Temple University Athletics
CANDICE DUPREE SELECTED AS FINALIST FOR USA BASKETBALL'S WORLD UNIVERSITY GAMES TEAM
5.23.05 | Women's Basketball
COLORADO SPRINGS, CO-Following five USA Basketball Women's National Team Trials sessions that were conducted May 19-21 in Colorado Springs, Colo., USA Basketball announced Candice Dupree has been selected as one of 16 finalists for the USA Women's World University Games team. The finalists were selected by the USA Basketball Women's Collegiate Committee, chaired by Sue Donohoe, NCAA vice-president for Division I women's basketball.
The team will be reduced to the official 12-woman roster during the team's training camp starting July 28 in Colorado Springs.
"I was excited when they called my name," Dupree said. "I know a lot of the other players out here kept telling me, 'you're going to make it, you're going to make it.' I guess I'm a little hard on myself. I'm very happy about it though, especially for my coach (three-time Olympic gold medalist Dawn Staley). I'm sure she'll be pretty excited."
If selected, Dupree will represent the United States at the 2005 World University Games to be held August 11-21 in Imzir, Turkey. A total of 21 teams will compete in the 2005 Games. The teams have been divided into four preliminary pools, three pools consisting of five teams and one pool consisting of six teams. The U.S. is in Pool B with China, Czech Republic, Poland and South Africa. Dupree's coach, Dawn Staley, was a member of the World University Games Team before being selected to the Olympic Team in 1996.
The World University Games, held every two years and organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU), is a multi-sport competition open to men and women between the ages of 17 and 28, who are, or have been within the past year, a student at a college or university. The USA women have enjoyed outstanding success in the World University Games and have earned 12 medals in 13 appearances, including five golds, six silvers and one bronze medal, and have compiled an overall record of 75-15 since beginning play in 1973. The World University Games has served as an important developmental event for the U.S. Of the 71 all-time U.S. women's Olympic basketball team members, 37 have been members of USA Basketball Women's World University Games teams. Most notable among the list of WUG alumni are Anne Donovan, Pat Summitt, Lisa Leslie, Katrina McClain, Katie Smith and Ann Meyers.
The 2005 squad will be coached by Kathy Delaney-Smith of Harvard University. She will be assisted by LSU's Pokey Chatman and Boston College's Cathy Inglese.
USA Basketball Photo Courtesy of Steve Maikoski
