May 9, 2011
STANFORD, Calif. - Stanford women's basketball standouts Nnemkadi and Chiney Ogwumike will be among 35 of the nation's top collegiate players attending USA Basketball's World University Games Team Trials from May 22-25 in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball announced Monday.
Finalists for the USA Basketball World University Games Team, or the entire team itself, will be announced at the end of the trials on May 25. The women's basketball competition at the 2011 World University Games is set to take place from Aug. 14-21 in Shenzhen, China.
The Ogwumike sisters are no strangers to international play, having already represented USA Basketball on multiple occasions. Nnemkadi, fresh off of her second straight State Farm Coaches' All-America Team selection as a junior in 2010-11, has most recently a part of the USA Basketball Select Team that was picked to scrimmage with the USA Basketball Senior National Team ahead of the FIBA World Championships in April 2010. Prior to that, she captured gold medals with U.S. squads at the FIBA U19 World Championship Team in 2009 and with the U18 National Team at the FIBA Americas Championship in 2008.
Chiney, meanwhile, won her first gold medal with USA Basketball as part of the U18 National Team in 2010. The reigning Pac-10 Freshman of the Year helped lead the ssuad to the gold medal at the FIBA Americas Championship in Colorado Springs.
Nnemkadi and Chiney both enjoyed decorated seasons on The Farm in 2010-11. Nnemkadi was named to the State Farm Coaches' All-America Team for the second straight year, as well as earning All-America nods from the Associated Press (Second Team), USBWA and John Wooden Award. She led the Pac-10 in scoring (17.5 ppg) and shooting (58.6 FG pct.) while grabbing 7.6 rebounds a game. She was also named Most Outstanding Player of both the Pac-10 Tournament and the Spokane Regional during the postseason.
Chiney made her presence felt on the national scale as a freshman, averaging 11.7 points and 8.0 rebounds a game while shooting 57.4 percent from the field. She claimed the Pac-10 Freshman of the Year award as well as spots on the All-Pac-10 Team, Pac-10 All-Defensive Team and Pac-10 All-Freshman Team. In the postseason, Chiney was also named to both the Pac-10 All-Tournament and Spokane All-Regional Teams.
The USA Basketball World University Games Team will be coached by Iowa State's Bill Fennelly, with Suzie McConnell-Serio (Duquesne) and Terri Williams-Flourney (Georgetown) serving as assistant coaches.
Nnemkadi and Chiney are two of six Pac-10 representatives among the 35-player trials roster. They will be joined by Arizona's Davellyn Whyte, UCLA's Jasmine Dixon and USC's Jacki Gemelos and Briana Gilbreath.