COLORADO SPRINGS (U18 Women National team) - Northern Illinois University's Carol Owens, who owns two gold medals as a USA Basketball assistant coach, has been tabbed head coach of the 2008 USA Basketball Women's U18 National Team and will be assisted by Joe McKeown of George Washington University and Terri Mitchell of Marquette University, USA Basketball today announced. The coaching staff selections were made by the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe of the NCAA, and approved by USA Basketball's Executive Committee.
"Just having the experience of international basketball and working with the young ladies at this age group is always exciting," Owens said. "My focus is to really educate them on the elite level of USA Basketball and the expectations we have for them. As a staff we need to come together early and lay down the foundation because it's such a young group. It's a critical age, and there will be some great players who go on to join great programs.
"I've known Coach McKeown throughout the years, and I have a fond respect for what he has done at George Washington, his defensive principles and the players that have come out of his program. Terri Mitchell is someone I have seen a lot after being an assistant at Notre Dame, and I have tremendous respect for her as well. They are both great coaches, and they come with a lot of experience. I hope to learn from them both, and I know they are excited."
The trio will coach the nation's elite 18-and-unders (born on or after Jan. 1, 1990) at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship for Women, which will be held July 23-27 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The top four finishing teams in the 2008 zone qualifier will earn berths to compete in the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championship for Women, scheduled for July 23-Aug. 2 in Bangkok, Thailand.
USA Basketball will conduct trials for its 2008 U18 National Team June 9-12 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., where approximately 35 U.S. hopefuls will compete for one of the team's 12 roster spots.
Following trials, the Women's Collegiate Committee is expected to announce the 12-member roster plus alternates, who will train with the team during its July 10-18 training camp in Colorado Springs.
"It's exciting for me to work with USA Basketball again. I was a part of the Olympic trials in 1992, and that was a great personal experience for me," McKeown said. "This is another great opportunity, but it will be very different because you are talking about 18-year-old, or even 17-year-old, athletes.
"I think my strength is my 22 years of experience as a head coach . I'm looking forward to contributing to USA Basketball again, and I plan to work with the girls in a very positive way to help them see the bigger picture and what it represents."
"I know the caliber of coaches that coach for USA Basketball, and it's an incredible honor to have this opportunity," Mitchell said. "When you are around other great coaches and the nation's best players, whether they are 18 or not, you have be on top of your game and have that competitive edge. I know that will make me a better coach. Everyone is different about what motivates them, and I hope I can meet each player where they are at, and then inspire them to reach another level."
USA Basketball
