USA – Lawson among elite eight named in new USA squad
COLORADO SPRINGS (2010 FIBA World Championship for Women) - Point guard Kara Lawson has been reward for her outstanding 2008 with Team USA by being named as one of the first eight players in the 2009-12 United States squad. Lawson earned a place in the squad for the Beijing Games and was outstanding coming off the bench for the Americans as they marched ...
COLORADO SPRINGS (2010 FIBA World Championship for Women) - Point guard Kara Lawson has been rewarded for her outstanding 2008 with Team USA by being named as one of the first eight players in the 2009-12 squad.
Lawson earned a place in the squad for the Beijing Games and was terrific coming off the bench for the Americans as they marched to the gold medal without losing a game.
New coach Geno Auriemma also has Olympic champions Seimone Augustus, Sue Bird, Tamika Catchings, Sylvia Fowles, Candace Parker, Cappie Pondexter and Diana Taurasi in his group. Four other players will be named at a later date to complete the 12-strong group for next year’s FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic.
Bird and Taurasi know Auriemma well after playing for him at the University of Connecticut, as does former Rutgers standout Pondexter.
She competed against UConn with Rutgers and was on Auriemma-coached USA U18 and U19 sides several years ago.
“I’m so excited because we battled in college for four years and I played for him for two world championship teams,” Pondexter said.
“It’s something I’m looking forward to, especially now that I’m older. Honestly, I learned so much from him.
“He gave me my first real experience of what playing great basketball is all about. I learned how to work hard under him. I’m definitely thankful and I’m looking forward to doing it again.”
Auriemma is very excited about the eight players he will be working with.
“I just know that if they’re at the same level of commitment and the same passion for winning that these particular eight players has shown in the past,” he said, “I don’t see why the United States’ women’s basketball program can’t continue to be the dominant basketball program in the world. I’m really looking forward to this and I can’t wait to get started.”
The United States qualified directly for the 2010 FIBA World Championship for Women in the Czech Republic by capturing last year’s Olympic gold medal. Therefore, they will not have a team at the FIBA Americas Championship in Brazil, the qualifying event for the other teams in the zone for next year.
FIBA