COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. ñ Iowa State women’s basketball head coach Bill Fennelly has been named head coach of the 2011 USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team. |COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. ñ Iowa State women’s basketball head coach Bill Fennelly has been named head coach of the 2011 USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team. Fennelly, a three-time gold medal winner as a USA assistant coach, will be assisted by Suzie McConnell-Serio (Duquesne University) and Terri Williams-Flournoy (Georgetown University) at the competition, which is held Aug. 14-21 in Shenzhen, China.
“Being named a head coach by USA Basketball is one of the greatest honors of my professional life,” Fennelly said. “I am humbled and thankful that USA Basketball has given me this opportunity.
“I know we will have a great staff with Suzie and Terri,” Fennelly added. “I think they are two of the best young coaches in the country, and they are even better people.”
Fennelly previously helped the USA to a gold medal and an 8-1 record at the 2009 FIBA U19 World Championships in Thailand; a gold medal and a 5-0 record in the 2008 FIBA Americas U18 Championship in Argentina; and a gold medal and 3-1 record with the South Team in the 1994 U.S. Olympic Festival. Overall he owns a 16-2 record with USA Basketball.
The coaching selections were made by the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee and approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors.
“All three coaches have had success on the basketball court, and the committee feels their combined experience will be a tremendous asset to this team and its players,” said Sue Donohoe, NCAA Vice President for Division I women’s basketball and chair of the USA Basketball Women’s Junior National Team Committee.
Fennelly and the staff will hold trials to select the official, 12-member USA Basketball Women’s World University Games Team May 22-25 at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Following the selection of the team and/or finalists on May 25, the athletes and coaches will return home. Training will resume at the U.S. Olympic Training Center July 31-Aug. 8, prior to the team’s departure for Shenzhen, China and the 2011 World University Games.
The World University Games are held every other year and are organized by the International University Sports Federation (FISU). The games are a multi-sport competition open to women who are currently enrolled in college and have remaining eligibility in 2011-12 or beyond.
USA Basketball women’s teams have participated in 15 World University Games and collected a record seven gold medals, six silvers and one bronze medal.
