.); Jasmine Dixon (Long Beach Poly H.S. / Long Beach, Calif.); Ayana Dunning (Columbus Eastmoor H.S. / Columbus, Ohio); Kelly Faris (Heritage Christian / Plainfield, Ind.); Ashley Gayle (Bishop Gorman H.S. / Las Vegas, Nev.); Briana Gilbreath (Cinco Ranch H.S. / Katy, Texas); Amber Gray (Lakota West H.S. / Cincinnati, Ohio); Emilee Harmon (Pickerington Central H.S. / Pickerington, Ohio); Tayler Hill (South H.S. / Minneapolis, Minn.); Lynetta Kizer (Potomac H.S. / Woodbridge, Va.); Alicia Manning (Etowah H.S. / Woodstock, Ga.); Casey Morris (Piedmont H.S. / Fairfield, Calif.); Nneka Ogwumike (Cy-Fair H.S. / Cypress, Texas); Samantha Prahalis (Commack H.S. / Dix Hills, N.Y.); Tierra Ruffin-Pratt (T.C. Williams H.S. / Alexandria, Va.); Shay Selby (Regina H.S. / Geneva, Ohio); Chay Shegog (Brooke Point H.S. / Stafford, Va.); DeNesha Stallworth (Pinole Valley H.S. / Pinole, Calif.); Shekinna Stricklen (Morrilton H.S. / Morrilton, Ark.); and Taylor Turnbow (Stephenson H.S. / Stone Mountain, Ga.).

Rounding out the trials roster are USA Basketball newcomers: Yvonne Anderson (Columbia Hickman H.S. / Columbia, Mo.); Shenise Johnson (Rush-Henrietta H.S. / Henrietta, N.Y.); Chiney Ogwumike (Cy-Fair H.S. / Cypress, Texas); Cokie Reed (Midway H.S. / Waco, Texas); Shenneika Smith (St. Michael Academy / Brooklyn, N.Y.); April Sykes (East Oktibbeha County H.S. / Crawford, Miss.); Joslyn Tinkle (Big Sky H.S. / Missoula, Mont.); and Markel Walker (Schenley H.S. / Philadelphia, Pa.).

Tabbed as head coach of the 2008 U18 National Team was Northern Illinois University's Carol Owens, who owns two gold medals as a USA Basketball assistant coach, with Joe McKeown of George Washington University and Terri Mitchell of Marquette University serving as the assistant coaches.

Additionally, Seth Goodman of Monroe College (N.Y.) and Kris Huffman of DePauw University (Ind.) will serve as court coaches during trials.