Dominique Brooks Added To 2012 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team Trials Roster

-- USA Women’s U18 Trials To Be Held May 18-21 --

Colorado Springs, Colo. • May 16, 2012

Dominique Brooks (Thornton Fractional South H.S. / Lansing, Ill.) has been added to the 2012 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team Trials roster and will compete along with 25 previously announced athletes for a spot on the 2012 USA Basketball U18 National Team during the May 18-21 USA U18 National Team Trials, held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Additionally, Kaelyn Causwell (Wesleyan School / Johns Creek, Ga.) has withdrawn from the trials to attend her high school graduation.

Previously announced invitees include: Candice Agee (Silverado H.S. / Victorville, Calif.); Lexie Brown (North Gwinnett H.S. / Suwanee, Ga.); Brianna Butler (Nazareth Regional H.S., N.Y. / King of Prussia, Pa.); Saniya Chong (Ossining H.S. / Ossining, N.Y.); Kahleah Copper (Prep Charter School / Philadelphia, Pa.); Rebekah Dahlman (Braham Area H.S. / Braham, Minn.); Briana Day (Millbrook H.S. / Raleigh, N.C.); Bashaara Graves (Clarksville H.S. / Clarksville, Tenn.); Moriah Jefferson (Texas Home Educators Sports Association / Glenn Heights, Texas); Kailee Johnson (Central Catholic H.S. / Portland, Ore.); Michaela Mabrey (Manasquan H.S. / Belmar, N.J.); Breyana Mason (Forest Park H.S. / Woodbridge, Va.); Tess Picknell  (South Medford H.S. / Medford, Ore.); Kelsey Plum (La Jolla Country Day School / Poway, Calif.); Alexis Prince  (Edgewater / Orlando, Fla.); Faith Randolph (Good Counsel H.S. / Derwood, Md.); Tyler Scaife (Hall H.S. / Little Rock, Ark.); Ieshia Small (Dr. Krop H.S. / Tallahassee, Fla.); Imani Stafford (Winward School / Los Angeles, Calif.); Breanna Stewart (Cicero-North H.S. / North Syracuse, N.Y.); Brittney Sykes  (University H.S. / Newark, N.J.); Morgan Tuck  (Bolingbrook H.S./ Bolingbrook, Ill.); Shilpa Tummala  (St. Mary's Catholic H.S. / Phoenix, Ariz.); Halle Washington (Parkway H.S. / Bossier City, La.); and Courtney Williams (North Shore H.S. / Houston, Texas).

Invitations to attend trials were issued by the USA Basketball Junior National Team Committee, and athletes must be U.S. citizens born on or after Jan. 1, 1994, to be eligible for the team.

After arriving in Colorado on May 18, the participants will take the court on May 19 at 8:30 a.m. (all times listed are MDT) and will hold their second session starting at 3:45 p.m. Following two sessions on May 20, at 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., the trials participants will compete in one final session on May 21 at 8:30 a.m. It is anticipated that the team will be announced at 11:00 a.m. on May 21.

The team will regroup at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Fla., for its first training camp from May 28-June 2. The USA squad will then return to the USOTC for its final training camp Aug. 3-12, prior to traveling to Puerto Rico for the competition.

The USA U18 National Team will compete in the 2012 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, held in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Aug. 15-19, in hopes of securing a berth in the 2013 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women, which will be hosted by Lithuania July 18-28, 2013. The FIBA Americas U18 Championship will feature eight national teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean, with the top three finishing teams qualifying for the 2013 FIBA U19 Worlds. Players eligible for this competition must have been born on or after
Jan. 1, 1994.

University of Miami head coach Katie Meier will serve as head coach of the U18 squad, while collegiate head coaches Nikki Caldwell of Louisiana State University and Kelly Graves of Gonzaga University will act as assistant coaches.

High school head coaches Ruby Allen (Greensville County H.S., Va.), Terri Bamford (La Jolla Country Day School, Calif.), Dori Oldaker (Mt. Lebanon H.S., Pa.) and Vanessa Watson (Malcolm X. Shabazz H.S., N.J.) will serve as court coaches during the USA U18 and U17 national team trials. The USA Women’s U17 World Championship Team Trials will take place May 17-20 at the USOTC.

In addition to USA Basketball Junior National Team Committee chair Sue Donohoe, executive director of the Kay Yow Cancer Fund, the selection committee includes NCAA appointees Joanne Boyle (University of Virginia), Coquese Washington (Penn State University) and Connie Yori (University of Nebraska). The athlete representative is current University of Notre Dame associate coach Beth Cunningham (1999 USA Pan American Games Team member).

FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women
Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifying Tournament, the event was held every four years beginning in 1988. FIBA changed its calendar and the tournament is now conducted every other year, followed in the next summer by the FIBA U19 World Championship.

USA women’s teams boast of a remarkable 38-2 overall record in U18/Junior Qualifiers and have won gold in 1988, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010, while capturing silver medals in 1992 and 1996. In fact, the USA has not lost a game at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship since 1996 and is riding a 24-0 winning streak into this year’s competition.

Some of the athletes who have represented the U.S. in this event in the past include: Jayne Appel (2006); Alana Beard (2000); Kelsey Bone (2008); Tamika Catchings (1996); Marissa Coleman (2004); Skylar Diggins (2008); Sonja Henning (1988); Niesa Johnson (1992); Rebecca Lobo (1992); Maya Moore (2006); Chiney Ogwumike (2010); Nneka Ogwumike (2008); Candace Parker (2004); Courtney Paris (2004); Cappie Pondexter (2000); Nicole Powell (2000); Lynn Pride (1996); Diana Taurasi (2000); and Candice Wiggins (2004).

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 U.S. 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 the 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 lists No. 1 in all five of FIBA's world ranking categories, including combined, men’s, women’s, boys and girls.

Connect with USA Basketball online at facebook.com/usabasketball, twitter.com/usabasketball and www.youtube.com/therealusabasketball.