Twenty-Two Athletes Expected to Participate in USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team Trials

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado (May 22, 2026) – USA Basketball announced today 22 athletes expected to participate in the 2026 USA Basketball Women’s U18 National Team trials at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Trials begin May 30 with the 12-member team anticipated to be announced at the conclusion of trials.

The team will compete at the 2026 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup, scheduled for June 9-15 in Irapuato, Mexico. The team will hold a four-day training camp prior to traveling to Mexico.

Trials participants will represent the high school graduating classes of 2026, 2027 and 2028. Team selection is made by the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee.

The class of 2026 includes Kelsi Andrews, Cydnee Bryant, Oliviyah Edwards, Bella Flemings, Jayla “Jordyn” Jackson, Julia Scott and Morgan Stewart.

From the class of 2027 are Haylen Ayers, Jezelle “GG” Banks, Ryan Carter, Jayla Forbes, Miciah “Mimi” Fusilier, Jada Jackson, Tatiana Mason, De’Andra Minor, Jordyn Palmer, Qandace Samuels, Sydney Savoury, Zya Small and Kaleena Smith.

Representing the class of 2028 are Sydney Douglas and Sydney Ferguson. 

Andrews (2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, 2023 FIBA U16 AmeriCup), Douglas (2025 FIBA U19 World Cup), Jordyn Jackson (2023 FIBA U16 AmeriCup) and Palmer (2024 FIBA U17 World Cup) have all won medals on the international stage. Jordyn Jackson also represented the U.S. in a 104-77 win over the World Select Team at the 2026 Nike Hoop Summit last month.

Sixteen athletes have USA Basketball experience at previous junior national team trials, competitions or minicamps. Most recently, Ayers, Carter, Douglas, Mason, Samuels, Savoury and Smith were participants at the 2026 USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team April minicamp in Phoenix.

As previously announced, the 2026 USA Women’s U18 National Team will be led by head coach Niele Ivey (University of Notre Dame). She will be assisted by Robyn Fralick (Michigan State University) and Charmin Smith (University of California, Berkeley).  

Supporting trials as court coaches will be Megan Griffith (Columbia University) and Scott Rueck (Oregon State University). Griffith, in her first USA Basketball coaching assignment, has led Columbia to three straight Ivy League regular season titles. She’s also a three-time Ivy League Coach of the Year (2023, 2024, 2025). Rueck, who was an assistant coach for the 2015 USA Women's Team at the Pan American Games, won a national title at George Fox University in 2009. He has led Oregon State to nine NCAA Tournament appearances, including the 2016 Final Four.

The U.S. will look to capture their 12th straight gold medal and 13th overall since the tournament’s inception in 1988.  

The USA, who will be in Group B, will open against Argentina on June 9 and hope to move to 12-0. The U.S. follow up with Mexico on June 10. The USA have a 6-0 record over Mexico. Group B play closes with Paraguay on June 12 in the second meeting of the nations in U18 play. The U.S. won the previous meeting in 2006. The knockout rounds begin on June 13 with the quarterfinals followed by the semifinals on June 14 and medal contests on June 15.

USA Basketball Contacts:
Renee Felton, Michael Terry, Justin Trujillo and Alex Brady.