COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — LSU senior All-American guard Allison Hightower is one of 10 elite players across the nation who have been named to the 2010 USA Basketball Women’s Select Team, USA Basketball today announced.
Additionally, USA Basketball veterans Debbie Ryan of the University of Virginia and Dawn Staley of the University of South Carolina, who played collegiately for Ryan at Virginia, will act as court coaches for the 2010 USA Select Team.
With a gap in the international calendar this summer for college-aged players, USA Basketball will conduct the USA Select Team training camp April 15-18 in Hartford and Storrs, Conn., in order to continue preparing its historically strong pipeline of athletes for future USA National Team events. Comprised of future USA National Team hopefuls, the collegians will scrimmage against the USA National Team.
“This unique experience will give these elite athletes a chance to continue to work on their skills in a USA Basketball setting, where they’ll also get a valuable glimpse into the USA National Team program,” said USA Basketball Executive Director/CEO Jim Tooley.
Hightower will train with former LSU star Seimone Augustus at the camp. Augustus is a member of the USA National Team and was also a key member of the 2008 Beijing Olympic gold medal team. Hightower continues an LSU women’s basketball legacy that has seen LaSondra Barrett, Sylvia Fowles, Erica White, Temeka Johnson and Marie Ferdinand-Harris wear the red, white and blue.
“I had a chance to work with a select team years ago when Tara (VanDerveer) was coaching the Olympic team,” said 2009-12 USA Basketball Women’s National Team head coach Geno Auriemma of the University of Connecticut. “I thought it was a great opportunity for those young kids to get a feel for what USA Basketball is and what it entails to be part of that special group. For those young players to be in that environment, I think it’s a great learning experience for them. It’s a great opportunity for us as coaches to evaluate them, see where they are now and let them know where they need to be down the road. It’s something that I’m glad we’re able to do and I hope we keep doing it in the future. It’s a great group. They’re all distinguished players from great programs with a history of winning. That’s certainly one of the most important things about being with USA Basketball, making sure that we get character kids who know nothing but winning.
Other members of the 2010 USA Select Team include: Kalana Greene (Connecticut / Saint Stephen, S.C.), Kelsey Griffin (Nebraska / Eagle River, Alaska), Jantel Lavender (Ohio State / Cleveland, Ohio), Jacinta Monroe (Florida State / Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.), Nneka Ogwumike (Stanford / Cypress, Texas), Andrea Riley (Oklahoma State / Dallas, Texas), Danielle Robinson (Oklahoma / San Jose, Calif.), Jasmine Thomas (Duke / Fairfax, Va.) and Monica Wright (Virginia / Woodbridge, Va.).
Hightower posted 18.2 points per game as a senior en route to earning State Farm Coaches’ Honorable Mention All-America honors for the second straight season. She was also a finalist for the John R. Wooden Award, the Lowe’s Senior CLASS Award and she was a Lowe’s Senior CLASS Second-Team All-America selection.
2010 USA Basketball Women’s Select Team
NAME POS SCHOOL
Kalana Greene G Connecticut
Kelsey Griffin F Nebraska
Allison Hightower G LSU
Jantel Lavender C Ohio State
Jacinta Monroe F Florida State
Nneka Ogwumike F Stanford
Andrea Riley G Oklahoma State
Danielle Robinson G Oklahoma
Jasmine Thomas G Duke
Monica Wright G Virginia
Court Coach: Debbie Ryan, Virginia
Court Coach: Dawn Staley, South Carolina