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Currie Named To 2005 USA Women's World University Games Team
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-- After training with 16 finalists in Colorado Springs since July 28, the final 12-member 2005 USA Women’s World University Games Team was announced by USA Basketball Monday morning. Featuring five players boasting of prior USA Basketball playing experience, the U.S. squad, which will compete in the 2005 World University Games in Izmir, Turkey, includes four-time USA Basketball player Cappie Pondexter (Rutgers/Chicago, Ill.), 2003 USA Basketball Female Athlete of the Year and 2003 World Championship For Young Women gold medalist Seimone Augustus (LSU/Baton Rouge, La.) and 2001 Junior World Championship Team bronze medalist Monique Currie (Duke/Washington, D.C.).
“I have to believe this was if not the most difficult decision than one of the most difficult decisions the committee (USA Basketball Women’s Collegiate Committee) has ever made,” said 2005 USA World University Games head coach Kathy Delaney-Smith of Harvard University (Mass.). “The committee struggled and went back and forth and there were endless discussions. You can argue in favor of everyone who was here. Anyone could have been on this team.”
Named, in addition to Augustus, Pondexter and Currie, to the 2005 USA Women’s World University Games Team were: Jessica Davenport (Ohio State/Columbus, Ohio); Megan Duffy (Notre Dame/Dayton, Ohio); Candice Dupree (Temple/Tampa, Fla.); Sylvia Fowles (LSU/Miami, Fla.); Erin Grant (Texas Tech/Arlington, Texas); Brandie Hoskins (Ohio State/Dayton, Ohio); Liz Shimek (Michigan State/Empire, Mich.); Brooke Smith (Stanford/San Anselmo, Calif.) and Lisa Willis (UCLA/Long Beach, Calif.).
The USA team will remain in Colorado Springs for training through Aug. 4. The team will practice twice daily at 9:00-11:00 a.m. and 5:00-7:00 p.m. (all times listed are local times) at the U.S. Olympic Training Center’s Sports Center II and Colorado College’s J. Juan Reid Gymnasium. The squad will practice at Sports Center II Aug. 1, 3 and 4 and at J. Juan Reid Gymnasium on Aug. 2. Departing for Turkey on Aug. 5, the team will resume training Aug. 6-9 in Izmir prior to the U.S.’s opening game at the World University Games against the Czech Republic on Aug. 10.
“I have fallen in love with this team sooner than I thought I would,” said Delaney-Smith. “On and off the court they are surprising me and amazing me. They’ve come together, they’re unselfish, they’re enthusiastic and motivated, they’re disciplined. Everything a coach looks for in a team this group of young women are showing this early in the process. I think we’re blessed with a lot of depth in all positions. Our challenge is to not rest on our level but take a step forward and be ready for whatever comes our way.”
Delaney-Smith, who was previously was an assistant coach on the 2003 USA World Championship For Young Women Team that won the gold medal in Sibenik, Croatia, is being assisted on the sidelines by collegiate head coaches Pokey Chatman of Louisiana State University and Cathy Inglese of Boston College (Mass.).
Currie, who enters her final year at Duke in 2005-06, led the seventh-ranked Blue Devils to a 31-5 overall record in a year where Duke lost three starters and other key bench personnel. Currie, the 2005 ACC Player of the Year, has averaged 17.5 points, 7.1 rebounds, 3.4 assists, 2.1 steals and hit 31.7 percent from three-point land. Currie was the only player in the ACC to rank in the top-15 in scoring, rebounding, assists and steals.
On the season, Currie scored 20 or more points 13 times, scored double-figures in 35 of 36 games and collected eight double-doubles. In the ACC stats, she ranked fourth in scoring (17.5), ninth in rebounding (7.1), 13th in assists (3.4), ninth in free throw percentage (78.1), eighth in steals (2.14), 14th in assist/turnover ratio (1.13) and fourth in defensive rebounds (4.83). Currie was a clutch performer for the Blue Devils on the season hitting the game-winning shots against Tennessee, N.C. State and Maryland.
Currie received numerous accolades this past season as she was named an Kodak All-America, Associated Press first team All-America, USBWA All-America, finalist for the Naismith Trophy, John R. Wooden Award and the State Farm Wade Trophy. Over her three-year career, Currie has scored 1,549 points, grabbed 671 rebounds, 314 assists, 180 steals and blocked 66 shots. She has become only the second Duke player besides Alana Beard to register over 1,500 points, 650 rebounds and 300 assists. Currie is on pace to become the third Duke player to reach the 2,000-point mark in a career-- Beard (2,687) and Chris Moreland (2,232).
Currie’s Blue Devil teammate Alison Bales was one of 15 finalists for the 2005 squad but did not make the final cut.
Five of the 12 USA World University Games Team members boast prior USA Basketball experience, highlighted by Pondexter’s four summers. Pondexter teamed with Augustus as a member of the 2003 USA World Championship For Young Women Team that finished 7-1 and captured the gold medal. Augustus started all eight games and averaged a team best 10.6 ppg., and 3.8 rpg., while shooting 59.1 percent from the field. Named the Most Valuable Player of the ?03 FIBA World Championship For Young Women, Augustus was later honored by USA Basketball as its 2003 Female Athlete of the Year.
Pondexter returned the following summer and played on the gold medal winning 2002 World Championship For Young Women Qualifying Team and averaged 8.8 ppg., 2.5 rpg. and a team leading 6.5 apg. Currie and Pondexter were teammates on the 2001 Junior World Championship Team that finished 6-1 and won bronze. Pondexter averaged a team third best 11.0 ppg. and 2.6 rpg., while Currie averaged 3.2 ppg. and 2.2 rpg. And, Pondexter also played on the 2000 Junior World Championship Qualifying Team that won the gold medal with a 5-0 record. During the tournament, she posted 6.6 apg. and 2.6 apg.
