COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Seimone Augustus, a sophomore on the LSU women’s basketball team, was named to the United States Basketball World Championship For Young Women Team, it was announced by USA Basketball on Monday.
The announcement of the 12-member team came after three days of trials with 58 of the nation’s top collegians held at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
Augustus, a 6-1 guard/forward from Baton Rouge, led LSU to a 30-4 record in 2002-03 with 14.8 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. She was the consensus National Freshman of the Year and was named second-team All-American by Basketball Times and was a third-team Associated Press All-American.
“It is great for Seimone,” LSU head coach Sue Gunter said. “This is one of these opportunities she has worked so hard for and it will help her gain valuable experience and maturity. It will be nothing but a positive experience for Seimone.”
The team will train July 7-24 in Colorado Springs, New York City and Boston before competing in the inaugural FIBA World Championship for Young Women in Sibenik, Croatia, July 25 – Aug. 3.
Augustus’ Lady Tigers teammate Temeka Johnson was selected as one of six alternates for both the Young Women Team and the USA Basketball Pan American Games Team.
Johnson, a 5-3 point guard from New Orleans, averaged 20.0 points and 5.9 rebounds per game last season for the Lady Tigers. She could be called upon to join the team in case of an injury before or during the USA’s training camp.
“Temeka played well during the trials, but there was a lot of competition at her position,” Gunter said. “It is a great honor to be selected as an alternate considering how many players began competing for the spots on the teams.”
Joining Augustus on the 12-member team are Duke’s Alana Beard, Southern Cal’s Ebony Hoffman, UC Santa Barbara’s Kristen Mann, Ohio State’s Caity Matter, Kansas State’s Nicole Ohlde, Arizona’s Shawntinice Polk, Rutgers’ Cappie Pondexter, Georgia’s Christi Thomas, Kansas State’s Kendra Wecker, Minnesota’s Lindsay Whalen and Penn State’s Tanisha Wright.
The team comprised of players 21-years-old of younger is coached by Ohio State head coach Jim Foster.