May 9, 2011
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COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -
Maryland women's basketball junior center Lynetta Kizer has accepted an invitation to attend the 2011 USA Women's World University Games Team Trials, USA Basketball announced today. She is one of only 35 invitees.
Trials will be held May 22-25 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Invitations to the trials were issued by the USA Basketball Women's Junior National Team Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice president for Division I women's basketball.
The 35 invitees hail from the top college basketball programs in the country. After the trials, head coach Bill Fennelly (Iowa State) and his staff will name 12 invitees to the World University team.
Kizer, who was named to the 2011 All-ACC Second Team, is joined by fellow ACC players Cierra Bravard (Florida State), Natasha Howard (Florida State), Shenise Johnson (Miami), Riquna Wilson (Miami) and Shawnice Wilson (Miami)
Following the selection of the team and/or finalists on May 25, the athletes will return home. Training will resume at the USOTC July 31-Aug. 8, prior to the team's departure for Shenzhen, China, and the 2011 World University Games.
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.
The World University Games are a multi-sport competition organized every other year by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The U.S. women's basketball team will be comprised of U.S. citizens who are currently enrolled in college and have remaining eligibility.
Kizer was honored with the Terps' Rebound Award. She averaged over 7.8 per game and over eight per ACC contest. She finished the season second in the league in offensive boards and No. 9 in total rebounds.
Freshman forward Alyssa Thomas will be in Colorado Springs May 22-25 as well. She accepted an invitation last week to participate in USA Basketball's Under-19 Team Trials.
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