Thursday Cardinal Couple -- -Walz packing his suitcases

THURSDAY CARDINAL COUPLE


- Jeff Walz is headed to Colorado Springs

We don't mean to cause panic with our readership by indicating that Coach is leaving the University of Louisville women's basketball program. He has been selected as one of the two assistant coaches for the USA Basketball U-18 Women's National team.

Coach Jeff will be involved with USA basketball this weekend in evaluating the list of the 28 players who will be competing for a spot on the squad. The eventual disposition is to select 12 players who will represent the USA in the 2014 FIBA Americas U-18 Championships...which will being on Aug 6th. at the US Olympic Training Center at Colorado Springs.

A total of 12 athletes with prior USA Basketball experience, including three gold medalists, highlight
the list of 28 of the nation’s top 18-and-unders who accepted invitations to participate in the 2014 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team Trials. The trials, scheduled to be held May 24-26 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center (USOTC) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, will be used to select the 12-member team that will compete in the USA Basketball-hosted 2014 FIBA Americas U18 Championship at the USOTC from Aug. 6-10. Invitations were issued by the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee, chaired by University of Tennessee at Chattanooga head coach Jim Foster (pictured above)



KBA will be an assistant

Along with head coach Dawn Staley (South Carolina) and Kim Barnes Arico (Michigan), Coach Walz will watch the practices and offer their suggestions to the selection committee on what they've seen. They'll then coach the 12 selected in the games
in August.

It's a responsibility Walz takes with great pride and respect.

" It's something that I've always wanted to do, having the opportunity to be involved with USA Basketball. It's  a chance to coach elite players against elite players. I was just thrilled when I received the phone call asking if I would be an assistant. It took no time at all to say 'Yes'. I'm just really excited the time has come and we'll get out there on Friday and have a great weekend of working with players."

Here's a list of the players that will be competing:

2014 USA Basketball Women's U18 National Team Trials Roster

NAME	POS	HGT	WGT	DOB	YOG	SCHOOL/COLLEGE	HOMETOWN
Lyneé Belton	F	6-2	180	05/26/96	2014	The Bullis School / *Duke	Clinton, MD
Monique Billings	F	6-4	160	05/02/96	2014	Santiago H.S. / *UCLA	Corona, CA
Receé Caldwell	G	5-8	135	09/09/96	2014	Homeschooled / *UCLA	San Antonio, TX
Sierra Calhoun	G/F	6-0	165	05/07/96	2014	Christ the King H.S. / *Duke	Brooklyn, NY
Batouly Camara	F	6-2	190	11/02/96	2015	Blair Academy	New York, NY
Napheesa Collier	G	6-1	173	09/23/96	2015	Incarnate Word Academy /#Connecticut	O'Fallon, MO
Mikayla Cowling	G/F	6-1	158	09/04/96	2014	St. Mary's College H.S. / *California	Benicia, CA
Sophie Cunningham	G	6-0	155	08/16/96	2015	Rock Bridge H.S. / #Missouri	Columbia, MO
LaJahna Drummer	F	6-2	160	03/28/96	2014	Long Beach Poly H.S. / *UCLA	Inglewood, CA
Kortney Dunbar	G	6-2	170	07/03/96	2014	Edwardsville H.S. / *Tennessee	Edwardsville, IL
Katelynn Flaherty	G	5-7	130	02/15/96	2014	Metuchen H.S. / *Michigan	Point Pleasant Beach, NJ
Jamasha 'Meme' Jackson	G/F	5-11	145	09/09/96	2015	Blackman H.S. / #Tennessee	Murfreesboro, TN
Jazmine Jones	G	6-0	150	10/15/96	2016	Florida A&M H.S.	Tallahassee, FL
Moné Jones	F	6-3	156	11/03/96	2015	Riverside H.S.	Durham, NC
Paris Kea	G	5-8	126	04/07/96	2014	Greensboro Page H.S. / *Vanderbilt	Greensboro, NC
Kyra Lambert	G	5-9	145	12/06/96	2015	Samuel Clemens H.S.	Schertz, TX
Marina Mabrey	G	5-10	---	09/14/96	2015	Manasquan H.S. / #Notre Dame	Manasquan, NJ
Teaira McCowan	C	6-7	235	09/28/96	2015	Brenham H.S.	Brenham, TX
Beatrice Mompremier	C	6-4	180	08/08/96	2015	Miami H.S.	Miami, FL
Mariya Moore	G/F	5-11	175	06/10/96	2014	Salesian H.S. / *Louisville	Richmond, CA
Ali Patberg	G/F	5-10	160	09/11/96	2015	Columbus North H.S. / #Notre Dame	Columbus, IN
Cierra Porter	C	6-4	183	09/07/96	2015	Rock Bridge H.S. / #Missouri	Columbia, MO
Jessica Shepard	F	6-4	195	09/11/96	2015	Fremont H.S. / #Nebraska	Fremont, NE
Azurá Stevens	F	6-4	175	02/01/96	2014	Cary H.S. / *Duke	Raleigh, NC
Brianna Turner	G/F	6-3	167	07/05/96	2014	Manvel H.S./*Notre Dame	Pearland, TX
Destinee Walker	G/F	5-10	150	10/19/96	2015	Lake Highland Prep School	Ocoee, FL
Stephanie Watts	G	5-10	155	04/16/97	2015	Weddington H.S. / #North Carolina	Wesley Chapel, NC
A'ja Wilson	F	6-3	175	08/08/96	2014	Heathwood Hall H.S./ *South Carolina	Hopkins, SC

Incoming Cardinal freshman Mariya Moore is listed above. The coaches will not be selecting the final 12...it should be pointed out. The committee makes that call...headed by Jim Foster, who is now the head women's basketball coach at University of Chattanooga.

Have fun, Coach Walz....and good luck Mariya!

paulie