Fowles and Hoskins are also USA Basketball alums. In the 2002 USA Basketball Women’s Youth Development Festival, Hoskins averaged 7.2 ppg., 3.0 rpg. and shot 58.3 percent from the floor as a member of the gold medal winning North Team. A 2003 Festival participant, Fowles posted 18 rebounds and seven points in her only game before succumbing to a back injury. Additionally, Grant Participated in the 2003 USA Women’s National Team Trials.
The 2005 USA World University Games Team members earned a number of honors in 2005. Augustus received the Associated Press (A.P.), United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA) and Naismith National Player of the Year awards. She also earned the State Farm Wade Trophy and the Wooden Award.
Earning A.P. All-America first team honors with Augustus were Currie and Davenport and Duffy, Dupree, Fowles, Pondexter and Shimek were honorable mention honorees. Augustus, Currie and Davenport also were members of the USBWA and Kodak/WBCA All-America teams.
Four USA Team members also collected impressive conference honors in 2005. The Southeastern Conference honored Augustus as its Player of the Year, Currie earned Atlantic Coast Conference Player of the Year honors, Davenport was the Big Ten Conference Player of the Year and Dupree was the Atlantic 10 Conference Player of the Year.
The USA World University Games Team players and coaches were selected by the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice‑president for Division I women's basketball. The committee is also comprised of NAIA designee Julie Van Beek (head coach, Trevecca Nazarene University, Tenn.); NCAA appointees Donohoe, Sherri Coale (head coach, University of Oklahoma), Jim Foster (head coach, The Ohio State University), Trina Patterson (head coach, University of Albany, N.Y.), and Tara VanDerveer (head coach, Stanford University, Calif.); representing the NJCAA is Mary “Roonie” Scovel (head coach, Gulf Coast Community College, Fla.); Wendy Larry (head coach, Old Dominion University, Va.) was appointed by the WBCA; and Beth Cunningham (1997 World University Games gold medalist and 1999 Pan American Games bronze medalist / Bloomington, Ind.) and Carla McGhee (1996 Olympic gold medalist and 1994 World Championship gold medalist / Peoria, Ill.) are the athlete representatives.
2005 World University Games
The World University Games, held every two years and organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), is a multi‑sport competition open to men and women between the ages of 17 and 28 (born between January 1, 1977 and December 31, 1987), who are, or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university. The 2005 World University Games will be held Aug. 10‑21 in Imzir, Turkey. A total of 21 teams will compete in the 2005 Women’s World University Games. The teams have been divided into four preliminary pools, three pools consisting of five teams and one pool consisting of six teams. The U.S. is in Pool B with China, Czech Republic, Poland and South Africa.
After opening World University Game competition on Aug. 10 against the Czech Republic, the USA will face South Africa on Aug. 11, China on Aug. 12, and will wrap up preliminary round play against Poland on Aug. 15. The
World University Games quarterfinals will be held Aug. 16, with semifinal games taking place Aug. 17, and finals on Aug. 19.
The USA women have enjoyed outstanding success in the World University Games and have earned 12 medals in 13 appearances, including five golds, six silvers and one bronze medal, and have compiled an overall record of 75-15 (.833 winning percentage) since beginning World University Games play in 1973. USA Basketball last sent a squad to the 2001 World University Games, where the U.S. ran off to a 7-1 record and clinched the gold medal in Beijing, China. USA Basketball did not send a team to the last World University Games in 2003.
Of the 71 all‑time U.S. women’s Olympic basketball team members, 37 have been members of USA Basketball Women’s World University Teams. Most notable among the list of WUG alumni are Carol Blazejowski, Ruthie Bolton, Anne Donovan, Pat Head (Summitt), Lisa Leslie, Katrina McClain, Suzie McConnell (Serio), Ann Meyers (Drysdale), DeLisha Milton, Ruth Riley, Katie Smith, Dawn Staley, Katy Steding, Tina Thompson, Kara Wolters and Lynette Woodward.
2005 USA Women’s World University Games Team
NAME POS HGT WGT DOB YOG COLLEGE / HOMETOWN
Seimone Augustus G 6‑1 170 04/30/84 2006 LSU / Baton Rouge, LA
Monique Currie G/F 6‑0 170 02/25/83 2005 Duke / Washington, DC
Jessica Davenport C 6‑5 191 06/24/85 2007 Ohio State / Columbus, OH
Megan Duffy G 5‑7 135 07/13/84 2006 Notre Dame / Dayton, OH
Candice Dupree C 6‑3 165 08/16/84 2006 Temple / Tampa, FL
Sylvia Fowles C 6‑5 200 10/06/85 2008 LSU / Miami, FL
Erin Grant G 5‑8 125 06/13/84 2006 Texas Tech / Arlington, TX
Brandie Hoskins G 5‑9 174 05/11/85 2007 Ohio State / Dayton, OH
Cappie Pondexter G 5‑9 160 01/07/83 2006 Rutgers / Chicago, IL
Liz Shimek F 6‑1 210 05/25/84 2006 Michigan State / Empire, MI
Brooke Smith C 6‑3 190 04/30/84 2006 Stanford / San Anselmo, CA
Lisa Willis G 5‑11 170 06/13/84 2006 UCLA / Long Beach, CA
Head Coach: Kathy Delaney-Smith, Harvard University (Mass.)
Assistant Coach: Pokey Chatman, Louisiana State University
Assistant Coach: Cathy Inglese, Boston College (Mass.)
Team Physician: Gloria Beim, Crested Butte, Colo.
Athletic Trainer: Jen Jacobs, Eastern Rehabilitation Network (Conn.)
