Aug. 3, 2011

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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Maryland women's basketball senior Lynetta Kizer (Woodbridge, Va./Potomac High School) was named to the final 12-player roster for USA Basketball's World University Games team announced Wednesday.

Kizer was one of 14 of the nation's top college players at the U.S. Olympic Training Center for the final week of training and cuts for the team. The U.S. squad that will look to defend the USA's gold medal at the 2011 World University Games, Aug. 14-21 in Shenzhen, China, features talented international veterans and some of the nation's top collegians.

Named to the 2011 USA World University Games Team were Elena Delle Donne (Delaware/Wilmington, Del.); Skylar Diggins (Notre Dame/South Bend, Ind.); Jacki Gemelos (USC/Stockton, Calif.); Keisha Hampton (DePaul/Philadelphia, Pa.); Glory Johnson (Tennessee/Knoxville, Tenn.); Lynetta Kizer (Maryland/Woodbridge, Va.); Natalie Novosel (Notre Dame/Lexington, Ky.); Chiney Ogwumike (Stanford/Cypress, Texas); Nnemkadi Ogwumike (Stanford/Cypress, Texas); Devereaux Peters (Notre Dame/Chicago, Ill.); Odyssey Sims (Baylor/Irving, Texas) and Shekinna Stricklen (Tennessee/Morrilton, Ark.).

The USA team will remain at the USOTC to train through Aug. 7, before traveling to Shenzhen for its final World University Games preparations. The U.S. opens play on Aug. 14 against Brazil, will face Slovakia on Aug. 15 and caps preliminary round action against Great Britain on Aug. 16. Quarterfinals are slated for Aug. 18, medal semifinals will be played Aug. 19 and the finals will be held Aug. 21.

The World University Games are a multi-sport competition organized every other year by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The USA women's basketball team will be comprised of U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled in college and have remaining eligibility.

USA Basketball women's teams have participated in 15 prior World University Games and collected a record seven gold medals, six silvers and one bronze medal. Since 1973, the first year the USA women competed in the WUGs, the United States has compiled an 89-15 overall record. In 2009, led by 2010 FIBA World Champion Tina Charles, the USA posted a 7-0 slate en route to the gold medal.

Kizer helped the USA earned its 2009 U19 World Championship berth with a gold medal finish at the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship, which was played in Argentina. In the last Youth Development Festival organized by USA Basketball in 2007, Kizer helped lead the USA White Team to a 3-0 record and gold-medal finish.

For more information on the World University Games and Team USA, log on http://www.usabasketball.com.