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May 23, 2005
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Virginia freshman Sharnee Zoll (Marlboro, N.J.) has been named one of 15 finalists for the USA Women’s U19 World Championship team, USA Basketball announced on Monday.
The 15 finalists will now participate in training camp on June 3-7 in San Diego, Calif., before playing in the 2005 International Sports Invitational in San Diego. The USA roster will be reduced to the official 12-woman roster during the training camp. The U.S. team will train again on June 28-July in Colorado Springs, Colo., before playing two exhibition games in Hungary. The FIBA U19 World Championship is slated for July 15-24 in Tunis, Tunisia.
“It was a very competitive Trials, and I think we have a lot of tremendous players who understand the game of basketball, have a great work ethic, and I think we’ll gell together very, very well,” said U19 head coach Gail Goestenkors.
“My coach (Debbie Ryan) and I talked about what I needed to do to make this team,” Zoll said. “She just told me to play my game, but take it up to another level and be a lot more vocal. I think that’s what they were looking for, people to be more vocal and lead the team and that’s my job, so I tried to do that.”
A 5-7 point guard, Zoll was named the team’s Rookie of the Year. The ACC Honorable Mention All-Freshman honoree also earned the Pre-Season Conditioning and Best Player in Practice Awards. Dishing out a freshman record 159 assists (formerly held by All-American Dawn Staley in 1989 with 144 assists), Zoll led the team in assists. She scored a career-high 20 points against No. 12 Minnesota in the NCAA second round. She also participated in the USA Basketball Youth Development Festival team the last two seasons.
“Definitely being a leader and getting the ball to the right people, making people more relaxed, trying not to show my nervousness, making people laugh before the game to loosen them up, because most people play better when they are loose,” Zoll said of what she brings to the team.
For further information contact Craig Miller, Caroline Williams, or Kate Lakin at USA Basketball (719) 590-4800; or visit the USA Basketball website at: www.USABasketball.com.