COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (May 18, 2023) – USA Basketball announced today 55 athletes expected to participate in the 2023 USA Women’s U16 National Team trials at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Trials run from May 25, with the final 12-member roster expected to be announced on May 30. The team will travel to Mérida, Mexico for the FIBA U16 Women’s Americas Championship from June 13-19.
Trials participants represent the high school graduating classes of 2025, 2026, 2027 and 2028. Athletes eligible for this team must be U.S. citizens, born on or after January 1, 2007. Athletes and coaches were selected by the USA Basketball Women’s Developmental National Team Committee.
“We are excited to have such a talented group set to compete for roster spots on the 2023 Women’s U16 National Team,” said Kirsten Moore, chair, USA Basketball Developmental National Team Committee. “For many of these athletes, this will be their first time participating in USA Basketball trials and we are excited to see who rises to that challenge.”
The class of 2025 attendees include Darriana “Dee” Alexander, Carly Amborn, Ava Black, Zhen Craft, Aaliyah Crump, Jaliya Davis, Alexandra Eschmeyer, Nora Ezike, Kelis Fisher, Lanie Grant, Logyn Greer, Holland Harris, Marcayla Johnson, Keziah Lofton, Ayla McDowell, Aliyanha Morris, Jasmine Nivar, Keeley Parks, Bree Riley, Hailee Swain, Gabrielle White and Janiyah Williams.
The class of 2026 will be represented by Jacy Abii, Kelsi Andrews, GiGi Battle, Addison Bjorn, Amari Byles, Devin Cosgriff, Brihanna Crittendon, Rieyan DeSouze, Oliviyah Edwards, Autumn Fleary, Bella Flemings, Amayah Garcia, Sanai Green, Maddyn Greenway, Saniyah Hall, Brooklynn Haywood, Jayla Jackson, Trinity Jones, Lola Lampley, Karisma Lewis, Jenica Lewis, Kamora Pruitt, Isabella Ragone, Jerzy Robinson, Kaylah Thornton, Olivia Vukosa, Zaniyah Williams and McKenna Woliczko.
For the class of 2027, Haylen Ayers, Taylor Brown, Lauren Hassell and Jordyn Palmer will be in attendance. Sydney Douglas is set to participate as the only athlete from the 2028 class.
The group features 22 athletes with past USA Basketball experience. Twenty-one recently participated in the inaugural USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team April minicamp in Dallas, including Abii, Alexander, Andrews, Battle, Bjorn, Byles, Cosgriff, Craft, Crittendon, Crump, DeSouze, Edwards, Greenway, Jackson, Lampley, Lewis, Lofton, Parks, Robinson, Vukosa and Zaniyah Williams.
Additionally, Johnson and Crump return to Colorado Springs after participating in the 2022 USA Women’s U17 National Team trials.
As previously announced, coaches for the team include Dan Rolfes (Incarnate Word Academy), Bobbi Morgan (Ursinus College) and Trenia Tillis-Hoard (Tyler Junior College). Court coaches for trials will be Karen Self (Seton Catholic Preparatory) and Audrey Taylor (Franklin High School). Taylor, along with the bench coaches, was on staff for the Women’s Junior National Team minicamp, while Self will serve her first USA Basketball coaching assignment.
The 2023 FIBA U16 Women’s Americas Championship features eight teams. FIBA recently announced that the U.S. drew Group A with Colombia, Mexico and Puerto Rico. For more information, click here.
The USA has won the gold medal at the competition in six of the seven editions, including the last three.
To apply for media credentials for trials or training camp, please visit www.sportssystems.com/usabasketball.