Dawn Staley Named to 2002 World Championship Team
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Jan. 11, 2002
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Headlined by two-time Olympic gold medalists Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks), Dawn Staley (Charlotte Sting), and Sheryl Swoopes (Houston Comets), USA Basketball announced Thursday that six Olympians were named to represent the United States at the 2002 FIBA World Championship for Women in China, Sept. 14-25, 2002.
The first six members of the eventual 12-member USA World Championship Team were selected by the USA Basketball Women’s Senior National Team Committee and approved by the USA Basketball Executive Committee.
Also named to the 2002 USA Basketball World Championship Team were 2000 Olympic gold medalists Chamique Holdsclaw (Washington Mystics), DeLisha Milton (Los Angeles Sparks), and Natalie Williams (Utah Starzz).
“I’m excited to once again be a part of a USA World Championship team,” Staley said. “There is no other feeling in sports that compares to representing your country in international competition. I’ve been on two Olympic and two World Championship teams, and I will never tire of competing alongside, as well as against, the best players in the world. I’m looking forward to defending our gold medal this summer in China.”
Staley, a 2001 WNBA All-Star for the Charlotte Sting, is the head women’s basketball coach at Temple. The three-time Kodak All-American earned 10 player-of-the-year awards while at Virginia from 1989-92. The Cavaliers’ career scoring leader with 2,135 points, Staley led Virginia to three consecutive Final Four appearances. She also won two gold medals as member of the USA Basketball teams at the 1996 and 2000 Olympic Games.
“I am really excited about the caliber of players and the caliber of people that the Committee has put together thus far,” said 2002 USA Basketball World Championship Team and Houston Comets head coach Van Chancellor. “They are all really great players and have demonstrated their willingness to sacrifice personal goals for the good of the team. We have a great collection of talent in these six players, there is tremendous depth, both offensively and defensively. And again, I think the Committee has done a great job putting together the core of the 2002 USA World Championship Team.”
“The committee felt very strongly that this group of USA Basketball and WNBA veterans would represent the best chance for the United States to defend its gold medal at the World Championship,” said Committee chair and WNBA Vice President of Player Personnel Rene T. Brown. “These players are among the best athletes in the world and have all been part of gold medal winning teams for the U.S., including Dawn Staley and Lisa Leslie, who have played as USA Basketball teammates since 1989. The leadership they will bring to the floor will be invaluable.”
Chancellor will lead the U.S. in its defense of its 1998 World Championship title at the 2002 FIBA World Championship and his assistants will be announced at a later date. The14th FIBA World Championship for Women will feature national teams from 16 nations competing in nine cities in the People’s Republic of China Sept. 14-25. The draw to determine the four preliminary round pools will take place on Jan. 21 in China.
For the complete USA Basketball media release, visit www.usabasketball.com.
2002 USA WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM MEMBERSPlayer Pos. Ht. Pro Team College HometownChamique Holdsclaw F 6-2 Washington Mystics Tennessee '99 Astoria, NYLisa Leslie C 6-5 Los Angeles Sparks USC '94 Inglewood, CADeLisha Milton F 6-1 Los Angeles Sparks Florida '97 Riceboro, GADawn Staley G 5-6 Charlotte Sting Virginia '92 Philadelphia, PASheryl Swoopes G/F 6-0 Houston Comets Texas Tech '93 Brownfield, TXNatalie Williams F 6-2 Utah Starzz UCLA '94 Taylorsville, UT
Head Coach: Van Chancellor, Houston Comets