GWANGJU, South Korea – Representing the United States for the fourth time, Stanford forward Erica McCall has been one of the tournament’s best at the 2015 World University Games in Gwangju, South Korea over the past week.
A United States co-captain, McCall is averaging team highs in both points (15.8) and rebounds (8.5) through four games, as Team USA has defeated its opponents by an average of 26 points and advanced to tomorrow’s semifinal against Japan. The game, which starts at 8 p.m. local time (4 a.m. PT) in Dongkang College Gymnasium, will be carried live on ESPNU.
The rising junior is eighth in the entire event in scoring, sixth in rebounds and fifth in blocks, averaging 1.8 per game. She has made 26 of her 40 attempts from the floor and leads all players in South Korea in field goal percentage (.650).
In the opener against Italy on July 4, McCall poured in 22 points while grabbing a game-high 18 rebounds in an 80-68 victory. She followed that up with 12 points, three rebounds and three blocks in a 90-75 win against China on July 6 and closed out group play with 15 points, eight rebounds and three blocks on July 7 against the Czech Republic, a 92-54 United States triumph.
Team USA knocked off Hungary, 84-43, in the quarterfinals on Thursday behind another balanced 14-point, five-rebound effort from McCall in just 21 minutes.
Last one before I hit the hay. But here's just a snippet of my opening ceremonies experience! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/y8moH0vFBZ
— Bird (@_mediumE) July 3, 2015
In Saturday’s semifinals, the United States will be meeting Japan at the World University Games for the first time since 2001, when Team USA came out on top, 106-66, in Beijing, China.
International success is nothing new for McCall, who has already captured three golds for her country, beginning with the 2011 U16 FIBA Americas Championship. In 2012, McCall and the United States also won the FIBA U17 World Championship and the FIBA 3X3 U18 World Championship.
McCall appeared in all 36 games during her sophomore season at Stanford, making 18 starts. She was second on the team in rebounding (5.4 per game) and seventh in scoring (5.6 per game). A Pac-12 All-Academic honorable mention selection, McCall closed the year with three impressive performances in the NCAA Tournament, averaging 9.7 points and 8.0 rebounds against CSUN, Oklahoma and Notre Dame.