Maryland Alum Vicky Bullett Among Six Alternates For 2000 Olympic Team
8/14/2000 8:00:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Aug. 14, 2000
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - - Headlined by past Olympic champions Vicky Bullett (Washington Mystics/Martinsburg, WVa.), Jennifer Azzi (Utah Starzz /Oak Ridge, Tenn.), and Katrina McClain (Charleston, S.C.) who have combined to appear in six Olympics, six women have been named alternates to the 2000 U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team by the USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team Committee. The alternates are scheduled to train with the 1999-2000 USA Basketball Women's National Team during its Aug. 14-19 training camp in Colorado Springs, Colo.
In addition to two-time Olympian and University of Maryland star from 1986 to '89 Bullett, 1996 Olympian Azzi and three-time Olympian McClain, rounding out the list of USA Olympic team alternates are Shannon Johnson (Orlando Miracle/Hartsville, S.C.), Nykesha Sales (Orlando Miracle/Bloomfield, Conn.) and Tina Thompson (Houston Comets / Los Angeles, Calif.).
"Through the National Team Program we've had the opportunity to evaluate these players and the Committee feels that these six players have the skills and experience we're looking for in an Olympic alternate," said Women's National Team Committee chair Karen Stromme. "Jennifer Azzi, Shannon Johnson, Nykesha Sales and Tina Thompson have all been involved in the National Team Program over the past three years and are very familiar with the National Team. The Committee was able to utilize the WNBA season as an evaluation period and Vicky Bullett has certainly proven that she fits in with USA Basketball through her past international experience and her play during the 2000 WNBA season. Katrina McClain proved she was one of the greatest players in the world at the 1996 Olympics. She has been training, is in shape and has a wealth of international experience from which to draw. All-in-all, we are confident about the quality of alternates in our pool."
USA team members and alternates not participating in the WNBA playoffs, which are scheduled to start Aug. 11 and conclude by Aug. 27, will reassemble in Colorado Springs, Colo. on Aug. 14 for a six day training camp at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Team members and alternates participating in the WNBA playoffs will join the squad shortly after they have concluded their post-season play. The USA Women's Senior National Team trained Sept. 6, 1999 through April 2, 2000 and compiled a 29-2 overall record before breaking for the 2000 WNBA season.
The USA's Colorado Springs training camp will begin with a 5:30 p.m. (MDT) practice on Aug. 14 at the USOC's SportsCenter II. The USA team members and alternates will then train twice a day on Aug. 15, 17 and 18, at 9:00 a.m. (MDT) and 5:30 p.m. (MDT), and at 1:00 p.m. (MDT) on Aug. 16 and 19, at the USOC's SportsCenter II.
Five of the six alternates are currently competing in the WNBA. Azzi teams up with Natalie Williams (Utah Starzz /Taylorsville, Utah) on the Utah Starzz, Bullett competes with National Team members Chamique Holdsclaw (Astoria, N.Y.) and Nikki McCray (Collierville, Tenn.) on the Washington Mystics, Johnson and Sales are both members of the Orlando Miracle, while Thompson is a member of three-time WNBA champion Houston Comets along with USA member Sheryl Swoopes (Brownfield, Texas).
Azzi, Bullett and McClain own a combined four golds and two bronze medals in Olympic play as McClain and Bullett helped the 1988 U.S. squad to gold, both returned in 1992 as the United States finished with the bronze medal and McClain and Azzi teamed up in 1996 to help the USA reclaim the gold. In addition to their Olympic achievements, the three have helped the United States earn a combined five gold and two bronze medals in the past four International Basketball Federation (FIBA) World Championships. McClain was a member of the '86 gold medal winning squad, the trio were teammates on the 1990 squad that earned gold, Azzi and McClain were on the 1994 bronze medal World Championship team, while Azzi helped the United States in 1998 earn the gold medal.
An eight-year (1990-97) European professional veteran, Bullet has competed for the WNBA since its inception in 1997, playing three seasons for the Charlotte Sting (1997-99) and one for the Washington Mystics (2000). Bullett, a 1999 WNBA All-Star Game East Team member, is averaging 10.6 ppg. and 5.7 rpg. for Washington (as of Aug. 8), which is on the verge of its first playoff berth in three seasons. During the 1999-00 season, Bullett also competed in Brazil and recorded 15 points, four rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocked shots as a member of the Brazil Professional Select Team that fell 87-79 to the USA National Team on March 13. An international veteran, Bullett owns an Olympic scoring average of 6.7 ppg. after helping the U.S. claim gold in 1988 and returning to compete in the 1992 Games as the USA finished with the bronze medal. At the 1990 World Championship, Bullett averaged a team third best 9.5 ppg. and added 3.1 rpg. in helping the United States to a gold medal.
Directing the 2000 U.S. Women's Olympic Basketball Team is Nell Fortner, who led the U.S. to a gold medal and a perfect 9-0 record at the 1998 FIBA World Championship and has compiled an 84-14 record for a remarkable .857 winning percentage while directing 10 different USA teams since 1997. Fortner will be assisted on the sidelines by University of Connecticut head coach Geno Auriemma and Texas A&M University head coach Peggie Gillom.
In addition to Edwards, Holdsclaw, Leslie, Milton, McCray, Smith, Staley, Swoopes, Williams and Wolters, the 12 member USA Basketball Women's Senior National Team features Ruthie Bolton-Holifield (Sacramento Monarchs/McClain, Miss.) and Yolanda Griffith (Sacramento Monarchs/Chicago, Ill.).
