COLLEGE PARK, Md. – Maryland men's basketball head coach Mark Turgeon, who also serves as an assistant coach for the 2016 USA Basketball Men's U18 National Team, has been with the U18 National team at training camp this week in Colorado Springs.

Turgeon and U18 National Team began practice on Tuesday (June 14) and will conclude their five-day session on Saturday (June 18).

“We will have a total of eight practices this week and it has been great to work with these very talented players all of whom have very bright futures,” Turgeon said. “It has been exciting to be around the players, coaches and the (Junior National Team) committee.”

One of the players participating in this week's training camp that Turgeon has kept close tabs on is incoming Maryland freshman guard Kevin Huerter. A versatile playmaker from Clifton Park, N.Y., Huerter is a member of a talented 2016 recruiting class that is ranked in the top 10 nationally. Huerter was selected among the 18 finalists for the U18 National Team on Thursday after the roster was pared down from 26 to 18 players.

“Kevin has done very well and has played within himself,” Turgeon said. 'He has gotten better each session.”

Turgeon has been joined on the staff by Shaka Smart (Texas), who will serve as the team's head coach, and Kevin Ollie (UConn), who will be an assistant coach, as well.

The trio will lead the USA at the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship July 19-23 in Valdivia, Chile. Not only is a gold medal at stake, the top four finishing teams will earn a qualifying berth in the 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship.

Turgeon has previous experience with USA Basketball, serving as a court coach for the U.S. Pan American Team training camp in the summer of 2015. Turgeon has been a head coach for 18 years (1998-99 to present), compiling an overall record of 364-218 (.625 winning percentage). In four seasons at Maryland (2011-12 to present), he has led the Terps to a 114-59 record (.659 winning percentage). Turgeon has guided the Terps to back-to-back NCAA Tournament appearances, including a berth in the Sweet 16 in 2016. This marked Maryland's first appearance in the Sweet 16 since 2003.

Turgeon has compiled an aforementioned 114 wins in his first five seasons at Maryland – the most for a head coach in his first five years in program history. Turgeon's last two campaigns have added up to the second-most wins in school history over a two-year span (55). He has had the Terrapins ranked in the Associated Press top-25 for 35 consecutive weeks, including 20 weeks in the top-10. Maryland had previously not been ranked in the top-10 since Feb. 3, 2003 -- a span of 12 seasons.

Turgeon guided the Terps to back-to-back 27-plus win seasons for the first time in program history in 2014-15 and 2015-16.

Prior to Maryland, Turgeon was the head coach at Jacksonville State for two seasons (1998-99 and 1999-2000); at Wichita State for seven seasons (2000-01 to 2006-07), where he was 128-90 (.587 winning percentage); and at Texas A&M for four years (2007-08 to 2010-11), where he was 97-40 (.701 winning percentage).

2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship

Training camp to determine the USA's 12-member roster for the 2016 FIBA Americas U18 National Team will take place June 14-18 at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and July 11-15 in Houston. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens who are 18 years old or younger (born on or after Jan. 1, 1998).

The 2016 FIBA Americas U18 Championship will feature eight national teams from North, South and Central America and the Caribbean. The top four finishing teams will qualify for the 2017 FIBA U19 World Championship.

Earning automatic berths for the 2016 from North America are Canada and the United States; Argentina, Brazil and Chile punched their tickets by finishing in the top three of the 2015 South American U17 Championship; and Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico and U.S. Virgin Islands took the three berths available from the 2015 Centrobasket U17 Championship.

Originally known as the FIBA Americas Junior World Championship Qualifier, the tournament was held every four years between 1990-2006. FIBA changed its calendar following the 2006 championship and the tournament is now conducted every other year, followed in the next summer by the FIBA U19 World Championship.

USA men's teams are 48-2 in the U18 / Junior World Championship Qualifiers and won gold in 1990, 1994, 1998, 2006, 2010, 2012 and 2014, while capturing silver in 2008 and bronze in 2002.